I wanted to try the new Gluten-Free Cheez-Its because I’ve always liked regular Cheez-Its, and I was curious how close these would come to the original. Gluten-free versions of classic snacks can be hit or miss, so I went into this one hoping for the best but was fully prepared for a noticeable difference too.
Gluten Free Cheez-Its
For this taste test, I compared the Gluten-Free Cheez-Its directly against the original version. Side by side, they looked very similar. The regular ones seemed to have a little more salt on them, and the gluten-free version looked about a little bit darker, but visually, the difference was pretty minor.
Once I tried the gluten-free ones, my first reaction was that they were better than I expected. They really do come surprisingly close to the original. If I had tried them on their own without anything to compare them to, I probably would have been pretty impressed right off the bat. They still have that familiar Cheez-It flavor, and they absolutely do feel like a real alternative rather than some completely different cracker trying to imitate the original.
After going back and forth between the gluten-free and regular versions, I could tell there were a few small differences. The Gluten-Free Cheez-Its seemed just a little more brittle in texture, and the flavor wasn’t quite as bold. It was almost like the overall taste and saltiness had been dialed down slightly. It wasn’t by a huge amount, but by enough that, if you know the original really well, you’ll most likely notice it.
That said, I still think they did a very good job here. The differences are minor enough that I don’t think most people looking for a gluten-free option are going to be disappointed. In fact, I’d say they got impressively close to the real thing. It still feels like eating a Cheez-It, which is the most important part all in all.
If you’re someone who needs to avoid gluten, but misses classic snack crackers, this feels like a solid option. No, it’s not an exact one-to-one match, but it’s close enough that I think most fans of the original will be happy with it. For me, the regular Cheez-Its still have a slight edge in flavor and texture, but the gluten-free version is still good enough to recommend.
Video Review
My Cheez-It review can be seen in the video below.