Everyone remembers oatmeal creme pies from when they were kids. The Little Debbie snack is nostalgic for many Americans who remember eating their favorite childhood pastry while watching Saturday morning cartoons. This treat may be a favorite amongst many, but is it vegan?
No, oatmeal cream pies are not considered vegan. They contain several animal-derived ingredients, including milk, eggs, and gelatin, that disqualify them from considered being vegan-friendly. If you are looking for vegan alternatives to traditional oatmeal pies, try Steve & Andy’s Oatmeal Coconut Cookies, Whisked! Oatmeal Chocolate Chip and Cybel’s Free To Eat Oatmeal Raisin Cookies.
This article will discuss the varieties of oatmeal cream pies available, nutritional value, ingredients, and if they are vegan or not. We will also talk about some of the vegan alternatives to traditional oatmeal creme pies. Let’s dig in!
Contents
The History of Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme Pies
O.D McKee created the oatmeal creme pie in 1935, during the middle of the Great Depression, at Jack’s Cookies, a local bakery in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The bakery produced oatmeal, raisin, and vanilla cookies for one penny each. McKee and his wife Ruth had just bought the bakery and searched for methods to enhance the business.
McKee considered increasing sales by introducing a new product, an oatmeal sandwich cookie, for a nickel. The new oatmeal sandwich cookie introduced a softer cookie instead of the original hard cookie in the oatmeal cookie recipe. To complete the sandwich, he would create a complementary filling. McKee had been inspired by his wife Ruth’s idea of sandwiching two vanilla cookies together and filling it with her homemade oatmeal fudge recipe. McKee substituted the vanilla cookies with oatmeal cookies and created the first oatmeal creme sandwich cookie.
In 1960, McKee began selling oatmeal creme pies in family-pack cartons for 49 cents. In the first ten months of the snack cake’s availability, Litte Debbie sold over 14 million oatmeal cremes.
Are Oatmeal Cream Pies Bad For You?
Yes, oatmeal creme pies are full of processed ingredients. They are also high in sugar, carbs, and calories, contributing to weight gain and other health issues. Carrageenan, linked to inflammation, bloating digestive problems, and colon cancer, is also found in Little Debbie oatmeal pies.
Oatmeal Pies Nutritional Information
Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme Pies
Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme Pies have been around since 1960 and were the first Little Debbie baked snack. They contain milk and eggs and are not vegan.
Ingredients:
- Corn Syrup
- Enriched Bleached Flour
- Palm and Soybean Oils with TBHQ and Citric Acid to Protect Flavor
- Whole Grain Rolled Oats
- Sugar
- Dextrose
- Water
- Molasses
- Raisin Paste
- Leavening
- Whey (Milk)
- Salt
- Soy Lecithin
- Corn Starch
- Caramel Color
- Mono- and Diglycerides
- Natural and Artificial Flavors
- Polysorbate 60
- Sorbitan Monostearate
- Dried Eggs
- Modified Corn Starch
- Sorbic Acid
- Soy Flour
- Dried Egg Whites
- Annatto Extract
- Beta Carotene
- Blue 1
- Carrageenan
- Chocolate
- Cocoa Butter
- Citric Acid
- Cocoa Processed with Alkali
- DATEM
- High Fructose Corn Syrup
- Malic Acid
- Modified Tapioca Starch
- Modified Wheat Starch
- Nonfat Dry Milk
- Palm and Palm Kernel Oil
- Pectin
- Polysorbate 80
- Propylene Glycol Monostearate
- Red 40
- Rice Flour
- Sodium Citrate
- Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate
- Spices
- Titanium Dioxide
- Turmeric
- Yellow 5
Nutrition Facts (per 75 gram serving):
- 320g – Calories
- 12 g – Total Fat
- 5 g – Saturated Fat
- 0 g – Trans Fat
- 5g – Polyunsaturated Fat
- 5g – Monounsaturated Fat
- 0 mg – Cholesterol
- 310 mg – Sodium
- 52 g – Total Carbohydrate
- 1 g – Dietary Fiber
- 27 g – Sugars
- 2 g – Protein
Finaflex Oatmeal Protein Pie
If you are looking for an oatmeal pie with a boost of protein and less sugar, Finaflex is a better option than Little Debbie. It is less processed and contains more natural ingredients. Keep in mind, Finaflex oatmeal pies do contain milk products, so they are not vegan-friendly.
