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Lifestyle

We Tried 15 Oreo Flavors and Ranked Them from Worst to Best

This article is written by a student writer from the Spoon University at UC Irvine chapter.

Few foods are as classic as Oreo cookies. Since its invention in 1912, Milk’s Favorite Cookie has come a long way from the Original flavor. Dozens of different-flavored Oreos have been released over the years, and even more are expected to come out this year. We set out to find as many different flavors as we could at our local Target and ended up with 15 unique flavors! We recruited 10 other people to taste test, rank, and review all the Oreos with us. All our number rankings were averaged to get the final results. From Double Stuf to Red Velvet, here are 15 Oreo flavors ranked from worst to best.

Oreo flavors
Myrna Mousa

15. Hot & Spicy Cinnamon

Coming in at last place was the Hot & Spicy Cinnamon Oreo, with a classic chocolate cookie and a vibrant red filling. Its existence was surprising to find, because it seemed like such a unique and polarizing flavor. Avid lovers of Red Hots or Hot Tamales candies may appreciate this Oreo, but most others would probably pass.

Oreo flavors
Myrna Mousa

Here were some of the reviews we received:

“The Hot & Spicy Cinnamon though…0/10. Mr. Oreo wouldn’t make flavors people wouldn’t like so there has to be some people that like Hot & Spicy Cinnamon which is astonishing.”

“The Hot & Spicy Cinnamon Oreos tasted like the hot tamales candy cooked into cream which is outrageous for a chocolate cookie.”

14. Chocolate Hazelnut

The first thing you think of when you see this flavor? Probably Nutella. This Oreo set up high expectations to taste like the beloved hazelnut cocoa spread, but based on the low rating, it seems that this Oreo has missed the mark. However, not everyone disliked it, and one person even compared it to a Ferrero Rocher!

Oreo flavors
Myrna Mousa

“The filling is more comparable to frosting or icing than Nutella spread, and that may be why it disappointed some people.” 

13. Mystery

Oreo released its Mystery flavor back in Fall as a part of a contest amongst fans to guess the flavor and be entered for a chance to win $50,000. It looks deceivingly like an Original Oreo. The Mystery flavor has already been released, but we ensured that none of our tasters knew what it was to avoid any biases and have them guess what they thought the flavor was. Surprisingly, 5 out of 12 people guessed correctly! You can find the identity of the flavor here.  

Oreo flavors
Myrna Mousa

“I liked the Mystery because I really like the flavor (actual Mystery Flavor). It was one of my favorites growing up, so it was nostalgic.” 

12. Pumpkin Spice

Pumpkin spice was a limited edition flavor we somehow found in the middle of January, giving us an opportunity to try it with the rest of the flavors. Featuring a vanilla cookie and a smooth, orange creme filling, this flavor was a hit with pumpkin spice lovers but overall did not compare to most of the other cookies.

Oreo flavors
Myrna Mousa

“This is the Oreo that pumpkin spice lovers didn’t know they needed in their life. The smell alone is so powerful and full of nostalgia you’ll feel like it’s a cool fall day in mid-October anywhere at any time. The creme filling amazingly tastes almost exactly like a pumpkin spice latte. Unlike a lot of the other flavors, I could eat more than one without feeling overwhelmed. 10/10 would eat several in one sitting again.”

11. Thins Salted Caramel

Out of all the Oreo Thins flavors we collected, this was the least successful, which may be surprising since it is popular and commonly seen at many at dessert spots. Perhaps people may prefer Salted Caramel in milkshake, ice cream, or brownie form? 

Oreo flavors
Myrna Mousa

“The caramel flavor was a bit overpowering, and there was not much saltiness to the filling. Some people who may find the Original Oreo too sweet will likely not find relief with this one.”

10. Peanut Butter

This was another flavor that received mixed opinions. However, the common thing among those who enjoyed this Oreo was that they all like peanut butter. Fans of chocolate and peanut butter combinations will likely enjoy it. The texture and taste of the filling is somewhat comparable to a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup. 

Oreo flavors
Myrna Mousa

“I put Peanut Butter as my Number 1 even though I am allergic to peanuts!”

“I expected the filling to taste more artificial, but it was actually reminiscent of peanut butter! Like a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup.”

9. Birthday Cake

Coming in at ninth place was the Birthday Cake Oreo. The colorful sprinkles mixed inside the creme filling bring some extra sugary flavor to the cookie. Some of our raters thought it was too much while others didn’t mind the added sweetness.

Oreo flavors
Myrna Mousa

“I would have thought the birthday cake flavor to be too sweet, but it was more of a marriage of different sweets rather than a compounded punch I think.”

“Birthday cake was trash 🚮 How do you mess up frosting and sprinkles?”

