I tried all the Oreo flavors so you don’t have to.
Well, not all of them. That’s because there are over 80 varieties of America’s Favorite Cookie, most of which I don’t believe can be found outside of a lab. I’ve certainly never seen a limeade Oreo out in the wild.
While I couldn’t get my hands on Lady Gaga’s famed Chromatica Oreos, I did try seven types beyond the original cookie. There’s no better way to research than by raiding a grocery store.
Before any judging, I set some basic ground rules for myself. All cookies would be sampled without milk to avoid any influence on the flavor. I would take mental tasting notes after each bite; this is serious business. Finally, this would be no one-bite-only deal. The Great Oreo Wars are not for weak soldiers, and I planned on getting my fill.
I started strong with the Java Chip Oreos, based on coffee-flavored ice cream. Immediately upon opening the package, I knew this one would be a winner: it smelled just like my favorite mocha. The flavor wasn’t overly artificial, nor was it too overpowering. It worked perfectly with the standard chocolate cookie. A surprising hit!
Next up was the mint Oreo, a personal classic. I grew up in a very pro-mint chocolate chip house, so minty desserts always abounded. In my opinion, this is the perfect entry-level flavored Oreo. It has just the right level of sweetness without any funky artificial afternotes.
When I saw the gold foil on the dark chocolate Oreo package, my interest was piqued. This cookie had a rich flavor without being as heavy as I expected it to be. It’s a little less sweet than the double chocolate cream variety, so you can eat more than just one.
The birthday cake Oreo was my favorite back in the day. It’s known for being hyper-sweet and it delivers. This cookie is not for the faint of heart. The filling is less cake-y and more pure frosting, so sugar lovers rejoice. I can see why my younger self was a big fan of these.
You can never go wrong with the Golden Oreo. The classic chocolate sandwich’s vanilla sister is a great option if you’re looking for something a bit lighter. It’s not as big of a flavor bomb as say, the birthday cake Oreo, so this is a great casual-eating option. If you want to go a step further, combine these with vanilla pudding and Swedish Fish candy for a beach version of the classic “dirt-and-worms” Oreo dessert.
The peanut butter Oreo seemed to be the perfect new entry in the flavored Oreo world. The texture took some getting used to, with the cream filling less reminiscent of a standard sandwich cookie and more of a Reese’s cup. However, after a few bites, I found myself enjoying it more and more. These have a sweet, nutty taste that reminds me of Halloween candy.
I ended my Oreo journey with the Godzilla of sandwich cookies: the Mega Stuf. I am a serious lover of the Oreo filling and usually choose their Double Stuf option as my default, so this extra-creamy variety was a must-have for me. It’s definitely more of a fun food than an everyday Oreo. With this much filling, you can start tasting a bit of the artificial flavors, so one or two is just enough.
After much deliberation (and a minor cookie-induced stomachache), I felt much informed about all things Oreo. In my opinion, if you’re looking for an interesting new cookie to talk about at dinner parties, try the Java Chip Oreo. If you’re like me, you know that you can’t go wrong with coffee and chocolate.
The College Gourmet is an Opinion culture column written and created by Julia Dwight ‘22 to discuss cooking tips for students, explore local restaurants available to students, and more.
Be First to Comment