REVIEW: Limited Edition Jelly Donut Oreo Cookies

Limited Edition Jelly Donut Oreo Cookies

The scene: Nabisco’s headquarters. Half a dozen marketing executives are sitting at a table.

“Alright, guys, we really, really have to hit this one out of the park,” the leader of the brainstorming session says. “It’s summer, and Walmart demands we outdo the Root Beer Oreo.”

“How about, uh, ice cream-flavored Oreo cookies?” one suit proposes.

“What about, um, a chili pepper Oreo?” suggests another.

“Would it be possible to test a pot brownie Oreo in the Denver market?” inquires yet another.

The rest of the team shakes their heads.

“No, we really have to think outside the box,” the team leader says. “Seriously, what’s something unique and summery we can work with here?”

A long silence follows. Then, at the very end of the table, the newest member of the team speaks.

“Maybe…jelly donut flavored Oreo cookies?”

A mile-wide grin stretches upon the team leader’s lips. “Kid – you’re a genius.”

The room bursts in applause, confetti falls from the ceiling and the celebratory jugs of milk doth spray.

And scene.

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Okay, so I’m not entirely sure that’s how Jelly Donut Oreo Cookies came to be, but it’s probably pretty close. Coming up with an infinity number of twist-top sandwich cookie variations can’t be easy, and it’s way easier to go wrong (cough SWEDISHFISHOREO cough) than go right with the gimmick.

In the rich panoply of limited time only (LTO) Oreo cookies, I’d say these Walmart exclusives are in the top 30 percentile. They’re no match for the pumpkin spice permutation, but they’re definitely superior to B-leaguers like watermelon and cotton candy.

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According to Nabisco, these things are supposed to taste like an amalgamation of custard and raspberry. Oddly enough, the cookies at first bite taste indistinguishable from the rank-and-file Golden Oreos – and technically, they are save that smidge of raspberry goop (which I thought tasted more like grape than anything else) in the middle. I didn’t really get a distinct custard flavor from the creme, but I certainly got a mouthful of artificial fruit flavoring, which – to my taste buds, at least – tasted remarkably similar to the molten jam stuffed inside a Frosted Wild Grape Pop-Tart.

I guess the best LTOreo to compare this one to is the fruit punch version from a couple of years back. It has that same sugary-yet-still-quasi-believable fruit taste, except slightly more tart. So if you were a fan of that one and have been desperately, direly praying for the product’s return, this is probably as close as you’ll ever get to reliving the wonder and whimsy of 2014.

Granted, it may not taste too much like your favorite Dunkin’ Donuts staple, but it’s nonetheless pretty yummy. And regardless how you feel about the deluge of seasonal Oreo cookies hitting the store shelves, we can at least take some comfort in Nabisco appearing to pursue more subdued flavors than in years past – sorry, those of you still patiently waiting for those Limited Edition Macaroni and Cheese Oreo Cookies.

(Nutrition Facts – 2 cookies – 150 calories, 60 calories from fat, 7 grams of total fat, 2 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 80 milligrams of sodium, 10 milligrams of potassium, 21 grams of total carbohydrates, 0 grams of dietary fiber, 12 grams of sugar, and less than 1 gram of protein.)

Purchased Price: $2.79
Size: 10.7 oz. package
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 7 out of 10
Pros: The artificial jelly flavor is pretty good. The interior creme has a rich taste and texture. The Golden Oreo “toppers” allow you to eat it without your teeth looking like a collapsed coal mine.
Cons: The “donut” flavor is faint. It doesn’t taste that much different from a few previous LTOreos. Burning your fingertips trying to dip ‘em in a cup of piping hot extra-dark roast coffee…over and over again.

REVIEW: Limited Edition Waffles & Syrup Oreo Cookies

Limited Edition Waffles  Syrup Oreo Cookies

Maple syrup seems to be having a moment. There were those Mystery Peeps that were my favorite of the three. It’s also a highlight of one of those new Signature Crafted Recipes from McDonald’s.

Now, Oreo has jumped aboard the syrup wagon and ventured into breakfast with their newest flavor, Waffles & Syrup. With the number of Oreo flavors debuting recently I hope that doesn’t mean either entity has reached their popularity now that they have joined forces.

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The cookie has the familiar Golden ones as the sandwich pieces with most of the usual white cream for the interior. What sets this one apart is the dollop of brown tinted cream right in the middle of the cream filling.

Cracking open the package I immediately got a whiff of a graham/honey smell like ordinary graham crackers. Since I knew these were syrup flavored I could kind of smell the maple in there but if I didn’t know that was the flavor then I probably would have never ever guessed it. Not a good sign of what’s to come.

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My first few bites just reminded me of regular Golden Oreo cookies. The maple flavor comes in a little bit towards the end, however, it was faint and, again, would have never picked up on it on my own.

Honestly, as I got through my first full cookie, I was kind of disappointed. I tried the components on their own but it didn’t help. These just tasted like Golden Oreos that someone in the factory accidentally let too much sugar fall in the mixer.

You are probably wondering where the waffles in the name comes into play?

