If you are following a sugar-free, low carb or ketogenic diet or just trying to cut down on sugar and empty carbs, either for overall health and wellness or for weight loss, there are certain comfort foods from childhood that you may crave but try to avoid in favor of healthier options.
Fortunately, there are now several brands of low carb chocolate sandwich cookies available to OREO lovers who want to eat healthier. Today, I'll be reviewing HighKey Sugar-Free Sandwich Cookies, which have the best clean ingredients for someone on a low carb, gluten-free, sugar-free or keto diet.
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| My husband no longer misses his OREO cookies as much, now that I found these delicious low carb, gluten-free, sugar-free keto sandwich cookies for him. |
Who Loves OREO Cookies?
Before we switched to a low carb way of eating for health reasons, one of my husband's favorite treats were OREO cookies. In fact, "Double Stuf" OREO cookies (filled with twice the amount of vanilla creme filling) and mint Oreos were extra-special treats for him. But two Double Stuf OREOs have not only 140 calories but also 21g of carbohydrates (my entire daily carb allowance when I was following a keto diet for weight loss!), including 13g of added sugars. Even two classic OREO cookies have 110 calories and 16g of carbs, including 9g of added sugars. So, both Double Stufs and classic OREO cookies were no longer an option as a sweet treat for both my husband and me.
So the answer to "Who Loves OREO Cookies?" is our taste buds and our emotions but, sadly, not our bodies or our health.
What's a Health-Conscious OREO Cookie Lover to Do?
In order for our low carb lifestyle to be sustainable, we look for alternatives to our favorite treats that support our health and nutrition goals or, in the case of treats, at least don't sabotage them. That's why I got so excited when I started seeing low carb and sugar-free cookies similar to my husband's beloved OREOs. Then I started reading the ingredients and nutrition labels...and I got less excited.
Thanks to the popularity of the keto diet, the term "keto" sells. Unfortunately, since there is no universally agreed-upon definition of a "keto diet" or a "keto" food (my post on Preparing to Succeed on the Keto Diet discusses this topic in more detail), marketers slap the "keto" label on anything that is low in net carbs, regardless of the quality or nutritional value of the ingredients. So, for those of us who are looking to make healthier food choices, it's up to us to educate ourselves about ingredients and nutrition and read packaged food labels carefully, and to experiment to find out which low-carb ingredients spike our insulin levels, cause gastric distress, etc., since each of us has a different metabolism and a different reaction to the same foods.
Three Low-Carb OREO Cookie Alternatives
I found three vanilla-filled chocolate sandwich cookies that looked similar to OREOs and claimed to be "keto" or "keto-friendly" and started reading and comparing the ingredients and nutrition labels. The three contenders were:
- HighKey Sugar-Free Sandwich Cookies
- Catalina Crunch Keto Friendly Chocolate Vanilla Sandwich Cookies
- Rip Van LEOs Sandwich Creme Cookies (Cookies & Creme flavor)
Here's how they compare vs. each other and vs. classic OREO cookies:
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HighKey |
Catalina |
Rip Van LEOs |
OREO |
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Serving: 2 cookies |
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Calories |
60 |
90 |
100 |
110 |
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Total Fat |
4g |
6g |
6g |
4.5g |
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Saturated Fat |
1g |
3g |
3g |
1.5g |
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Trans Fat |
0g |
0g |
0g |
0g |
|
Cholesterol |
0g |
0g |
0g |
0g |
|
Sodium |
130mg |
95mg |
80mg |
85mg |
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Total Carbohydrate |
17g |
12g |
13g |
16g |
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Dietary Fiber |
7g |
3g |
6g |
0g |
|
Total Sugars |
0g |
2g |
3g |
9g |
|
Added Sugars |
0g |
2g |
2g |
9g |
|
Sugar Alcohols |
4g |
0g |
0g |
0g |
|
Allulose |
4g |
2g |
2g |
0g |
|
Net Carbs |
2g |
5g |
5g |
16g |
|
Protein |
<1g |
4g |
3g |
<1g |
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Ingredients |
Resistant Cassava Fiber, Erythritol, Allulose, White Rice Flour, RSPO Palm Oil, Non-GMO Canola Oil, Cocoa Powder (Processed with Alkali), Egg Whites, Natural Flavors, Sunflower Lecithin, Oligofructose, Baking Soda, Salt, Xanthan Gum, Psyllium Husk, Water, Stevia Extract, Monk Fruit Extract. |
Palm Fruit Oil, Allulose, Pea Protein, Cane Sugar, Cassava Flour, Tapioca Flour, Inulin, Cocoa Powder, Cocoa Powder (Processed with Alkali), Xanthan Gum, Natural Flavor, Sunflower Lecithin, Baking Soda, Sea Salt, Stevia Extract. |
Palm fruit oil, Vegetable fiber, sugar, milk protein, wheat flour, allulose, sugar cane fiber, cocoa processed with alkali, wheat starch, oat fiber, sea salt, baking soda, chocolate extract, sunflower lecithin, vanilla extract, stevia leaf extract. |
Unbleached enriched flour (wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate {vitamin B1}, riboflavin {vitamin B2}, folic acid), sugar, palm and/or canola oil, cocoa (processed with alkali), high fructose corn syrup, leavening (baking soda and/or calcium phosphate), salt, soy lecithin, chocolate, artificial flavor. Contains: wheat, soy. |
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| This plate of HighKey Sugar-Free Sandwich Cookies makes my husband miss his OREO cookies much less, now that we follow a more health conscious, low carb but still delicious approach to eating. |
Why I Chose HighKey Sugar-Free Sandwich Cookies
Here are a few of the reasons I decided to order HighKey keto sandwich cookies as a healthier alternative to OREO cookies.
