Romero vs. Siete: Mexican Wedding Cookies, Explained

Mexican wedding cookies are having a moment — and much of that visibility is thanks to brands like Siete, who introduced many people to these cookies for the very first time.

At Romero, we’re often asked:

“Do you make gluten-free or grain-free Mexican wedding cookies like Siete?”

This post exists to answer that question thoughtfully.

Rather than positioning one brand as “better,” we want to educate:

grain-free cookies and traditional Mexican wedding cookies serve different purposes — and both have a place.

(Siete's Mexican Wedding Cookies)

(Romero Mexican Wedding Cookie Bag)

(Romero Cookies for a birthday party treat!)

Siete Foods started as a woman-owned, Latina-founded brand built to serve a very specific audience: people who need or prefer grain-free, gluten-free foods due to health, allergy, or lifestyle reasons.

Siete didn’t set out to recreate tradition exactly — they set out to make Mexican-inspired foods accessible to people who often couldn’t enjoy them otherwise.

Importantly:

• Siete helped popularize the term “Mexican wedding cookies” nationally

• They introduced these cookies to consumers who may never have encountered them

• They paved the way for curiosity, questions, and cultural exploration

That visibility benefits everyone — including traditional bakeries like ours.

(Liddy Romero, Owner, with a full flavor cinnamon pecan Mexican Cookies)

When people search for Siete grain free cookies, they’re often looking for:

• Paleo-friendly options

• Gluten-free baking

• Dairy-free or allergy-aware snacks

Siete cookies are designed to meet those needs — which means the ingredients, texture, and eating experience are intentionally different from traditional recipes.

This is where the distinction matters:

Grain-free cookies serve a different purpose than traditional recipes. 

Below is a high-level ingredient panel overview based on publicly available packaging information (always check the label for the most current version).

Siete Mexican Wedding Cookies typically include:

• Almond flour

• Tapioca starch

• Avocado oil or palm oil

• Coconut sugar or cane sugar

• Powdered sugar alternative

• Sea salt

• Natural flavorings

These ingredients allow the cookies to be:

• Grain-free

• Gluten-free

• Suitable for specific dietary needs

They also create a cookie that is more crumbly and shortbread-like, rather than melt-in-your-mouth.

Romero cookies follow a traditional bakery recipe, made for flavor, nostalgia, and celebration — not dietary substitution.

Romero Mexican Wedding Cookies include:

• Wheat flour

• Real butter

• Pecans

• Powdered sugar

• Vanilla

• Salt

No stabilizers. No preservatives. No substitutes.

The result is:

• A soft, delicate cookie

• A classic powdered sugar finish

• The exact texture many people remember from their childhood or family celebrations

Fresh ingredients used in Romero Cookies - wheat, eggs, milk, and pecans

This is where searches like siete mexican shortbread cookies come in.

Short answer: they’re related, but not the same.

• Traditional Mexican wedding cookies are a form of shortbread

• Grain-free versions behave differently because flour and butter are replaced

• The taste, texture, and mouthfeel change significantly

Think of it as:

• Same inspiration

• Different execution

• Different audience 

Romero's version of Siete's Mexican Shortbread cookie- but we use Pecans and fresh cinnamon and of course, they're heart-shaped!

Many people also discover Siete through Siete chocolate chip cookies, which are a great example of the brand’s mission.

These cookies:

• Aren’t trying to replicate a traditional Mexican cookie

• Are designed as a grain-free alternative to a classic American favorite

They reinforce the same idea: Siete innovates for dietary inclusion, not historical replication.

Choose Siete if:

• You need or prefer grain-free or gluten-free foods

• You’re looking for everyday snack options

• Dietary needs come first

Choose Romero if:

• You want a traditional Mexican wedding cookie

• You're ordering to gift or for gatherings, celebrations and occasions! Our thoughtful packaging is ready to impress. 

• You’re ordering for a wedding, quinceañera, holiday, or gift

• You value cultural authenticity and heritage recipes

Both brands belong at the table — just for different reasons.

Mexican Cookie Tins perfect for gifting and special occasions.

If you’re looking for the classic, traditional Mexican wedding cookie — the kind made for celebrations, gifting, and connection — that’s exactly what we bake.

Ordering for a wedding? See our wedding packages here.

👉 Shop Traditional Mexican Wedding Cookies

Made from a multi-generation family recipe, baked fresh, and rooted in tradition.

Siete makes grain-free cookies and chips using almond, cassava, and tapioca flours, sweetened with coconut sugar and baked with avocado or coconut oil. They’re gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan — ideal for certain diets. But “healthier” depends on what you value. While Siete focuses on dietary balance, Romero’s Mexican cookies focus on heritage — using traditional ingredients like real butter and nuts for authentic flavor, just as families have made them for generations.

  Siete began as a small, family-led business in Texas and became known for its grain-free Mexican-inspired snacks like tortillas, chips, and cookies. The brand has grown nationwide, focusing on plant-based products for modern diets. Meanwhile, Romero Cookies stays close to its roots — still baking small-batch cookies that preserve Mexican flavor and tradition, the kind passed down through abuelas and shared at weddings, quinceañeras, and holidays.

 Siete’s grain-free Mexican chocolate cookies are a creative take on classic flavors — cocoa and cinnamon blended into a grain-free, vegan dough. They’re light and mildly sweet, appealing to those avoiding gluten or dairy. But for anyone craving the real taste of Mexican home baking — the buttery crumb, toasted pecans, and sugar-dusted melt — Romero’s Mexican cookies deliver that nostalgic, time-honored experience.

Yes, Siete’s cookies are fully dairy-free, made with avocado and coconut oils instead of butter. They’re also gluten-free and vegan, catering to clean-label lifestyles. In contrast, Romero’s Mexican wedding cookies embrace traditional recipes with real butter for richness and texture. They’re not about restriction — they’re about flavor, heritage, and celebrating what’s real.