Whoever invented the Oreo cookie is a genius. Small enough to down in two (one?) bites and able to be eaten in multiple forms (teeth-scrape just the Oreo cream, anyone?), Oreo cookies are everyone's favorite sweet snack. Since their creation in 2015, Oreo Thins have been my favorite Oreo product for their perfect cookie-to-cream ratio. But recently, on my way to the grocery store to replenish my thinning supply of Thins, I started reading about the latest Oreo invention: Oreo Drink Mix. Could this drink mix snag the number one title away from my beloved thins?
Over the years, Oreo has introduced plenty of fun and sometimes questionable new flavors to its cookie collection. But never before has Oreo attempted something quite like this.
The name 'Oreo Drink Mix' was bound to draw attention from Oreo lovers everywhere, but what exactly is it? The powdered mix is meant to be stirred with cold milk, containing chunks of Oreo to mimic the experience of dunking an Oreo cookie into milk. Basically, it's meant to be like Nesquik or Swiss Miss, but better. Oreo has some serious competition by entering this category, but the company often delivers in the face of adversity. Let’s see if it does.
First Impressions
The first thing to note is that there were NO Oreo cookie chunks. Seriously, not one singular chunk. The texture is just slightly more coarse than Nesquik’s hot chocolate mix. That's one promise already broken. Not starting off too strong, Oreo.
The next thing that hit me was the super rich, chocolate-y smell. Taking a good whiff sent my senses into a chocolate wonderland, which helped distract from the lack of cookie chunkage. Hopefully, it'll taste as good as it smells.
Making the Drink
In order to achieve the product's intended flavor, I followed the directions written on the back of the container exactly. I added two tablespoons of the mix into a glass filled with 8 ounces (1 cup) of milk.
After stirring for about 30 seconds, the drink was still lumpy. So, I started stirring vigorously. My wrist was on the verge of falling off, but the ball-like clumps of powder would not disappear. Another red flag. Still, I tried to stay positive. Maybe these lumps are those cookie chunks the box promised?
The Tasting
Several reluctant sips later, I could feel my soul slipping into a pit of disappointment. If someone were to take an Oreo, scrape off all the cream, and feed you only the two chocolate cookie halves, that's what this drink tasted like. It is the liquified version of an Oreo sans cream. SANS CREAM. I'm not trying to drink pie crust, Oreo.
Since it's missing the cream element, you'd think that the drink would at least taste super chocolate-y. But the flavor doesn't deliver on chocolate either. Instead of deep, dark and rich, the chocolate flavor is processed and mediocre. I almost wanted to eat a piece of real chocolate to make up for the drink's weakness.
To make matters worse, each sip contained an unpleasant lump of the powder, making my mouth extremely dry. I think it's safe to say that a liquid shouldn't make your mouth more dry after drinking it.
From flavor to texture, Oreo missed the mark with this Oreo Drink Mix. The idea sounded spectacular, but the execution was just disappointing. Oreo gets an "A" for effort, but a solid "D" for performance. I say with a very heavy heart that this Oreo treat ended up a great Oreo defeat.