Ingredients:
- Oats
- Marshmellow Flavored Filling
- PROMITOR Soluble Fiber
- Chicory Root Fiber
- Applesauce
- Honey
- Milk Protein Isolate
- Palm Oil
- Vegetable Glycerine
- Whey Protein Isolate
- Milled Flaxseed
- Natural Flavors
- Cinnamon
- Salt
- Stevia
Nutrition Facts (per 82 gram serving):
- 310g – Calories
- 15 g – Total Fat
- 7g – Saturated Fat
- 0 g – Trans Fat
- 10 mg – Cholesterol
- 320 mg – Sodium
- 37 g – Total Carbohydrate
- 12 g – Dietary Fiber
- 8 g – Sugars
- 14 g – Protein
Fieldstone Oatmeal Creme Pie
Another oatmeal pie option is Fieldstone oatmeal creme pie. Fieldstone was developed by McKee Foods, the makers of Little Debbie, and other bakery companies. Due to this, they are made similarly to Little Debbie’s, and they are also not vegan.
Ingredients:
- Corn Syrup
- Enriched Bleached Flour
- Palm And Soybean Oils With TBHQ And Citric Acid To Protect Flavor
- Sugar
- Whole Grain Rolled Oats
- Water
- Molasses
- Raisin Paste
- Dextrose
- Leavening
- Whey
- Salt
- Soy Lecithin
- Corn Starch
- Mono- And Diglycerides
- Sorbitan Monostearate
- Polysorbate 60
- Eggs
- Soy Flour
- Palm And Palm Kernel Oil
- Egg Whites
- Caramel Color
- Cocoa Processed With Alkali
- High Fructose Corn Syrup
- Rice Flour, Nonfat Dry Milk
- Red 40
- Modified Corn Starch
- DATEM
- Blue 1
- Modified Tapioca Starch
- Carrageenan
- Sorbic Acid
- Yellow 5
- Spices
- Natural And Artificial Flavors
- Titanium Dioxide
- Citric Acid
- Malic Acid
- Turmeric
- Annatto Extract
- Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate
- Propylene Glycol Monostearate
- Polysorbate 80
- Beta Carotene
- Pectin
- Sodium Citrate
- Modified Wheat Starch
- Chocolate
- Cocoa Butter
Nutrition Facts (per 75 gram serving):
- 170g – Calories
- 7 g – Total Fat
- 3 g – Saturated Fat
- 0 g – Trans Fat
- 5g – Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2g – Monounsaturated Fat
- 0 mg – Cholesterol
- 150 mg – Sodium
- 26 g – Total Carbohydrate
- 1 g – Dietary Fiber
- 13 g – Sugars
- 1 g – Protein
Katz Oatmeal Crème Pies
Katz Oatmeal Pies are a cleaner alternative to other brands using more natural ingredients. Also, these oatmeal pies are gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, and soy-free.
Ingredients:
- Gluten-Free Flour
- Palm Oil
- Brown Rice Syrup
- Gluten-Free Oats
- Confectioners Sugar
- Sugar
- Water
- Eggs
- Salt
- Xanthan Gum
- Cocoa
- Molasses
- Baking Soda
- Cinnamon
- Natural Flavor
Nutrition Facts (per 43 gram serving):
- 240g – Calories
- 14 g – Total Fat
- 7g – Saturated Fat
- 0 g – Trans Fat
- 15 mg – Cholesterol
- 200 mg – Sodium
- 29 g – Total Carbohydrate
- <1 g – Dietary Fiber
- 12 g – Sugars
- 1 g – Protein
Oatmeal Creme Pie and Cookie Vegan Alternatives
Steve & Andy’s Oatmeal Coconut Cookies
These cookies are a great vegan alternative to traditional oatmeal pies. Besides being vegan, they are also gluten-free, nut-free, and made using natural and organic ingredients. The addition of coconut also gives the cookies that added sweetness and texture.
