Who is this choice for?

Someone who wants a bourbon after exercise

If you avoid gluten but want the familiar cocoa sandwich biscuit, look for a gluten-free claim on the exact product. The bourbon name alone does not tell you whether it contains wheat.

Someone planning a snack before their next meal

If the biscuit needs to do more than satisfy a preference for something sweet, check the nutrition per biscuit. Sainsbury’s lists 0.5 g protein per biscuit for its Free From Bourbon Creams, so you may want another suitable food alongside it.

Someone avoiding both gluten and milk

Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda and Morrisons describe their listed free-from bourbons as gluten-free and milk-free. Check both claims and the allergen information on the supplied pack before eating.

What should you check?

Start with the gluten-free claim on the exact biscuit, then check other allergens and the nutrition for the portion you plan to eat.

Priority What to check Your needs
Gluten-free identification Look for an explicit gluten-free claim on the exact product. Check the ingredients and allergen information on the supplied pack; an ordinary bourbon or a vegan label is not enough. I want a bourbon-style biscuit without relying on its name or shelf location to tell me whether it is gluten-free.
After-exercise portion Compare carbohydrate and protein using the same serving basis. Sainsbury’s lists 10.0 g carbohydrate and 0.5 g protein per biscuit for its Free From Bourbon Creams. If my next meal is some time away, I want to decide whether to have the biscuit alongside another suitable food rather than count on the biscuit alone.
Milk and other allergens Check milk-free and gluten-free claims separately, then read the current allergen panel. Do not use vegan suitability as a substitute for either check. I avoid milk as well as gluten, so both exclusions matter when I choose the actual pack.
Pack quantity Confirm the labelled pack weight before comparing quantities. Asda’s Free From bourbon listing displays both 150 g and 160 g. When I order online, I want to know how much biscuit the delivered pack contains.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Assuming a vegan bourbon is gluten-free

    Asda’s ordinary Bourbon Biscuits and Waitrose Essential Bourbon Creams list wheat ingredients, despite their vegan suitability.

    Choose the exact free-from product you intend to eat and check its current gluten-free claim and allergen panel.

  • Counting on a biscuit for the whole snack

    Sainsbury’s lists 0.5 g protein per biscuit for its Free From Bourbon Creams; Asda’s Free From listing shows 0.7 g per biscuit. University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust describes carbohydrate-and-protein snacks as one option around exercise, rather than treating every carbohydrate-containing snack as equivalent.

    If you want more food before your next meal, consider having the biscuit alongside another food that meets your dietary needs.

  • Assuming the online pack weight is consistent

    Asda’s Free From bourbon listing displays both 150 g and 160 g, so those figures cannot both describe the same pack weight.

    Check the weight on the supplied pack when the quantity matters to your choice.

Relevant biscuit brands and ranges

Tesco

Tesco lists Free From Bourbon Creams in a 150 g pack.

  • The listing explicitly describes the cocoa-filled biscuits as gluten-free and milk-free.
  • Check the supplied pack’s ingredients and allergens before eating.

Sainsbury’s

Sainsbury’s lists 150 g Free From Bourbon Creams made with cocoa, rice flour and maize flour.

  • Its listing describes the biscuits as gluten-free and milk-free and gives nutrition per biscuit.
  • The listed protein amount is 0.5 g per biscuit; consider what else you want from your after-exercise snack.

Asda

Asda lists a gluten-free Free From bourbon as well as an ordinary bourbon biscuit.

  • The Free From listing makes an explicit gluten-free claim.
  • The ordinary bourbon lists wheat. The Free From listing also displays conflicting 150 g and 160 g weights, so check the supplied pack.

Morrisons

Morrisons lists 145 g Free From Bourbon Biscuits.

  • The retailer describes this product as gluten-free and milk-free.
  • Morrisons advises checking the supplied packaging because ingredients and allergens can change.

M&S

M&S Extra Cream Bourbon Creams are an example of a conventional bourbon, not a gluten-free option.

  • The product’s ingredient list makes the distinction clear: it includes wheatflour and milk-derived whey.
  • Those ingredients describe this specific biscuit, not every product in the M&S range.

Waitrose

Waitrose Essential Bourbon Creams provide another conventional-bourbon comparison.

  • The ingredient list identifies wheat flour and wheat starch.
  • The product is described as suitable for vegans, but that does not make this particular biscuit gluten-free.

McVitie’s

McVitie’s Family Circle assortment includes bourbon creams.

  • The assortment’s ingredient information lists wheat flour and barley malt extract, which matters when checking that particular pack.
  • An assortment label does not establish the ingredients of a separately sold McVitie’s biscuit.

Gluten-free alternatives on Joybuy

These gluten-free biscuits offer other options for a snack after the gym. Neither is a bourbon cream, so choose a separately labelled gluten-free bourbon if that biscuit style is what you want.

McVitie’s Gluten Free Hobnobs 150 g pack

McVitie’s Gluten Free Hobnobs 150g

A gluten-free Hobnob for someone open to a different biscuit after exercise, rather than a filled bourbon. The supplied product information says ‘May contain milk’, so check the pack if you avoid milk.

Joybuy
Mrs Crimble’s Gluten Free 6 Big Choc Macaroons

Mrs Crimble’s Gluten Free 6 Big Choc Macaroons

A gluten-free macaroon for a different kind of sweet snack, not a bourbon biscuit. Its stated protein figure is 3.7 g per 100 g, not per macaroon; the supplied product information also says ‘May contain milk’.

Joybuy

Common questions

Does ‘gluten-free’ mean a biscuit contains no gluten at all?

No. The gluten-free labelling rule published on legislation.gov.uk permits the claim when food sold to consumers contains no more than 20 mg/kg of gluten. Check other allergens separately.

Can I rely on an online ingredient list when avoiding an allergen?

Use the listing to narrow your choice, then read the supplied pack before eating. Morrisons warns that ingredients and allergens can change and that its product page is not a substitute for the packaging.

How can I check the quantity when ordering online?

Check the weight on the supplied pack. Asda’s Free From bourbon listing displays both 150 g and 160 g, so its displayed figures alone do not settle the pack quantity.

Do these biscuits need preparing before eating?

No; the listed free-from bourbons are ready-to-eat biscuits. Follow the storage instructions on your particular pack after opening; Morrisons advises keeping its Free From Bourbon Biscuits in a cool, dry place.