Halal Cookie Brands in the USA

What makes a cookie halal or not?

A basic cookie is made from flour, sugar, fat, eggs and flavorings. Most of these are halal. Three things decide whether a cookie is halal.

The fat. In the past, some cookies used lard, which is pork fat. Today, almost all major US cookie brands use vegetable oils, such as palm or canola oil. Still, check the label for lard or "animal shortening."

Gelatin in fillings and marshmallow. Plain cookies do not use gelatin. However, cookies with a marshmallow layer, and some cookies with fruit or cream fillings, can contain it. Gelatin from pigs is haram, and gelatin from cattle is halal only if the cattle were slaughtered the zabiha way.

Flavorings and emulsifiers. "Natural flavors" and emulsifiers such as mono- and diglycerides can come from plants or animals, and the label rarely says which. Certification is the only way to be sure about these.

A halal mark settles all three questions at once. Without one, a cookie with no lard and no gelatin is "halal by ingredient," which many Muslims accept.

How can you check any cookie yourself?

• Look for lard, animal shortening and gelatin on the ingredient list. If any of these appear, the cookie is not halal unless it is certified.
• Take extra care with marshmallow cookies and cookies with fillings.
• Look for a halal mark, such as the IFANCA crescent M.
• Remember that the same brand can be certified in one country and not in another. Oreos, for example, are certified in several Muslim-majority countries but not in the US.

Frequently asked questions

Which cookies are halal-certified in the USA?

Lotus Biscoff says that its Original Biscoff cookies, crushed Biscoff and Biscoff spread are halal-certified. Girl Scout Cookies baked by Little Brownie Bakers are certified halal by IFANCA. Most other big brands are not certified in the US.

Are Oreos halal?

Oreos in the US contain no pork, lard, gelatin or alcohol, so most scholars consider them halal by ingredient. They are not halal-certified in the US, but they are certified in several Muslim-majority countries.

Are Girl Scout Cookies halal?

It depends on the bakery. Two bakeries make Girl Scout Cookies. Little Brownie Bakers says its cookies are certified halal by IFANCA. We could not find a halal statement from ABC Bakers, so check the box for a halal mark.

Are Chips Ahoy halal?

Original Chips Ahoy contain no pork, lard or gelatin, so they are halal by ingredient. The brand has said that Chips Ahoy are not halal-certified in the US.

Do cookies contain gelatin?

Plain cookies usually do not. Gelatin appears mainly in cookies with a marshmallow layer or a gummy or fruit filling. Always check the label on those.