I’m still pondering that actually. Were there any butter notes? Not really. A fluffy but crunchy nature to chewing? Nope. As you can see on the outside, they couldn’t even make the cookies indented with squares as that would at least make them look like waffle pieces!

After having a few more cookies, desperately seeking waffle flavor, I decided to succumb to the fact that it wasn’t there and that these were just okay. Other Oreo cookies I usually like coming back to over and over again but these were so cloyingly sweet, I didn’t really have the desire.

Maybe someone can offer up Waffles & Syrup for the new Oreo flavor contest that was just announced. There’s definitely room for improvement here.

(Nutrition Facts – 2 cookies – 150 calories, 60 calories from fat, 7 grams of fat, 2 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 80 milligrams of sodium, 21 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of dietary fiber, 12 grams of sugar, and less than 1 gram of protein.)

Purchased Price: $5.99
Size: 10.7 oz.
Purchased at: eBay
Rating: 4 out of 10
Pros: Nabisco venturing out of desserts and into the breakfast realm. Subtle hints of Maple.
Cons: Just a super-sweet Golden Oreo. Maple syrup and/or Oreo cookies potentially going downhill after this union. Waffle references that seem to be in name only.

REVIEW: Limited Edition Mississippi Mud Pie Oreo Cookies

Limited Edition Mississippi Mud Pie Oreo Cookies

Mississippi can be a hard word to spell, but Mississippi Mud Pie is an easy dessert to eat. They say it goes down faster than the water in the Mississippi River during spring rains.

It’s a popular dessert. Type its name into Google and you will get a recipe mudslide. There are pages of them from food websites you know and love and from small blogs the parents and friends of the blogs’ owners know and love. But if you sift through those recipes, you’ll find many variations of it.

Some have chocolate pudding, some have chocolate cake, some have brownies, some have ice cream, some are topped with chocolate, some are topped with nuts, some have two layers, some have three layers, some have five layers, and some have marijuana.

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But it appears Nabisco took a simple route with its Limited Edition Mississippi Mud Pie Oreo Cookie. It has the chocolate wafer we all know and have consumed several pounds of by now, which represents the chocolate cookie crust. Standing in for the chocolate pudding is Oreo’s chocolate creme. The final component is a whipped cream-flavored creme. Now before you start rolling your eyes and making air quotes while you say “whipped cream” because it’s probably the original Oreo creme with a different name, like I did, you should know it’s not.

I’ve licked enough Starbucks Frappuccino plastic lids to know it doesn’t taste like whipped cream. Also, I’ve licked enough Oreo creme to know it’s not THE Oreo creme. Also, after typing the previous two sentences, I realize I might have a licking fetish or I’m a cat.

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This white creme tastes similar to the original Oreo creme, but it’s noticeably not as sweet. As for the chocolate creme, it has a mild Tootsie Roll-like flavor. The two combined with the chocolate wafers equals a good cookie, but the white creme doesn’t seem to add any flavor, but instead dampens all the chocolate.

Because, as I mentioned at the beginning, there are so many variations of Mississippi Mud Pie, I won’t say this cookie doesn’t taste like one. There’s a great chance there’s one out there that tastes like this cookie. And there’s probably now a recipe on the internet that uses these cookies as a topping.

The Limited Edition Mississippi Mud Pie Oreo is enjoyable, and I’m going to cram all of them into my mouth over the next few days, but I can’t help but think it’s just a derivative of an Oreo with chocolate creme.

Nabisco has sort of trained us to expect unique Oreo flavors, and this one may seem like it’s unique, but it really isn’t.

(Nutrition Facts – 2 cookies – 140 calories, 60 calories from fat, 6 grams of fat, 2 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 90 milligrams of sodium, 45 milligrams of potassium, 21 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 13 grams of sugar, and less than 1 gram of protein.)

Purchased Price: Way too much on eBay
Size: 10.7 oz. package
Purchased at: Dollar General by the eBay seller I bought it from
Rating: 6 out of 10
Pros: A serviceable Oreo flavor. If you like Oreo with chocolate creme, you’ll like this. Actual Mississippi Mud Pie. Licking.
Cons: Doesn’t taste like a unique flavor. Exclusive to Dollar General. Whipped cream-flavored creme tastes like a less sweet version of regular Oreo creme. Not having a Dollar General anywhere near you which forces you to spend $15 to get a package shipped to you.

REVIEW: Limited Edition Firework Oreo Cookies with Popping Candy

Limited Edition Firework Oreo Cookies with Popping Candy

For a few years we’ve had the unimaginative Summer Oreo, which tastes like a regular Oreo, but with “fun” cookie designs and a Mylanta-colored creme.

It’s never evoked “summer” to me. I understand the antacid-colored creme is supposed to represent water and the “fun” cookie designs are things that people do during the summer if they live near a big body of water. But in my mouth, where it really should count, it doesn’t feel like summer.

But now there’s a Oreo that does — Limited Edition Firework Oreo with popping candy in the creme.

The cookie tastes like the regular Oreo variety. I know what that tastes like. You know what that tastes like. Everyone knows it tastes like sugar fairy tears between two chocolate wafers. But does the popping candy make a difference?

