We Tried Every Oreo Flavor We Could Find — And the Debate Between First and Second Place Got Intense
Name a more iconic cookie than an Oreo. We’ll wait. For more than a century, Oreo has taken up residence in snack drawers around the globe. It permeated pop culture and the grocery store, popping up more frequently in the baking aisle and freezer cases in recent years, all while expanding its line of limited-edition flavors. These novelty Oreos are most certainly a marketing ploy to keep the sandwich cookies top of mind (and grocery lists), and a delicious one at that — for the most part.
Over the decades there’ve been major hits — the most successful get added to the permanent lineup — and minor snags (retirement from the rotation). As big fans of the cream-filled cookies, both as is and in any number of recipes (like this creamy milkshake or this dreamy no-bake cheesecake), we decided to try and rank all the Oreos we could find to see which ones (if any) outshine the original.
After eating our way through 17 different flavors (tough job, we know), we had a fierce, but friendly debate before collectively deciding on this ranking. Grab yourself a glass of milk, and let’s get into it.
17. Lemon Golden Sandwich Cookies
Ah, lemon. It’s a classic dessert flavor, especially during spring: lemon bars! Lemon mousse! Lemon cheesecake! And, yes, lemon cookies! Mimicking the tastes of freshly zested and squeezed lemons, however, is a big ask for “natural flavors” and “citric acid” (both are listed ingredients) — too big, as it turns out, for the plump cream within these cookies. It tastes a little too close to how lemon cleaning products smell. Let’s move on …
Buy: Oreo Lemon Flavored Creme Golden Sandwich Cookies, $4.28 for 18.71 ounces at Walmart
16. Toffee Crunch Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
The scent of this, which Mara, our senior editor, groceries, describes as “brown sugar meets molasses,” is so strong, several tasters liken it to a scented candle. Thankfully the flavor is less pronounced, but still very much present; it’s mostly sweet with a hint of “coffee” and “caramel-y” notes, says April, our strategic partnerships manager, and Quinn, our lifestyle editor. The crunch, however, is mysteriously MIA. Bummer, too; it would add a nice bit of texture to the mix.
Buy: Oreo Toffee Crunch Flavored Creme Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, $5.79 for 17 ounces at Instacart
15. Birthday Cake Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
Rainbow sprinkle cream, you say? Why, it must be a celebration. It’s nearly impossible to not smile when presented with a birthday cake, and that’s exactly the case with these colorful sandwich cookies. They’re “fun,” says our Video Producer Vixon, “pretty,” adds Quinn, and taste eerily similar to the tubs of confetti frosting you can buy at the grocery store. (Two tasters say it reminds them of the sweet yogurts they had as kids.) The biggest flaw is that the cookies get a little lost in all that creamy sweetness.
Buy: Oreo Birthday Cake Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, $6.59 for 17 ounces at Instacart
14. Gluten-Free Golden Sandwich Cookies
Interestingly, each of the three gluten-free Oreo flavors have six small holes poked in the cookies; they also have “gluten-free” etched on them. This golden one, in particular, has less cream than almost all of the other cookies in this list. The cookie is buttery (“like a Lorna Doone,” says Quinn) with what several tasters describe as a “sandy/chalky/dusty” texture. More cream could help balance that out better.
Buy: Oreo Gluten Free Golden Sandwich Cookies, $4.88 for 12.08 ounces at Walmart
13. Black & White Cookie Sandwich Cookies
One iconic cookie inspires another! “This looks like a black and white cookie,” say several tasters the moment they lay eyes on it. The contrasting-colored swirl is instantly recognizable, but that’s where the similarities end. The cream tastes more like chocolate frosting — specifically the one you find in yet another cookie classic: Dunkaroos (as do the cookies, BTW!). Tasters were either very into that or decidedly not, but all agreed it didn’t match the inspo.
Buy: Oreo Black & White Cookie Sandwich Cookies, $6.49 for 10.68 ounces at Instacart
12. Fudge-Covered Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
The only coated cookie in the bunch, this fudge-covered Oreo has a “decadent look,” says Vixon. Beyond its smooth looks, though, tasters were less excited about the combination. Many feel it’s too sweet and “needs contrast,” says Alex, our editorial assistant (“Dark chocolate would be better.”); others, like Vixon, “appreciate the double chocolate.”
Buy: Oreo Fudge Covered Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, $3.98 for 7.9 ounces at Walmart
11. Dark Chocolate Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
Many of us, like our Assistant News & Culture Editor, Noella, “expect more” of this monochromatic cookie. We’re big fans of dark chocolate in bar form (and in general), and as April put it best “she looks rich.” Unfortunately, the faint fudgy cream flavor with the chocolate cookies is too monotonous. It needs contrast! (Some fruit or nuttiness could work wonders.)
