What is Kellogg’s Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme Pies Cereal
Spiced oatmeal cookie cereal pieces with a creme-flavored coating.
How is it?
Like many of you, I have several oddly specific, debatable food opinions. For example, cereal is better at night, and Reese’s cups are best consumed edge first. However, there are few beliefs that I hold more closely than this: Oatmeal Creme Pies are the best — and most underrated — Little Debbie product.
What makes the convenience store delicacy so irresistible? The tender molasses cookie, enhanced by raisin paste? The generous creamy filling? A mix of nostalgia and the undeniable allure of the forbidden? (Rarely allowed packaged snacks as a kid, I instead enjoyed them at my best friend’s house, with Little Debbie as the third member of our junk food girl gang. FYI: We are now accepting new members.) Either way, I was thrilled to learn that Oatmeal Creme Pies were coming to my breakfast table.
The big question: Does the cereal taste like Oatmeal Creme Pies?
Not quite.
The second big question: Does it taste good?
Absolutely!
Alone or with milk, this cereal is flavorful and satisfying. The pieces are large, bagel-shaped puffs made of corn and oat flours, resulting in a light and crispy texture. The dominant flavors are cinnamon and nutmeg with a faint hint of molasses. Each piece is coated lightly in a sweet vanilla powder that complements the spice nicely. I liken the flavors to those of a cinnamon bun or doughnut, especially with the vanilla powder, which tastes like a simple glaze that could coat either pastry.
Yet, the cereal’s main strength — its warm spice flavor — is what makes it less successful as a substitute for your Creme Pie cravings. The strong cinnamon is not really reminiscent of an Oatmeal Creme Pie’s dark, caramelized molasses flavor, and the sweet vanilla notes don’t do enough to create a much-missed creamy element. More molasses or even a cream filling (a la Fillows) would bring the cereal closer to resembling a Creme Pie.
Anything else you need to know?
While Post and Hostess brought us Honey Bun, Donettes, and Twinkies cereal, Kellogg’s is the first to team up with Little Debbie, coinciding with the brand’s 60th anniversary.
Conclusion:
Kellogg’s Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme Pies Cereal does not convincingly recreate the flavors or texture of its inspiration. However, the result — a mix of warm spices, subtle vanilla, and a little molasses — is still delicious.
DISCLOSURE: I received a free sample of this product. Doing so did not influence my review in any way.
Purchased Price: Free
Size: 9.1 oz. box
Purchased at: Received from Kellogg’s
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (per 1 1/4 cup) 170 calories, 3 grams of fat, 0.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 125 milligrams of sodium, 33 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 17 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.
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