25 Accidentally Vegan Cookies

It’s common knowledge that Oreos are vegan (if you’re just learning this now, surprise!), but these iconic sandwich cookies aren’t the only animal-free option you’ll find down the cookie aisle. Store-bought vegan cookies are more common than you might think—you just have to know where to look.

Before filling your shopping cart with these 25 accidentally vegan cookies, let’s first take a look at the most common animal ingredients often found in cookies.

Animal ingredients in cookies

Like other baked goods, cookies are traditionally made using animal-based ingredients. Butter and eggs are the most common animal products found in cookies. In addition to butter, dairy can also make its way into store-bought cookies in the form of whey.

While not as common, there are a number of boxed cookies that use honey for added sweetness. This is most often the case for graham crackers, but worry not, there are accidentally vegan options readily available.  

Accidentally vegan cookies

From soft-baked to crunchy, bite-sized to palm-sized, here are 25 accidentally vegan cookies to dunk in a tall glass of oat milk.

Oreo

1 Oreos

It’s a bit ironic that milk’s favorite cookie is accidentally vegan, but we’re not complaining. Many of the Oreo varieties are also plant-based including Golden Oreo, Mint Oreos, and Double Stuffed. With so many flavor options, we’ll never tire of this classic cookie.
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Trader Joe’s

2 Joe Joe’s

Just like the original, Trader Joe’s version of the Oreo sandwich cookie is also vegan (with the exception of the gluten-free Joe Joe’s, which contain egg). While the original satisfies a sweet tooth, the seasonal flavors are truly something to look forward to. Between the fall-inspired pumpkin, winter-themed peppermint, and springy mango and matcha varieties, there’s always something delicious coming to TJ’s.  
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Two Birds Baking Co.

3 Nutter Butters

Once you realize these peanut-shaped sandwich cookies are vegan, a whole new world opens up. Nutter Butters are fabulous on their own (who doesn’t love scraping the peanut butter crème with their teeth and dunking the cookie?) but Nutter Butter milkshakes are next level. Try it! Blend up a handful of Nutter Butters with a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream and a splash of non-dairy milk. Dig in with a spoon. 
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Girl Scouts

4 Girl Scout Cookies

Not all, but six Girl Scout cookie varieties are accidentally vegan! Plus, the newest cookies in the 2023 lineup, the Raspberry Rally and the Caramel Chocolate Chip cookie, are also vegan-friendly. For the full lineup of vegan Girl Scout cookies, check out our guide here.
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Partake

5 Partake

Often, allergen-friendly cookies contain egg or milk (case in point: the Trader Joe’s gluten-free Joe Joe’s). Fortunately, Partake made its cookies with vegans in mind. All are gluten-, nut-, GMO-, and animal product-free. The ten flavors come in crunchy or soft-baked ranging from birthday cake and cookie butter to Double Chocolate Brownie and classic chocolate chip.  
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Lenny & Larry’s

6 Lenny & Larry’s

With 16 grams of protein per cookie, you could almost justify these massive, chewy cookies as a post-workout snack. Plus, Lenny and Larry’s can be found virtually everywhere—from supermarkets to gas stations. Favorite flavors include birthday cake, double chocolate, and lemon poppyseed. 
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Trader Joe’s

7 Trader Joe’s Maple Leaf Cookies

Buddy the Elf would love these maple syrup-infused sandwich cookies. They’re terrific on their own or dunked into tea, plant milk, or in Buddy’s case, more maple syrup. 
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Nabisco

8 Nabisco Original Graham Crackers

Whether you’re preparing for a bonfire or making a buttery cheesecake crust from scratch, these honey-free graham crackers are a safe bet for vegans. For something a bit more fun and innovative, try making our Grilled S’mores with Strawberries and Bananas or our Gooey Vegan S’mores Brownies. 
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Fig Newtons

9 Fig Newtons

These original figgy cookies are vegan! There is something about these soft, fig-filled cookies with that distinct grainy texture that is both comforting and alluring. All varieties—from the Strawberry to Fat-Free—are naturally plant-based. 
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Newman’s Own

10 Newman’s Own Cookies

If we were to list all the Newman’s Own cookies that were accidentally vegan as singular items, they would make up a good portion of this list. All of the sandwich cookies (Original, Chocolate, Peanut Butter, and Vanilla), as well as the Fat-Free Non-Dairy Fig Newtons are vegan-friendly. 
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Annie’s

11 Annie’s Bunny Grahams

We love smearing peanut butter onto these organic bunny-stamped biscuits. Many of the bite-sized Bunny Grahams are also vegan including the chocolate chip, birthday cake, and chocolate flavors.  
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Whole Foods