Buy: Oreo Dark Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, $4.28 for 17 ounces at Walmart
10. Golden Sandwich Cookies
These golden sandwich cookies are indulgent. They have a “rich vanilla smell,” says Vixon. The butteriness of the cookie is giving “animal cracker vibes,” says Andrea, our social media manager, and when combined with the cream, it “tastes like cereal milk,” adds Quinn. In the end, the vanilla-on-vanilla action is a little too sweet and too same-y compared to the others on this list.
Buy: Oreo Golden Sandwich Cookies, $3.98 for 13.29 ounces at Walmart
9. Java Chip Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
Heavy on the java, lighter on the chip, this cookie smells like “a strong cup of coffee,” says April. The generous portion of cream tastes like one — with a lot of cream and sugar — too (although one taster would dial the flavor up further). It even won over the coffee nonfans. The chocolate chips do add a subtle crunch, but most find them too small or too spread out to really make a splash.
Buy: Oreo Java Chip Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, $4.59 for 17 ounces at Walmart
8. Gluten-Free Mint Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
These gluten-free mint Oreo cookies are a little brighter in color and bolder in flavor than their doppelgängers further down the list. Of the three gluten-free cookies, this one had the most cream, and mint fans were here for it. Others found it to be too much for the more crumbly cookies to handle.
Buy: Oreo Gluten Free Mint Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, $4.88 for 12.47 ounces at Walmart
7. Chocolate Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
The layer of brown cream is, in a word, “thick.” It’s “leaning into Double Stuf territory,” says Mara. Sometimes more is more! In this case, though, the chocolate cream was “light on flavor,” says Andrea, as if it was sprinkled with a touch of hot cocoa mix. As a result, the cookie and cream all blend together. “She isn’t standing out,” adds April.
Also, for reasons we could not discern, the cookie tops are barely attached and easily came apart from the rest of the sandwich (read: fell off). Oreo twisters, this is the cookie for you.
Buy: Oreo Chocolate Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, $4.28 for 18.71 ounces at Walmart
6. Gluten-Free Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
Like it’s golden cousin, this gluten-free original has noticeably less cream tucked between the sandwich cookies — a few tasters thought they were actually the Oreo Thins prior to sampling. It has a similar flavor to its classic counterpart, albeit not as creamy and “more of a cracker-like crunch,” says Mara (thanks to the rice flour).
Buy: Oreo Gluten Free Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, $4.59 for 12.08 ounces at Target
5. Peanut Butter Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
One whiff and every taster called it: “Peanut butter!” For many, the scent was a good indicator of what to expect — a layer of deeply “roasty” peanut flavor, says Andrea, sandwiched between a pair of chocolate cookies. The classic duo “complement each other” well, adds April, although a few tasters feel the peanut butter dominated between the two (which isn’t necessarily a bad thing)
Buy: Oreo Peanut Butter Creme Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, $4.28 for 17 ounces at Walmart
4. Dirt Cake Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
Like its namesake, these cookies have real party potential. The rainbow flecks are a subtle nod to the gummy worms you’d expect to find in a homemade dirt cake (or, in some circles, dirt pudding). The two-toned layered cream is “fudgy, but not too sweet or too rich,” says Quinn. “Similar to cake frosting,” adds Mara.
Buy: Oreo Dirt Cake Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, $4.28 for 10.68 ounces at Walmart
3. Mint Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
One of the few cookies with a discernible smell (spoiler: it’s minty), this pastel-tinted cream is light on the flavor — in the best way. Closer to Andes Creme De Menthe Thins than, say, York Peppermint Patties, it’s “not overpowering,” says Vixon and a “nice balance” to its chocolaty base. The combo even won over a few mint skeptics. Try some crumbled over ice cream, suggests Noella.
Buy: Oreo Mint Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, $4.28 for 18.71 ounces at Walmart
2. Space Dunk Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
Space Dunk is a pumped-up version of the classic Oreo. The pink and blue center is “super bright and colorful,” says Quinn who ranked this flavor as her favorite. It’s got that same sweet cream and crumbly chocolate cookie, with some added pops of color and candy. There’s actually popping candy mixed in (just like in the winner of our Peeps ranking) and galaxy-themed designs, like stars and spaceships, etched on one side of each sandwich.
Buy: Oreo Space Dunk Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, $5.00 for 10.68 ounces at Five Below
1. Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
The OG remains the GOAT for a reason. Yes, the nostalgia is strong, but so is this classic combo. Few things are as satisfying as that first bite into one of these cream-filled sandwich cookies. It’s sweet! It’s creamy! It’s crispy, yet crumbly! “I could eat a row of these with oat milk,” says Noella. Yeah, adds Quinn, “It’s all-time.”
Buy: Oreo Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, $3.98 for 13.29 ounces at Instacart
Do you agree with our ranking? Tell us about it in the comments below.