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The Superfood Cookie

Vegan and gluten-free Superfood Cookies in two sizes.

Putting the words, “cookie” and “superfood,” together may seem like an oxymoron, if there ever was one.

But San Francisco’s Love + Chew has created a cookie with far more nutrition than most.

The company was started in 2018 by former tech employee Lauren Chew, a long-time vegetarian/vegan, who started baking gluten-free cookies when her step-mom adopted a completely plant-based diet.

Chew’s Superfood Cookie is certified vegan, gluten-free, and non-GMO, with most of its ingredients sourced from California.

As a carnivore with an admitted sweet tooth, I’ve admittedly not always been a fan of vegan cookies that I’ve tried in the past. The texture of most has just been too unpleasantly gummy.

But The Superfood Cookie samples I received were a pleasant surprise. They’re not going to satisfy in the same way that a full-on, decadent, butter-laden chocolate-chunk cookie might. But for a sweet pick-me-up with fiber and protein, they hit the spot.

The texture of these plant-based cookies are a little more cake-like. They’re moist and tender, and loaded with ingredients such as dates, chia seeds, and almond butter.

Individually wrapped, they’re easy to tuck into a purse, briefcase or backpack.

Individually wrapped, they come in two sizes: hockey puck-like mini ones that are 1 ounce each and larger ones that are 2 ounces each. There are four regular flavors: Chocolate Chia, Cherry Almond, Mocha Chip, and Banana Bread.

The larger cookies have 7 grams of protein, 5 grams of fiber, and 270 calories. The minis have 3 grams of protein, 2 grams of fiber, and 130 calories.

Each is slightly sweet, not nearly as sugary or rich as a traditional cookie. The Cherry Almond has the taste reminiscent of a good-for-you energy bar studded with dried cherries in it. The Chocolate Chia has a mild chocolate taste. The Mocha Chip has a nice, noticeable coffee note that amplifies the chocolate. My hands-down favorite, though, is the Banana Bread because it tastes exactly like a loaf of home-made banana bread.

For fall, the company has released a limited-edition flavor — in what else — Pumpkin Chip. Made with pumpkin and redolent of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves, it evokes autumn, leaves falling, and staying warm indoors by baking — what else — pumpkin bread.

The cookies are available at Northern California Whole Foods and Amazon. They’re also sold on the Love + Chew site, where a sampler box of four (2-ounce) cookies is $9.99 and a sampler box of 16 (1-ounce) cookies is $22.94. A box of a dozen (2-ounce) limited-edition Pumpkin Chip cookies is $34.99.