Only 2g of Net Carbs
As you can see, the HighKey Sugar-Free Sandwich Cookies have only 2g of net carbs, compared to 5g each for the Catalina Crunch Keto Friendly Chocolate Vanilla Sandwich Cookies and Rip Van LEOs Sandwich Creme Cookies.
Lower in Calories
Two of the HighKey Sugar-Free Sandwich Cookies have 60 calories, compared to 90 calories for two Catalina Crunch keto sandwich cookies and 100 for the Rip Van LEOs.
No Added Sugars, Gluten-Free
The HighKey sandwich cookies use low glycemic sweeteners that don't spike blood glucose. Other than the white rice flour, which is gluten-free but can spike blood sugar levels, the ingredients are surprisingly clean for this type of low carb sweet treat.
By contrast, cane sugar is the fourth ingredient in the Catalina Crunch sandwich cookies. Since cane sugar spikes insulin and is something my husband and I try to avoid completely, that pretty much knocks these out of contention for us.
Similarly, the Rip Van LEOs sandwich cookies contain not only (cane) sugar but also wheat flour, neither of which ingredients are considered keto-friendly, although people who follow a "dirty keto" diet may not be bothered by this.
Not a Perfect OREOs Dupe, But a Good, Healthier Option
HighKey Sugar-Free Sandwich Cookies taste good, especially to those of us who have kicked our food addiction to cane sugar and wheat flour. However, they are by no means an exact dupe of classic, sugar-laden OREO cookies.
The chocolate cookies are harder and don't soften as readily when dipped in regular or dairy-free milk. They are also more brittle and the filling is firmer, so you can't twist to separate the two chocolate cookies and lick off the creme filling, a favorite part of the experience of eating classic OREO cookies.
For us, and probably for many people who must eat gluten-free or sugar-free, the trade-offs are well worth it.
Healthier Packaged Foods With Clean Ingredients Cost More Than Their Conventional Counterparts
I compared the Amazon prices on January 30, 2023for classic OREO cookies, HighKey Sugar-Free Sandwich Cookies, Catalina Crunch Keto Friendly Chocolate Vanilla Sandwich Cookies and Rip Van LEOs Sandwich Creme Cookies (Cookies & Creme flavor). Here are the price comparisons per package and per cookie.
| HighKey | Catalina Crunch | Rip Van LEOs | OREO | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quantity | 3 packs (4.27 oz packs), 10 cookies each = 30 cookies | 2 pack (6.8 oz boxes), 16 cookies each = 32 cookies | 2 pack (6.77oz), 16 cookies each = 32 cookies | 60 Snack Packs (2 Cookies Per Pack) = 120 cookies |
| Item Price | $17.99 | $17.63 | $14.39 | $29.40 |
| Price per Cookie | $0.60 | $0.55 | $0.45 | $0.25 |
My Recommended Sugar-Free, Gluten-Free Alternative to OREO Cookies
If you or someone you know is on a sugar-free, gluten-free, low carb or ketogenic diet, these keto friendly HighKey Sugar-Free Sandwich cookies would make a great gift or something to keep on hand for when they visit. They're a sweet treat both kids and adults will appreciate!