12 365 by Whole Foods Market Sandwich Crèmes

Are you sensing a theme here? Most crème-filled sandwich cookies are accidentally vegan. While grabbing lunch at the Whole Foods hot bar, grab a box of the chocolate, vanilla, or mismatched sandwich crème cookies. 
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Divvies Cookies

13 Divvies Cookies

These nut-free and vegan sandwich cookies melt in your mouth. You’ll find them in Sprouts and other supermarkets in the bakery section. Each thick, cream-filled sandwich is made with two chewy cookies and super silky icing. Flavors come in Sugar with Lemon, brownie, and chocolate chip. Can’t find them in stores? Divvies ships! 
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Trader Joe’s

14 Trader Joe’s Soft Baked Snickerdoodles

Chewy, pillowy, and dusted in cinnamon sugar, these boxed cookies are the definition of the perfect snickerdoodle. Beyond being vegan, they’re also free of the top eight food allergens. Cookies for everyone! 
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Uncle Eddie’s 

15 Uncle Eddie’s Vegan Cookies

Okay, these are intentionally vegan, but they’ve been around since 1991 and you can find them in most major supermarkets. We simply could not exclude our favorite Uncle Eddie’s. Soft, chewy, and bursting with chunky mix-ins, it’s easy to polish off a bag in a day or two.  
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Maxine’s Heavenly

16 Maxine’s Heavenly Cookies

Maxine’s founder Tim Miller set out to healthify his mother’s delectable cookies, and in the process, he made them vegan. These gluten- and refined sugar-free cookies are more wholesome than the original butter-and-egg-laden recipe, but they’ve retained their deliciousness to make Maxine proud. We love every single flavor—from the intense Chocolate Chocolate Chunk to the homey oatmeal raisin. 
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Keebler

17 Keebler’s Vienna Fingers

Oh, we fancy. What’s essentially an elongated vanilla sandwich cookie takes on a sophisticated persona when described as a dainty Vienna finger. Thanks to the hardworking Keebler elves for making a vegan option! 
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Biscoff

18 Biscoff cookies

When we discovered these speculoos cookies were accidentally vegan, they became our airplane snack of choice. Many airlines carry them, so now vegans have a sweet counterpart to the salty pretzel standard. 
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Mari Food Photography

19 Teddy Grahams

With the exception of the honey variety, these adorable bite-sized bears are vegan. Both the chocolate and chocolate chip flavors serve as a wonderful nostalgic snack. Enjoy them by the handful or crush them and sprinkle on top of a vegan chocolate pudding cup or non-dairy vanilla ice cream. 
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Bakeology

20 Bakeology Cookie Bites 

Bite-sized cookies? We’re in. Each of the five gluten-free flavors are also vegan. Sure, there’s your standard chocolate chip and chocolate cookies, but you have to try the Vanilla Chai and lemon options. 
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Simple Truth

21 Simple Truth Organic Animal Crackers

There’s a slight irony to the fact that so many animal-shaped cookies are vegan. So far we’ve noshed on bunnies and bears, but animal crackers are known for their smorgasbord of species. We swear, they’re entirely plant-based, and honestly, pretty addictive. 
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Lilly’s Baking Company

22 Lilly’s Baking Company Rugelach 

A cross between a pastry and a cookie, these sugar-dusted, vegan-friendly rugelach bites never fail to brighten our spirits. Choose from decadent chocolate to fruity raspberry or spicy cinnamon fillings. 
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Back to Nature

23 Back to Nature

If you’re craving a particular mass-produced cookie (let’s say, a Keebler fudge stripe or a vanilla wafer), you can likely find a plant-based option by picking up its Back to Nature analog. From crunchy Chips Ahoy lookalikes to Oreo-style chocolate and peanut butter sandwich cookies, you could enjoy a different style of iconic cookie every day of the week. 
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Happy Cravings

24 Cookie Crisp

We still can’t believe we once enjoyed this cereal for breakfast. Now, as adults, we do the responsible thing—eat it for dessert. One bite will take you back to the days when energy prevailed and nothing could hold you back—not even a bowlful of cookies before a math test. 
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Glue Stick Blog

25 Poor Man’s Cookies

You won’t find these cookies in stores, but you can easily make them at home. Born from the Depression, these oaty, brown sugar cookies are naturally animal-free thanks to inventive bakers who were trying to make something sweet in the age of food rations. Follow Taste of Home’s simple recipe for deceptively rich vegan cookies. 
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Tanya Flink is a Digital Editor at VegNews as well as a writer and runner living in Orange County, CA.