Lenny & Larry's Complete Cookie is a product I happened upon while wondering through Vitamin Shoppe one day. I like cookies as much as the next guy and was intrigued by what “Baked Nutrition” meant. The protein cookie package made some interesting claims like non GMO and vegan to name a few. So I purchased one and took it home to write this review. Is the Complete Cookie good? Is it healthy? How does it taste? I'm going to try to answer all these questions, so keep reading and let's see what we can discover.
What Is The Complete Cookie?
Lenny & Larry's Complete Cookie is basically a protein bar that looks like a chocolate chip cookie. I'm calling it a protein bar because the front of the package displays the amount of protein it contains, just like most protein bars do.
I also found the Complete Cookie near other protein bars too. While some might disagree with me – calling it a protein bar rather than a cookie- that's fine. It's a minor disagreement.
Complete Cookie Nutrition Claims
The package for Lenny and Larry's protein cookie contains a LOT of health claims. I'm going to put them in the table below so you can see them all.
| Fresh Baked | No soy | no cholesterol |
| Vegan | non-GMO | No trans fat |
| 16 g protein (per cookie) | Kosher | No artificial sweeteners |
| No dairy | no high fructose corn syrup | No sugar alcohols |
| No eggs | 8g of fiber (per cookie) | Sustainable palm oil |
Another claim that they don't seem to make a big deal of is that Lenny & Larry's Cookies are a product of the USA. I take that to mean the cookies are made in the USA. If I'm right, then I'm glad to see that.
Complete Cookie Nutrition Information
According to the Nutrition Facts label on the package, here is the nutrition information for one Lenny & Larry's Cookies (56g):
| 1 Cookie (56.5g) | Percent Daily Value |
|---|---|
| Calories 180 | |
| Calories from Fat 50 | |
| Total fat 6g | 9% DV |
| Saturated fat 1.5 g | 8% DV |
| Monounsaturated fat 1g | n/a |
| Trans fat 0g | n/a |
| Cholesterol 0mg | 0%DV |
| Sodium 220 mg | 9% DV |
| Total carbs 24g | 8% DV |
| Dietary Fiber 4g | 16% DV |
| Sugars 14g | n/a |
| Protein 8g | 16% DV |
| Vitamin A | 2% |
| Vitamin C | 2% |
| Calcium | 7%DV |
| Iron | 11% DV |
From the table above it's said that 1 protein cookie has 180 calories. The label I have said there were 2 cookies in the package – but there was only 1. It was 1 big, thick cookie.
Does that mean if I ate the whole protein cookie, I'd be really eating 360 calories (180 X 2)?
I'm not sure, but I think so.
This is definitely something to think about when you purchase this product or are watching your calories.
From the nutrition claims label above we are told that Lenny & Larry's protein cookie contains “sustainable palm oil.” Palm oil is a source of saturated fats. This is likely were much of the 1.5 grams of saturated fats comes from.
But, saturated fats can also be a source of trans fats. The label does say zero grams of trans fats, but is zero or really zero?
Again. I'm not sure.
In the US, foods with fewer than 0.5g of trans fats per serving can be legally labeled “zero.”
Since we know there are some saturated fats in this protein cookie, is it possible there is also some trans fats too? It's speculation on my part. Take it for what it is.
Complete Cookie Ingredients
From the protein cookie package, here are the ingredients.
| (100% vegan) enriched wheat flour | Niacin | Iron |
| Thiamine mononitrate | Riboflavin | Folic acid |
| Cane sugar | Palm margarine | Chocolate chips |
| Protein blend | Oat fiber | Chicory root fiber |
| Molasses | Baking soda | Salt |
| Salt | Flaxseed | Oregano |
| Sunflower lecithin | Natural flavors |
What Kind Of Protein?
Lenny & Larry's Protein Cookies contain a protein blend. The blend is a combination of
- Pea protein isolate
- Brown rice protein
- Wheat gluten
I've listed these ingredients as they are depicted on the label. Reading from top to bottom, the blend contains mostly pea protein and the least wheat gluten.
Where's The Fiber Coming From?
Each protein cookie provides 4 grams of fiber which is 16% of the daily value. That makes the cookie almost “high in fiber” (anything over 20% is considered “high” by FDA guidelines). The ingredients list tells us the fiber comes from a combination of:
- Oat fiber
- Chicory root fiber
Chicory root fiber is sometimes called chicory root extract or inulin. It's a soluble fiber that's sometimes added to foods to bump up its fiber content. Sometimes it's also called a “prebiotic” because it helps feed probiotic bacteria (hey, they gotta eat too ya know!).
Complete Cookie Recall
In December 2016 the FDA announced that Lenny & Larry were conducting a nationwide recall of their chocolate chip and coconut chocolate chip protein cookies because of the possible presence of milk in the chocolate chips.
Recall from above, that Lenny and Larry's Cookies are said to be vegan. As such, milk would not be permitted. Other than this, I'm not aware of any other recalls.
Companies try their best to produce quality products. Even so, recalls happen from time to time so I can't fault a company for this one occurrence.
The JERR Bar is also vegan. see that review for more information.
Complete Cookie Class Action Lawsuit
Nutrition information for Lenny & and Larry protein cookies states that each cookie has 16 grams of protein. But, according to the website TopClassActions.com, this is more than what the cookies actually contain. Lawyers for the people bringing the lawsuit state that each protein cookie only contains 4-9 grams of protein. I'll update this section when this lawsuit is concluded.
Who Makes Lenny & Larry's Cookies?
The founder of the company is Barry Turner. Mr. Turner was formally one of the American Gladiators in the 1990s (he was “Cyclone”). According to the Internet Movie Database, he formed Lenny & Larry with his friend Benny Graham after sustaining an injury during American Gladiators.
The company name, Lenny and Larry was invented, because it sounded like Barry and Benny.
According to this article on TribeJournal.com, Barry and Benny eventually sold the company to someone named Don Crouch. Ultimately Barry bought part of the company back. So the owners are Barry Turner and Don Crouch.
According to LennyLarry.com, the company address is 14300 Arminta St. Panorama City CA 91402. Searching online for this address reveals a business park that contains the Lenny & Larry's sign prominently. That's good.
How Does It Taste?
Taste is very individual and I'm sure many will disagree with me but I honestly was not impressed with the taste of Lenny & Larry's protein cookies. The cookie was thick but I found them very dry. This is not a cookie to eat without having something liquid nearby. The cookie was not hard but it was not moist either.
Did it taste bad? No, I can't say it was bad. I could taste the chocolate chips. But the dryness of the cookie made it difficult to swallow. I don't like saying this but it's not a cookie I would go out of my way to purchase again. Readers are invited to disagree with me in the comments section below.
What About Allergies?
The package indicates that the protein cookies are made in a facility that also processes peanuts, tree nuts and coconut. Those with allergies should consider this before purchasing.
Is it Gluten Free?
I don't think so. The protein cookie package mentions “wheat gluten” in the ingredients list. That makes me think it's not gluten free. Gluten free is also not listed in the nutrition claims above. Id think if it was gluten free, they would tell us up front. Either way, when in doubt, reach out to the company to make sure.
Is It Healthy?
If you want a cookie, eat a cookie. If you are looking to get your protein fix or add to your daily protein intake, I think there are better choices than Lenny and Larry's Complete Cookie – like this one that I like. For those thinking this protein cookie will help weight loss, remember, this is not a low calorie snack. While I applaud the company for making a product that's vegan, kosher, non GMO etc., I think there are other choices. That's my opinion.
Here's Lenny & Larry's Cookies on Amazon