Delicious Sugar-Free Keto Cookies That OREO Fans Will Love by Margaret Schindel
Posts About My Keto Diet Journey
My First Year on The Keto Diet
Preparing to Succeed on the Keto Diet, Part One
Preparing to Succeed on the Keto Diet, Part Two
Low Carb Muffins & Cupcakes: Treats to Enjoy on a Keto Diet
Low Carb Keto Chocolate Yogurt Granola Chip Pudding Recipe
Good Dee’s Keto Cookie Low Carb Baking Mix Review
Hamama Microgreens Growing Kit Review & Success Tips
My Favorite Hamama Microgreens Seed Quilt Accessories
Keto Cheddar Cheese Biscuits With Chives Recipe
The Ultimate Keto Hot Chocolate Recipe
The Best Low Carb Keto Gift Ideas: Keto Gift Guide
The Best Low Carb Keto Cinnamon Muffins
Wholesome Yum Keto Bread Mix and Yeast Bread Recipe
The Good Chocolate 100% Organic No Sugar Dark Chocolate Review
The Best Advice to Maintain Your Keto Diet Weight Loss
My New Irresistibly Delicious Keto Cheese Crackers Recipe
Luscious Low Carb Keto Triple Peppermint Cheesecake Brownies Recipe
Quick & Easy Livlo Blueberry Scones Keto Baking Mix Review
Snack Better With The Best Healthy Keto Cookie Dough Bites
The Best Quick and Easy Low Carb Keto Pizza Recipe
The Best Quick and Easy Low Carb Keto Shortcake Cupcakes Recipe
Comparing the Best Keto-Friendly Chocolate Hazelnut Spreads - No Added Sugars
The Best Low Carb Keto Sandwich and Burger Buns Mix
Blueberry Biscuit Scones — New, Easy, Low Carb Keto Recipe
The Best Keto Pizza Crust Mix With 0 Net Carbs
An Unusual, Delicious Strawberry Chocolate Tea With 0 Calories
Delicious Sugar-Free Keto Cookies That OREO Fans Will Love
Healthy Pistachio Cherry Chocolate Chip Marshmallow Cereal Treats Recipe
Easy, Decadent, High Protein, Sugar-Free Rocky Road Cottage Cheese Ice Cream
The Best Quick & Easy Low Carb Sausage and Ricotta Calzones
How to Make Refreshing Vanilla Italian Soda (With or Without Cream)
Reviews of the Keto Diet by Barbara C. (aka Brite-Ideas)
How I Stayed Committed to the Ketogenic Way of Eating
Read More Food Reviews by Our Review This Reviews Contributors
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Despite not being a perfect substitute for an Oreo cookie, your recommended alternative sounds like a good one. I know those who need to follow a sugar-free or gluten-free food plan will definitely appreciate your research and recommendation.
ReplyDeleteThanks very much, Ms. Elf! These were just launched in January, so they’re brand new to the marketplace. I’m sure they will be the answer to many cookie lovers’ prayers.
DeleteFinding a good alternative to favorite foods & snacks is key to any sustainable diet. Even if it is not a perfect copy, if it fills that craving, that is what matters. Also, I have noted that "keto" is on a lot of products in the grocery store and I have questioned that myself and wondered if "marketers slap the "keto" label on anything that is low in net carbs," just to make those sales. Shameful! Thanks for answering that question!
ReplyDeleteSylvestermouse, I agree with you completely on both counts. Finding satisfying, healthy alternatives to our favorite foods is definitely a key to sticking with dietary restrictions. And I, too, am disgusted by marketers whose use the term “keto” to sell products with unhealthy ingredients or those that are unsuitable for a ketogenic diet, even if they are low in net carbs. Thanks so much from r your thoughtful comment!
DeleteThe difference in carbs and sugar is major! What a great alternative for Oreo Cookie cravers. Since going the Keto route I was a lucky one who never really craved sugar, but from time to time a nice treat like this would have been good - It's still a great option for that sugar craving on the low carb way of eating that I'm currently on. I'm not tracking Keto any longer, but I am paying strict attention to the carbs I'm inhaling. I think Keto was my biggest education on food - more than other weight loss programs - because the App taught me about each percentage and gram and how it mattered to our weight. Love this alternative snack as well. You have so many helpful Keto articles (you'll be helping a lot of newbie Keto people with your articles - you're helping me too!)
ReplyDeleteBarbara, like you, I’m sort of straddling the keto/low carb lifestyle line and learned so much about nutrition and the tremendous effects (both positive and negative) of our food choices on both our bodies and our minds. You are so knowledgeable about this stuff already. I’m delighted and honored that my articles are helping you!
DeleteOh yum, this is part of my downfall on most diets! I just get so tired of seeing my family enjoying all those goodies and me sitting on the sidelines. Now I have options! Thank you Margaret for pointing me in the right direction!
ReplyDeleteOlivia, I definitely thought of you while I was writing this product review! I know that, like my husband and me, you enjoy sweet treats and that having healthy, sugar-free, keto friendly options are key to maintaining your new, slimmer, healthier body and increased energy. I don’t know whether these are available in Canada yet, but I hope so!
ReplyDeleteWe always look for low sugar or sugar free foods and treats. Especially for treats it is not always easy to find! I find that it is now not enough to be able to read low fat, keto or reduced sugar etc if you have dietary needs, you really have to read the labels and educate yourself. Thank you for your review and recommendations and for all your very informative articles.
ReplyDeleteYou are most welcome, Raintree Annie! It is very true, potentially deceptive marketing practices and evolving insights into the effects of nutrition on our health require vigilance and ongoing self-education when it comes to choosing foods that support rather than harm our health, especially as we age. I’m so grateful to know that this review and my previous articles related to diet, nutrition and health have been helpful to you!
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