Is Cookie Crisp Vegan and Cruelty Free? (April, 2024)

Figuring out whether Cookie Crisp is safe for vegans to consume can be challenging.

The makers of breakfast cereals often mask their ingredients under vague terms such as “natural flavors,” and even if they do provide a full list, you can’t always decipher whether an ingredient is animal based or not.

To make sure that you’re only eating food that aligns with your vegan lifestyle and diet, I’ve investigated the ingredients and production processes of Cookie Crisp cereal.

Here’s what I found out.

Table of Contents

Is Cookie Crisp Vegan?

No. Cookie Crisp cereal is not a vegan product.

Cookie Crisp cereal consists of small, round, chocolate cookies with a crunchy sugar coating. This breakfast cereal is popular with children and kids-at-heart alike. Unfortunately, vegans can’t enjoy this breakfast cereal because it contains refined sugar and vitamin D3.

Sugar is naturally a vegan ingredient because it comes from plants, but most sugar on the market is processed using bone char. Bone char is a black, porous substance that is made from the bones of animals. It is used to make sugar white and it is often found in brown and granulated sugar. Unless it is labeled “raw,” “unrefined,” or “organic,” assume it is filtered through bone char.

Vitamin D3 is another non-vegan ingredient in Cookie Crisp cereal. Vitamin D can be sourced from plants, but vitamin D3 is mostly found in sheep’s wool.

Sadly, this breakfast cereal is unsuitable for vegans.

Is Cookie Crisp Cereal Cruelty Free?

Yes! Cookie Crisp cereal is a cruelty-free product.

General Mills, Cookie Crisp’s parent company, does not test its products on animals unless required by law. It also doesn’t contain ingredients that have been tested on animals, such as food colors and flavors. So you can be sure that no animals were harmed in the making of this cereal.

Animal testing is an unethical and outdated practice that should be stopped. I’m glad to see that Cookie Crisp is a cruelty-free product and I hope more companies will follow suit.

What Is Cookie Crisp Made Of?

Here are the ingredients of Cookie Crisp:

Whole grain corn
Sugar
Corn meal
Yellow corn flour
Canola oil
Corn syrup
Cocoa processed with alkali
Brown sugar syrup
Salt
Caramel color
Baking soda
Natural flavor

Vitamins & minerals

Calcium carbonate
Tricalcium phosphate
Iron and zinc (mineral nutrients)
Vitamin C (sodium ascorbate)
A B Vitamin (niacinamide)
Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride)
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)
Vitamin B1 (thiamine mononitrate)
Vitamin A (palmitate)
A B Vitamin (folic acid)
Vitamin B12
Vitamin D3

Let’s break down each ingredient of Cookie Crisp:

Whole grain corn

Whole grain corn is a type of corn that includes the entire grain kernel. The kernels are milled into flour that is used in many products, including cereals, loaves of bread, and pastries. Whole grain corn is a vegan ingredient.

Sugar

Sugar is a sweetener that is made from sugarcane or sugar beets. It is often processed using bone char, which makes it a non-vegan ingredient.

Corn meal

Corn meal is a type of flour that is made from dried corn kernels. It is a vegan ingredient.

Yellow corn flour

Yellow corn flour is a type of flour that is made from yellow corn kernels. It is a vegan ingredient.

Canola oil

Canola oil is a type of vegetable oil that is made from crushed canola seeds. It is a vegan-friendly ingredient.

Corn syrup

Corn syrup is a type of sweetener that is made from corn. It is a vegan ingredient.

Cocoa processed with alkali

Cocoa processed with alkali is cocoa that has been treated with an alkaline solution. This process makes the cocoa less bitter and more soluble. Cocoa processed with alkali is a vegan ingredient.

Brown sugar syrup

Brown sugar syrup is a type of syrup that is made from brown sugar. Brown sugar is often non-vegan. Unless the brown sugar in the product is labeled “raw,” “organic,” or “unrefined,” it is likely that it was processed with bone char.

Salt

Salt is a mineral that is used to add flavor or as a preservative. It is a vegan ingredient.

Caramel color

Caramel color is a food coloring that is made by heating carbohydrates. Caramel color is a vegan ingredient.

Baking soda

Baking soda is a type of leavening agent that is used in baking. It is a vegan ingredient.

Natural flavor

Natural flavors are extracts from plants or animals that are used to add flavor to food. Natural flavors can be either vegan or non-vegan, depending on their source.

Calcium carbonate

Calcium carbonate is a type of calcium that is found in many foods, including cereals. It is used to add nutritional value to food. Calcium carbonate is vegan.

Tricalcium phosphate

Tricalcium phosphate is a type of calcium that is found in many foods, including cereals. It is used to add nutritional value to food. Tricalcium phosphate is vegan.

Iron and zinc (mineral nutrients)

Iron and zinc are minerals that are found in many foods, including cereals. They are used to add nutritional value to food. Iron and zinc are vegan.

Vitamin C (sodium ascorbate)

Vitamin C is a type of vitamin that is found in many foods, including cereals. It is used to add nutritional value to food. Vitamin C is vegan.

A B Vitamin (niacinamide)

A B vitamins are a type of vitamin that is found in many foods, including cereals. They are used to add nutritional value to food. A B vitamins are vegan.

Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride)

Vitamin B6 or pyridoxine hydrochloride is a type of vitamin that is found in many foods, including cereals. It is used to add nutritional value to food. Vitamin B12 or pyridoxine hydrochloride is vegan.

Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)

Vitamin B12 or riboflavin is one of the eight water-soluble B vitamins that play a role in energy metabolism. Vitamin B12 is found naturally in animal products, but can also be produced synthetically. Riboflavin is the synthetic form of vitamin B12 and is vegan.

Vitamin B1 (thiamine mononitrate)

Vitamin B1, or thiamine mononitrate, is an essential nutrient and one of the eight water-soluble vitamins that play a role in energy metabolism. Vitamin B1 plays a key role in the nervous and cardiovascular systems. It is found in animal products, but can also be produced synthetically. It is vegan.

Vitamin A (palmitate)

Vitamin A or palmitate is a type of vitamin that maintains eye health and helps to keep the immune system functioning properly. Vitamin A is found in animal products, but can also be produced synthetically. Palmitate is the synthetic form of vitamin A and is vegan.

A B Vitamin (folic acid)

A B vitamins are a type of vitamin that is found in many foods, including cereals. They are used to add nutritional value to food. A B vitamins are vegan.

Vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin)

Vitamin B12 or cyanocobalamin is one of the eight water-soluble B vitamins that is involved in the metabolism of every cell in the human body. Vitamin B12 is found naturally in animal products, but can also be produced synthetically. Cyanocobalamin is the synthetic form of vitamin B12 and is vegan.

Vitamin D3

Vitamin D3 is a type of vitamin that helps the body absorb calcium and phosphorus. Vitamin D3 can be produced synthetically but is more commonly derived from sheep’s wool. It is not vegan.

Why Isn’t Cookie Crisp Vegan?

Cookie Crisp cereal is not a vegan product because it contains refined sugar that is processed using animal by-products. It also contains vitamin D3, a type of vitamin that is mostly found on sheep’s wool. These ingredients, sadly, make it unsuitable for vegans.

Although Cookie Crisp is not a vegan cereal, it is possible to find vegan alternatives at most grocery stores. There are many 100% plant-based cereal products on the market that are both vegan and delicious!