Oreos are sold in over 100 countries and hold the title as the world’s best-selling cookie. Still, if you’re not convinced that Oreos are the best, these 10 facts about this twistable, lickable, dunkable snack will convince you that they are essentially the perfect cookie.
1. It was created March 6, 1912.
Oreos were first manufactured at the Nabisco factory in New York City on March 6, 1912. Oreo released two flavors that year including original Oreos and a lemon meringue flavor, which was discontinued in 1920.
2. Double Stuf Oreos are a lie.
Double Stuf Oreos are supposed to be double the filling, however, they only are 1.86 times bigger than regular Oreos. Mega Stuf cookies, known to have three times the filling, only have 2.68 times the creme in reality. Still, that’s a lot of stuffing, so we’ll let these exaggerations slide.
3. More than 123,000 tons of creme are made each year.
Oreo bakeries make more than 123,000 tons of creme to fill their perfect cookies. Each original Oreo cookie is 29 percent creme and 71 percent cookie.
4. It takes 59 minutes to make an Oreo.
Each Oreo wafer is baked for exactly 290.6 seconds at a temperature of 400°F from above and 300°F from below.
5. More than 500 Billion Oreos have been sold.
Since 1912, nearly half a trillion Oreo cookies have been sold around the world. In 2011 alone, more than 35 billion were sold, and more than 10 billion of those were sold in the United States.
6. Enough Oreos have existed to wrap around the earth 381 times.
If all of the Oreos ever manufactured in the world were stacked on top of each other, they would reach the moon and back more than five times.
7. They’re as addictive as cocaine.
A 2013 study suggests that the fats and sugars in Oreos make this cookie just as addictive as psychoactive drugs.
8. Each Oreo contains 90 ridges.
Every Oreo cookie contains 90 ridges, 12 flowers, 12 dashes, and 12 dots.
9. The origin of the name is a mystery.
No one knows why the famous cookie is named Oreo. Some say it’s because it’s easy to remember, however, others debate it was named after the origin of the word “Oreo” from the French word for “gold” or the Greek word for “beautiful.”
10. National Oreo Day is on March 6.
National Oreo Day on March 6 honors the birthday of the world’s (and milk’s) favorite cookie. Celebrate by dunking your favorite cookie in milk, or using it to create Oreo Cheesecake Truffles, Peanut Butter and Oreo S’mores or even no-bake Oreo Bars.
While 50 percent of people pull their Oreos apart before eating, I’m assuming we can all agree that these cookies are best. There’s nothing like enjoying a couple (or an entire row) of Oreos.