Ingredients:
- Steve And Andy’s All-Purpose Organic & Gluten-Free Flour Mix
- Organic Coconut Oil
- Organic And Gluten-Free Oats
- Organic Toasted Coconut
- Organic Evaporated Cane Sugar
- Organic Brown Sugar
- Organic Invert Syrup
- Purified Water
- Pink Himalayan Salt
- Organic Molasses
- Organic Vanilla Extract
- Sunflower Lecithin
- Baking Soda
- Xanthan Gum
- Organic Ceylon Cinnamon
Nutrition Facts (per 15 gram serving):
- 70g – Calories
- 5 g – Total Fat
- 3g – Saturated Fat
- 0 g – Trans Fat
- 0 mg – Cholesterol
- 65 mg – Sodium
- 9 g – Total Carbohydrate
- 1 g – Dietary Fiber
- 4 g – Sugars
- 1 g – Protein
Whisked! Oatmeal Chocolate Chip
Whisked! makes another great vegan oatmeal cookie option. These oatmeal chocolate chip cookies promise to have that fresh-from-the-oven taste!
Ingredients:
- Vegan Butter
- Wheat Flour
- Spring Wheat Flour
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
- Oats
- Organic Cane Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Brown Rice Syrup
- Agave Syrup
- Water
- Chia Seeds
- Baking Soda
- Baking Powder
- Vanilla Extract
- Kosher Salt
Nutrition Facts (per 54 gram serving):
- 240g – Calories
- 11 g – Total Fat
- 4g – Saturated Fat
- 0 g – Trans Fat
- 0 mg – Cholesterol
- 220 mg – Sodium
- 35 g – Total Carbohydrate
- 2 g – Dietary Fiber
- 18 g – Sugars
- 3 g – Protein
Cybele’s Free To Eat Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Cybele’s is the best choice if you are looking for a clean cookie. These oatmeal raisin cookies are Certified Vegan, Certified Gluten-Free, free from artificial colors, preservatives, flavors, and GMOs.
Ingredients:
- Gluten-Free Flour
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
- Palm Oil
- Brown Sugar
- Cane Sugar
- Fructose
- Brown Rice Syrup
- Water
- Egg Replacer
- Molasses
- Prebiotic From Non-GMO Tapioca Starch
- Vanilla Extract
- Grape Juice
- Rice Syrup
- Baking Soda
- Salt
- Xanthan Gum
- Sunflower Lecithin
Nutrition Facts (per 28-gram serving):
- 110g – Calories
- 4 g – Total Fat
- 5g – Saturated Fat
- 0 g – Trans Fat
- 0 mg – Cholesterol
- 85 mg – Sodium
- 20 g – Total Carbohydrate
- 1 g – Dietary Fiber
- 11 g – Sugars
- 1 g – Protein
Final Thoughts
It can be tough to find alternatives for things like cookies that are vegan. Luckily vegan-friendly alternatives are popping up all the time! These alternatives are made with natural ingredients, unlike Little Debbie, which is full of preservatives and other ingredients that most people won’t recognize.
Even if you aren’t following a strict vegan diet, the alternative brands are better choices overall. No need to fill your body with chemicals when natural and organic options are available!
Related Questions
Are oatmeal cream pies vegetarian?
Yes, there is no meat, poultry, or shellfish in oatmeal pies. Some brands do have dairy in them, so check the box beforehand if you plan to exclude dairy foods from your diet.
Are oatmeal cream pies gluten-free?
No, traditional oatmeal pies like those made by Little Debbie will contain gluten. If you are looking for a gluten-free alternative, the Cybele’s Free To Eat Oatmeal Raisin Cookies and Steve & Andy’s Oatmeal Coconut Cookies are both gluten-free and made from natural ingredients.