This is the first of many blogs about my finds at the Natural Products Expo West 2018.  This was my second Expo experience and first on the West Coast – larger by far from its East Coast counterpart.  So companies set up here really need to stand out to be noticed.  Let me tell you, after sampling their vegan and gluten-free chocolate chip cookies, I stood up and took notice of DeLuscious Cookies! This high end LA cookie company was at Expo to showcase their vegan and gluten-free line and to promote their soon to be released cookie dough tubs!

I met Lydia, one of the owners.  She was super nice and excited about her product – as well she should be.  Lydia was also nice enough to give me a sample box of their most popular vegan/gluten free varieties.  In reality you don’t think of these as vegan and gluten free (they are all so rich and decadent you would have no idea they are either), you simply know you are eating delicious high end cookies. Or as Lydia calls them cookies from their “Couture Vault” 

Here is a list of the couture I got to try (starting at the top and going clockwise):

• Chocolate Decadence
• Cinnamon Brûlée
• Peanut Butter
• Oatmeal Raisin
• Chocolate Chip

The chocolate decadence was just that, a rich fudge like cookie to satisfy the most hardcore chocoholic.  This was my wife’s favorite and that is saying something since she basically worships chocolate chip cookies! The cinnamon brûlée was very good, taming the sweetness with a hint of bitter from the burnt sugar. The peanut butter was classically good. The oatmeal raisin was for me, the favorite.  It would have been my wife’s as well, sans raisins haha! But the spice on this cookie perfectly balanced the sweetness, so good.  The chocolate chip goes above and beyond expectations.

So what could possibly be better news than awesome vegan gluten free cookies? The fact that they are planning a roll out of 16 once tubs of cookie dough.  Theoretically for baking your own deLuscious cookies…odds are good the dough will never get the chance to see the inside of the oven, at least not here! The flavors showcased at Expo were Chocolate Decadence. Vanilla Sugar Cookie, and Chocolate Chip.

In the Los Angeles area, it is easy enough to order for pick up or delivery.  The rest of us, we can get baked cookies shipped Two-Day FedEx.  As far as the raw cookie dough, we will have to monitor their site and social media outlets for release dates and distribution.