What are the ingredients in Cheryl's cookies?

December 24, 2025 •

2 min read

Established in 1981 in Columbus, Ohio, Cheryl's Cookies began with just six types of cookies but quickly gained fame for its soft, tender buttercream-frosted treats. While the exact composition can vary by flavor, a few core ingredients are consistently used to create their signature taste and texture across many varieties.

Quick Summary

Cheryl's Cookies use high-quality, recognizable ingredients like wheat flour, butter, sugar, and eggs in their dough, complemented by famous buttercream frosting. Specific additions like chocolate chips, nuts, and spices vary by cookie flavor, while food allergens like wheat, milk, soy, and eggs are commonly present.

Key Points

Core Ingredients: The classic cookie dough relies on basic, high-quality ingredients like butter, wheat flour, and a mix of granulated and brown sugars.
Signature Buttercream: The famous frosting is made from a simple combination of powdered sugar, butter, evaporated milk, and vanilla.
Flavor Variations: Different cookie types incorporate unique ingredients and mix-ins. For specific examples, check the official ingredient listings.
Allergen Awareness: Common allergens such as wheat, milk, eggs, soy, peanuts, and tree nuts are present in Cheryl's cookies due to shared manufacturing facilities.
Sugar-Free Options: The brand offers special cookies for dietary needs, using alternative sweeteners like maltitol and sucralose instead of traditional sugar.
Ingredient Stability: Ingredients like dipotassium phosphate in evaporated milk and soy lecithin in chocolate are included for texture and stability.
Fresher for Longer: Careful packaging, including individual plastic wrappings, helps maintain the cookies' soft texture during shipping.

Core Ingredients for Classic Cookies

For Cheryl's most popular offerings, the ingredient list highlights traditional baking components. The base dough typically consists of high-quality butter, wheat flour, and a mix of sugars, contributing to the brand's signature soft, chewy texture. Creamery butter is a key ingredient, providing rich flavor and tender crumb. A combination of granulated and brown sugars, sometimes with cane syrups, balances sweetness and moisture. Leavening agents ensure a light texture.

The Famous Buttercream Frosting

The buttercream frosting is a signature element, known for its rich, melt-in-your-mouth quality.

Four-ingredient base: Powdered sugar, butter, evaporated milk, and vanilla.
Flavor variations: Additional flavors are added for different options.
Toppings: Sprinkles, nuts, and chocolate chips are often included.

Ingredient Variations by Cookie Type

Ingredients vary based on flavor, with a wide range of frosted and unfrosted options available. For examples of ingredients in popular varieties like chocolate chip, peanut butter, and sugar-free cookies, consult {Link: Cheryl's Cookies https://cdn3.cheryls.com/wcsstore/CherylAndCompany/images/Unfrosted.pdf} or {Link: QVC https://www.qvc.com/footers/cd/pdf/M116662_Nutritional.pdf}. Sugar-free options use alternative sweeteners.

Comparison of Standard vs. Sugar-Free Ingredients

Key differences are shown below.


Ingredient Category	Standard Cookie	Sugar-Free Cookie	Notes
Sweeteners	Sugar (granulated, brown, powdered)	Maltitol, Sucralose	Artificial sweeteners used for reduced sugar content.
Flour	Wheat Flour	Wheat Flour, sometimes other options like rice/tapioca	Base flour may vary depending on the variety (gluten-free options also available).
Fats	Butter (Cream, Salt)	Butter (Milk)	Butter is a primary fat source in both versions.
Flavorings	Natural Flavors, Honey, Vanilla	Natural Flavors (Pure Vanilla Extract), Cinnamon	Flavors adjusted for the different sweetening agents.
Leavening	Baking Soda, Baking Powder	Baking Soda, Baking Powder	Leavening agents are similar across both types.
Fillings/Mix-ins	Chocolate Chips, Raisins, Nuts	Sugar-Free Chocolate Chips, Raisin Paste	Mix-ins are formulated without sugar in the specialty versions.

Allergen Information and Manufacturing Practices

Cheryl's Cookies are made in facilities that process major allergens. Reviewing allergen statements on packaging is important for those with sensitivities.

Common Allergens

Wheat: Primary flour.
Milk: Found in butter, evaporated milk, chocolate.
Eggs: Key binding ingredient.
Soy: Often in chocolate as an emulsifier.
Nuts: Present in nut varieties; cross-contamination risk exists.

Production Environment

Products are made in a plant handling soy, peanuts, and tree nuts, a crucial point for severe allergies.

Conclusion

Cheryl's cookies use classic baking ingredients like butter, wheat flour, and sugar, along with specific additions for different flavors and their signature buttercream frosting. Variations exist for specialty options like sugar-free and gluten-free. The company provides allergen information to help customers make informed choices.

Authoritative Link: {Link: Cheryl's Cookies Official Website https://www.cheryls.com/}

Expert Analysis and Production Process Insights

Food-grade additives like dipotassium phosphate and carrageenan in evaporated milk enhance stability. Soy lecithin in chocolate chips acts as an emulsifier. Careful packaging helps maintain freshness during shipping.

Frequently Asked Questions

The primary flavor profile of Cheryl's classic cookies is rich and buttery, resulting from the use of high-quality creamery butter. This is complemented by the sweetness from various sugars and often topped with their signature buttercream frosting.

Cheryl's cookies are not safe for individuals with nut allergies. The company explicitly states that its products are produced in facilities that also handle peanuts and tree nuts, leading to potential cross-contamination.

The key ingredients for the classic buttercream frosting are simple: powdered sugar, butter, evaporated milk, and natural vanilla flavor.

Yes, Cheryl's does offer gluten-free cookies. The ingredients often include rice and tapioca flour to replace traditional wheat flour.

Sugar-free cookies use sugar substitutes like maltitol and sucralose instead of standard sugars. They are formulated to satisfy cravings without the added sugar, and the mix-ins are also sugar-free.

The soft texture is attributed to several factors: the use of high-quality butter, precise leavening agents, and the inclusion of ingredients like evaporated milk, which help maintain moisture.

Soy lecithin is an emulsifier derived from soybeans, which is used in ingredients like chocolate chips to help bind the fats and water together smoothly.

For a complete list of ingredients for a specific Cheryl's cookie, you should always refer to the nutritional information on the product packaging or consult the official ingredient listings on their website or partner sites like QVC.