Wednesday, August 12, 2015

Brownie Batter Oreos - Walmart - Berlin, NJ

Brownie Batter Oreos - Walmart - Berlin, NJ $2.98
I know what you're thinking, another new Oreo? Yup! They're really cranking them out this year. Not only are they releasing new flavors like Key Lime Pie (which I still can't find) and Cotton Candy, but they're bringing back older flavors like Crispy Marshmallow Square and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough.

Even though these limited edition flavors can be hit or miss, having a new Oreo or two every month is really freaking awesome. It's kind of like the American equivalent to the specialty Japanese Kit-Kat bars. I get something to look forward to each month, and it's fun to blog about. (Although searching for them can be stressful, but it's nothing I lose sleep over.)

Enough rambling, let's get on with the review!


A year ago, all of the limited edition flavors came in packages that were the same 15.25 oz size as the classic and Golden Oreos, but somewhere along the line (I think it was when the Reese's Oreo was re-released) they switched things up and went with a slightly smaller square-shaped 10.7 oz package. All of the limited edition flavors, even re-released ones, have been in these square-ish packages which is both good and bad. It's good because having this unique shape helps the packages stand out when they are stacked vertically on the shelves. (Which is something I mentioned in a lot of my older reviews. When stacked vertically, a lot of the specialty flavors are hard to distinguish from the normal line-up of flavors.) So now the packaging looks different and stands out, which is good, but you get less cookies, which sucks. 
Normally I talk about the packaging design, but Mondelez/Oreo really isn't doing much with these Limited Edition packages. It's the same color scheme and layout as always with a different flavor-related photo in the background. I always love their food-related imagery, but there's nothing new or interesting to critique, so I'll just move on to the review. 

I peeled back the plastic and the cookies inside smell...weird. I was really taken aback because this isn't at all what I expected. These smell just like those chocolate-flavored novelty Chapsticks I used to buy at the mall! It's that weird chocolate scent that soaps, candles and bath products use to try and emulate chocolate, which is close, but never truly successful. It's not a (terribly) bad smell, but it's not at all what I was expecting. These have been getting really great reviews online, so they have to taste better than they smell, right?


First up I'll try the creme on it's own to see how brownie-like it is.


The creme is a dark brown color that's slightly lighter than the cookies it's sandwiched between, and on it's own, it's pretty darn close the the real deal. You start out with a sweet but slightly bitter chocolate flavoring, kind of like chocolate cake frosting, but it has the classic sugary grittiness that's really reminiscent of box-mix brownie batter. For me, this isn't completely spot-on, I personally feel like this is more like hot cocoa powder mixed with the classic creme filling than actual brownie batter, but I bake a lot, and when I bake I eat a lot of batter/dough, so I'm picky about these things. This isn't what actual brownie batter tastes like, but it's really close!


Now, how does this brownie batter flavoring hold up when it's eaten together with the cookie?

A lot of these specialty flavors are mellowed out from the cookie's flavoring and texture, but this time around I feel like the cookie actually enhances it! The crunchy classic Oreo flavoring helps balance the overly sweet frosting-like filling, and the end result is much more brownie-like. Kind of like Brownie-Brittle, but Oreos! Eating the creme together with the cookie is definitely the way to go if you want the most brownie-bang for your buck.

When these were first introduced at the Sweets and Snack Expo I was interested, but not all that excited. I knew I was going to try to find them when they came out, because I'm a food blogger and that's kind of what I do, but I didn't think I would love them. Turns out, I was completely wrong.  They're rich, chocolatey, and best served with a giant glass of ice cold milk. (Or whatever dairy-free milk equivalent you prefer.) If you're a chocolate lover, these are a must-try. They put the normal chocolate Oreo with chocolate creme to shame.
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5 comments:

  1. Aw man! I really enjoyed the smells of these, and I thought the cookies took away from the brownie experience whereas you thought they heightened it. Very interesting... different strokes for different folks.

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    1. We may have enjoyed different aspects, but it seems like we both enjoyed the cookies overall. (If you like the smell of these check out those chocolate chapsticks at the mall. It's spot on!)

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  2. My theory on Oreos is that people gravitate and enjoy the same flavors...so, just for perspective, your top five LTO Oreos?

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    1. Oh, that's a tough one.

      I pick "favorites" by thinking of which flavors I'd want to repurchase, so off the top of my head, in no particular order, I'd go with...

      Banana Split
      Cotton Candy
      Crispy Rice Square
      Reese's Cup
      And...
      I'm hard pressed to pick a 5th one, but I'll say Candy Cane

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