Are you looking for an alternative, healthy, and halal snack to munch? Take a look at some recent 5-star reviews showing why Chewwies is the best! Oreos is arguably the world's best-selling cookie brand and has existed for over a century!
Their sweet crème sandwiched between two wafers is devoured by devout Muslims worldwide. And why wouldn't they? These cookies taste excellent and are reasonably priced.
But the question we all have to ask before downing this creme-filled delight is, are they Halal?
Quick Answer: Yes & No!
According to the Oreos website, the brand's cookies are non-halal-certified.
But for many of them, the ingredients used in their production and manufacturing processes are permissible for the Islamic diet.
Hence, some are halal, while others aren't!
Oreos Ingredient List
Some of the ingredients found in Oreos cookies are;
Unbleached enriched flour
Unbleached enriched flour is the number one ingredient in Oreo cookie production, and it's gotten when wheat flour is mixed with extra nutrients.
The different nutrients are niacin, iron, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), riboflavin (vitamin B2), and folic acid.
None of these nutrients is gotten from haram sources and is all halal!
Butter and Whipped Milk
Butter and whipped milk make the cookie tender and rich in nutrients.
They could be halal or non-halal, depending on how they are made and the ingredients used.
If a halal butter/whipped milk is used, then the cookies are halal and vice versa!
Vegetable oil, Canola oil, and palm oil, both of plant origin, are used.
These are halal, except contaminated during the process of production.
Baking soda
Baking soda slows down the dough coagulation, giving time for it to rise into the soft, fluffy cookie you love.
Baking soda is halal!
Cornstarch and corn syrup
Both have several roles in baking. They make your cookies thick but still crumble easily in your mouth.
They are both halal!
Gelatine
Gelatine is contained in only some specific Oreo flavours.
Whenever an Oreo cookie contains gelatin, it is non-halal as this is mainly gotten from pork!
Cocoa
Oreos cookie gets its rich flavour and brownish to a reddish colour from cocoa. Often two cocoa variants are used.
Both are entirely halal!
Gluten
All gluten obtained from animal origins is non-halal.
However, the one used in Oreo cookie production is from wheat of plant origin, making it halal.
Cheese
Cheese is used to give some oreo cookies a unique taste. Most cheeses are non-halal as they contain rennet (animal enzyme).
You should avoid any Oreo cookie that shows cheese as one of its ingredients.
Other ingredients could include; salt, vanilla, cinnamon, water, pumpkin syrup, strawberry, sugar, gluten, and a few others.
Initially, Oreo cookies used to contain trans fat, but it has been replaced with non-hydrogenated vegetable oil. This makes it healthier while influencing its halal status.
Oreos Manufacturing Process
The first step to making an Oreos cookie is blending the ingredients to give them a smooth texture, which is made into a dough.
Then a moulding machine is used to shape the dough while impressing its iconic brand name.
The dough is then baked in an oven and cooled using fans. After which, it is filled with creme filling, sandwiched and then packaged.
A series of machines do all these processes and in no way breach the Islamic dietary rule.
The process of producing Oreo cookies is halal!
These are only for people in the US and Canada. Oreos produced in Muslim countries have the halal certification, Therefore 100% halal.
While all oreo cookies are suitable for vegetarians, not all are suitable for vegans, and most importantly, not all are halal.
Here is a list of halal Oreos;
- Oreo cookie cake,
- Oreo Santa hat,
- Oreo cookie pops,
- Oreo mousse cake,
- Oreo crunch parfait,
- Oreo cupcakes,
- Oreo freak shakes,
- Berry fresh oreo golden tiramisu. Amongst others.
Non-halal Oreos include;
- Oreo Strawberry Cream cheesecake [contains gelatine],
- Oreo bars,
- Oreo Choco Brownie,
- Oreo Enrobed Milk & White,
- Oreo Cadbury Coated and
- Oreo Crunchy Bites Dipped. Amongst others.
To be sure they are suitable for your diet, read the label and check the ingredients.
FAQ
Do Oreos contain gelatin?
Some Oreo flavours contain gelatine which means that they are not halal since the main ingredient is derived from pork.
Do Oreo cookies contain palm oil?
Yes, Oreo cookies contain palm oil and other vegetable oils are being used.