8. Thins Coconut

Our eighth place winner was the Coconut Creme Thins. The thin chocolate cookie combined with a coconut flavored creme filling turned out to be a light and tasty flavor. We would recommend this if you are are a fan of coconut and may want to feel less guilty eating a smaller serving size!

Oreo flavors
Myrna Mousa

“I actually really liked the coconut thins. The flavor was spot on, and the combination of coconut and chocolate was a nice taste.”

“The coconut was definitely a surprise because I thought I’d be opposed to thins and that flavor but it was mild and perfectly portioned in terms of cookie and cream.”

7. Red Velvet

In the middle of the pack was the Red Velvet, with cream cheese flavored filling sandwiched between dark red colored cookies. We were sure this would be a hit amongst Red Velvet Cake lovers. The cookie wafers definitely taste like the cake, but some people agreed that the filling did not meet their expectations.

Oreo flavors
Myrna Mousa

“I love red velvet, but to be honest I was a bit disappointed by this one.” 

“I think all they need to perfect this Oreo is just to improve the cream filling, make it more flavorful and less sweet.”

6. Cinnamon Bun

Cinnamon Bun was quite popular, considering it is one of the more rare, newer flavors. The outside is not just your average golden wafer cookie. It is loaded with cinnamon, which arguably makes it even better. It was almost like a snickerdoodle or churro in Oreo form. 

Oreo flavors
Myrna Mousa

“Wow, I absolutely love the Cinnamon Bun. I am a huge fan of Cinnabon. This Oreo did not exactly taste like one, but it was delicious and had great cinnamon flavor. I would eat multiple of these in one sitting! Highly recommend.”

5. Thins Mint

Our fifth place winner was the Thins Mint. Mint didn’t seem too uncommon of a flavor compared to many of the other cookies, which initially gave us the impression it would do well. Once again, the thinner cookie and smaller amount of filling seemed to be a winning factor with our raters. 

Oreo flavors
Myrna Mousa

“The mint flavor was surprisingly pretty strong for a thin cookie but it was less like mint chocolate chip and more like the kind of mints that restaurants give you after dinner.”

4. Thins Lemon

The Lemon Thins was ranked as our fourth favorite flavor. These would be great as a light snack and are perfect for those who do not like the sweetness and chocolatey flavor of traditional Oreos. The citrus-like tartness of the lemon filling is a contrast to the sweet cookie, which may be why some people can eat more in one sitting compared to the other Oreos. 

Oreo flavors
Myrna Mousa

“I was shocked to find out the lemon was my favorite. It was light, airy, and not too dense.” 

“The lemon thins are surprisingly good. The lemon flavor is bold, but in a good way. I think this would go really well with tea.”

3. Golden

Our third favorite flavor was the Golden Oreo. The vanilla cookie is a subtle twist from the Original, making it a good choice for those who want to switch it up but still love the same creme filling. One reason why our raters liked this flavor so much was the slightly sweeter taste.

Oreo flavors
Myrna Mousa

“The Golden flavor tasted a lot like the original but a little sweeter.”

2. Double Stuf

Our runner up, the Double Stuf Oreo, is the most similar flavor to the original cookie. The only variation from the original–the extra filling–made it a top favorite with our raters. We realized that our Target store did not carry a flavor that was one level above this one: the Mega Stuf. Which begs the question, how much Stuf is too much? 

Oreo flavors
Myrna Mousa

“Double Stuf is the best because it has twice as much of the creme filling, which is what everyone actually cares about.”

1. Original

Despite all of the unique and surprising flavors, our #1 choice proves that nothing can ever top the Original Oreo. Perhaps simplicity works best for a cookie like this, or that so many people associate the original flavor with memories of their childhood.  

Oreo flavors
Myrna Mousa

Lastly, we asked all of our reviewers which flavors they would like to see Oreo release next. The answers included Samoas, Coffee, Butterbeer, Ice Cream Sundae, Cookie Dough, Matcha Green Tea, and a fusion Oreo of two flavors like the Triple Double. After reviewing all the special flavors seen here, it seems that anything is possible in our Oreo-filled futures.

If you cannot get enough of Oreos, check out the new Oreo Cookie Club Subscription Box. Happy Oreo eating!

Special thanks to Brittany, Joseph, Diana, Kevin C., Shanki, Sandy, Teddy, Michelle, Kevin M., and Jasmina for taking the time to help us taste these Oreos!

Myrna Mousa

UC Irvine '18

I'm a fourth year human biology major at UCI who loves all things food. 
Dana Le

UC Irvine '18

My name is Dana Le, and I am a 4th year Biological Sciences Major at UC Irvine! I co-run a food Instagram called Basic & Hungry.