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When I chewed on the first cookie, I thought the idea was a dud. There were a few pops here and there, but the popping candy got lost in the cookie’s crunch. It’s like not feeling a small earthquake while on a roller coaster.

But then I thought back to how I ate Pop Rocks as a kid and realized the proper way to eat this cookie, which some of you classy folks might not like.

To fully enjoy it, you can’t eat it like a regular Oreo and you have to throw out your table manners. Remember how you were taught to chew with your mouth closed? Forget that. If you’ve ever gotten teased for chewing like a cow (raises hand), that slow and big mastication is going to come in handy.

Limited Edition Firework Oreo Cookies with Popping Candy 3

So take a Firework Oreo and put it in your mouth or take a big bite. Slowly chew on it a few times to get a chunky Oreo slurry going in your mouth. When you get there, stop chewing, open your mouth, let the carbon dioxide-enhanced candy melt, and then feel the popping. Now if you’re in public and embarrassed to do that, feel free to put your hand or napkin in front of your mouth.

The thing is, when you chew on it, your teeth are preventing the candy from popping. They’re crushing them instead. By opening your mouth, you’re letting the candy melt, which leads to pronounced popping.

Now if you’re a creme licker, you won’t really feel the popping as you lick, but it’s a great way to experience the popping sound. Just lick, then listen, and if you close your eyes you can imagine it’s the crackling of a fire on a beach that’s on a Summer Oreo as one of the “fun” designs.

The Limited Edition Firework Oreo Cookies are more exciting than regular Summer Oreo, and it really should be THE default Oreo for the summer.

(Nutrition Facts – 2 cookies – 140 calories, 60 calories from fat, 6 grams of fat, 2 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 85 milligrams of sodium, 35 milligrams of potassium, 21 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 13 grams of sugar, less than 1 gram of protein.)

Purchased Price: $3.50
Size: 10.7 oz.
Purchased at: Times Supermarket
Rating: 7 out of 10
Pros: More exciting than Summer Oreo. Popping candy adds to the cookie, but only if you throw out table manners. Not an exclusive flavor.
Cons: Tastes like regular Oreo. Can’t eat it like a regular Oreo. Summer Oreo.

REVIEW: Limited Edition Peeps Oreo Cookies

Limited Edition Peeps Oreo Cookies

Goodbye red velvet and strange emoticon hearts!

Hello hoppy bunnies and pastel pallets!

As if there weren’t more Peeps flavors popping up than a rabbit’s litter in heat, this year Nabisco is gifting us the collaboration I’m not sure anyone anticipated or wanted – Limited Edition Peeps Oreo. This spring offering combines the Golden Oreo cookie with a fluorescent pink marshmallow Peeps flavored creme that unfortunately has no head you can rip off to begin your snacking.

Limited Edition Peeps Oreo Cookies 2

The package exudes a very “Golden” aroma, with a strong vanilla, buttercream kind of sweetness that reminds me of a super intensified Nilla Wafer. It smells more like a cookie than a marshmallow, with no notable Peep perfume mingling in the wash of creaminess. They’re also very visually appealing – the spring colors and golden yellow glow simply look tasty.

Limited Edition Peeps Oreo Cookies 3

The cookie is essentially a very sweet Golden Oreo, not too different from the Candy Corn flavor, which for me always tasted like a white frosted cupcake. What sets this one apart is a gritty sugar crystal crunch in the pink Peep creme that emulates the sparkly outside of the iconic marshmallow chick. This is the element I was most hoping Nabisco would incorporate into this mash up and they nailed it. It isn’t too intensely tough, but the creme adds a nice, smaller crunch to the bite of the big crumbly cookie.

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The problem is that the Peeps Oreo doesn’t really remind me at all of a Peep. What they share in common is that they are a big blast of sugar; but the cookie is completely devoid of any of the marshmallow nuances that contribute to Peeps’ notoriously fluffy flavor. After eating two or three in a row, a strange artificial tang developed on my tongue and left a little bit of a filmy feeling in my mouth, but surprisingly it still wasn’t as unpleasant as some other weird food dyed flavors I’ve encountered over the years.

If you’re a diehard Peeps fan who simply can’t get enough cute marshmallows in your life, then definitely give this a try for the novelty texture in the creme. If you’re looking for the next greatest limited Oreo flavor, or a worthy follow up to the beloved Marshmallow Crispy version, you can probably skip over these and instead make a melted masterpiece by exploding a Peep in the microwave and stuffing it inside of two Golden Oreo wafers, which might be just a tad more fun.

(Nutrition Facts – 2 cookies – 140 calories, 60 calories from fat, 7 grams of fat, 2 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 80 milligrams of sodium, 21 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 12 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of protein.)

Purchased Price: $2.99
Size: 10.7 oz.
Purchased at: Safeway
Rating: 7 out of 10
Pros: Fun spring colors with pretty poppin’ pink. Gritty sugar-laced creme filling. Buttercream frosting sweetness. Classic golden Oreo sparkle.
Cons: Doesn’t really taste like Peeps. Slight artificial frosting tang buildup during snack-age.