May 13, 2011
Krusteaz Chocolate Chunk Cookie Mix
Even though good chocolate chip cookies are very easy to make, sometimes it makes sense to take the easier route and use a cookie mix. It’s quicker and there’s not as many things that need to be cleaned when you’re done. The problem is that the pre-made cookie mixes that I’ve used have not resulted in very good cookies. They’re okay, but nothing to be proud of. Krusteaz Chocolate Chunk Cookie Mix, however, makes cookies that are - dare I say it - as good, if not better than most made-from-scratch cookies that I’ve eaten. Really, they are so good that I doubt I will ever make homemade chocolate chip cookies again. When baked for just the right amount of time (the key to any great cookie...), the cookies have a firm exterior and chewy interior, just as they should. They have a good amount of chocolate in them, too. Sit down with a pile of these cookies and a tall glass of cold milk and you’ll be in heaven.
Phoood rating: 
October 2, 2010
Trader Joe's Triple Ginger Snaps
Ginger snaps are not my favorite type of cookie, but I’ll eat them in a pinch. Trader Joe’s Triple Ginger Snaps, however, are not your typical ginger snap cookie. They are made with fresh, crystallized, and ground ginger, which gives them a fantastic flavor. You’d think that with three types of ginger, the cookies would be over-the-top gingery. Fortunately, that’s not the case at all. They have a very pleasant ginger flavor that isn’t overpowering. The flavor gets even better when you bite into a piece of the fresh ginger. I don’t think I’ve ever eaten a Trader Joe’s product that I didn’t really like, and Triple Ginger Snaps are no exception. They are a delicious treat that I strongly recommend.
Phoood rating:
March 30, 2010
Golden Chocolate Oreos
My friend Paul thinks that any Oreo cookie other than the original - chocolate cookies with white creme filling - is an abomination. He’s unwilling to eat any other variety of Oreo. I’m a bit more open minded. Yes, classic Oreos are delicious. But so are Golden Oreos, as I described in my review of them way back in 2004. There’s also a variety of Golden Oreos with chocolate creme in the middle, called Golden Chocolate Oreos. I bought a bag recently to try them for the first time. Let me just say that the cookies didn’t last very long. Yea, the whole bag was gone by the next day. I’m not sure that I like them quite as much as Golden Oreos, but they’re pretty close. The chocolate creme has a nice flavor and the cookies go really well with a glass of milk. Sure, original Oreos still reign supreme, but Chocolate Crème Oreos aren’t that far behind. Come on Paul, give ‘em a try! You might just like them.
Phoood rating: 
April 23, 2009
Oreo Fun Stix
Recently I tried Oreo Fun Stix on a whim, as they happened to be resting uneaten in my pantry. As I removed the interesting straw-like wafers from the wrapper, I was immediately reminded of Pepperidge Farm's Pirouettes, my favorite of all snacks, which set my expectations a little higher. The similarity was very close, except the Oreo Fun Stix contained a membrane of classic Oreo fill in its hollow. I poured a cold glass of milk and took a swig. I was impressed by the way the inner fill created the perfect straw, but it did not change the taste of the milk as I had hoped. After downing the glass, I bit into the nicely sogged crumble wafer and found it to be just like the original Oreo in taste, which I had predicted and hoped for. A tasty treat if you love your Oreos and milk, but mostly just a novelty for a younger demographic. Not a must-buy for hardcore snackers, as the Oreo Fun Stix amusement does not quite meet up with its price and lack of versatility. Want a true wafer? Pick up some Pirouettes.
Phoood rating: 
March 21, 2009
Bergers Cookies
I had never heard of Bergers Cookies until a Phoood reader, Sebastiano, recently sent me an e-mail in which he lavished praise on them. I later found out that the cookies have been produced in Baltimore, Maryland since 1835 and are distributed in the greater Baltimore region. I was able to get my hands on two boxes of the cookies and immediately knew why Sebastiano liked them so much. These cookies are certainly one of the most unique desserts that I’ve ever eaten. Yet, the cookies are incredibly simple: a buttery, soft, vanilla wafer-type cookie drenched in chocolate fudge. In fact, there is so much chocolate on them that it’s hard to tell if it is a cookie topped with chocolate or a glob of chocolate with a cookie hidden inside. This is not a subtle cookie that you would serve at a tea party. They are heavy, dense, and deliciously decadent. Think of it as the Hummer of cookies. Don’t bother trying to eat more than a couple of them at a time, because you’ll likely give yourself a stomach ache. If you don’t live in the Baltimore area, you can still enjoy the cookies by ordering them through the Bergers Cookies web site. They are a delicious piece of American history that I highly recommend you try.
Phoood rating:
January 31, 2009
Pepperidge Farm Tim Tam Chocolate Crème
Pepperidge Farm has brought Australia's Tim Tam cookies to America, and I'm sure glad they did. I had never heard of Tim Tams before, but it only took about two cookies for me to understand why they are so popular in Australia. They are among the most delicious cookies I’ve ever eaten. They don’t have anything in them that isn't in countless other cookies, but Tim Tam’s combination of chocolate fudge, chocolate wafers, and chocolate crème is just about perfect. Yet despite their decadence, they are not overly sweet like many cookies are. The only negative thing I can say about them is that the 7 ounce package is much, much too small. I need at least a pound of Tim Tams! You had better hurry If you want to try Tim Tams, mate. They are available exclusively at Target, but only through March 2009. And if you need more encouragement to by some Tim Tams, you can get a $1 coupon on the Tim Tam web site.
Phoood rating:
April 22, 2008
Strawberry Milkshake Oreos
Ever since I was a young lad, I have loved Oreos. I've tried all the previous variations, Double Stuf, Mint, etc., and they have never measured up to the original. Today, while wandering through the grocery store in search of bread, I discovered Strawberry Milkshake Oreos- Limited Edition. Absolutely delicious! The first thing I noticed was that they smell wonderful when you open the package, The brown and pink color is a little unusual, but I really didn't mind when I bit into one. They have a nice crunch, with a little softer "chew" than a classic. The strawberry cream mixes perfectly with the chocolate cookie halves, neither flavor overpowering the other for a taste reminiscent of Neapolitan ice cream. (If you leave out the vanilla part like I do.) My only gripe is that they are a limited edition. I hope Nabisco decides to make them permanent.
Phoood rating:
October 29, 2007
Newman O’s Crème Filled Chocolate Cookies
At a recent visit to my local natural foods store (yes, there’s a first time for everything), I bought a bag of Newman’s Own “Newman-O’s” chocolate filled crème cookies. Normally, I wouldn’t have bothered, but they were on sale for a good price and I was curious to see how them would compare to Oreos. I figured that because they were being sold in a health food store and are made with organic ingredients, they may not taste as good as the venerable Oreo cookie. In reality, they taste every bit as good as Oreos, and maybe a little bit better. I didn’t have any Oreos in the cupboard, so I was unable to do an A-B comparison. But, I really like the chocolate flavor of the Newman-O’s and think that the crème filling might have a better texture and flavor than that of an Oreo. In short, they are definitely worth buying as an Oreo replacement. I wonder what other good stuff the natural food store has that I might like…
Phoood rating:
September 1, 2007
Mother's Fudge Vanilla Crème Cookies
New on my local supermarket's shelf are Mother's Fudge Vanilla Crème cookies. They are made of two chocolate cookies with an Oreo-type crème filling. All in all, they are very tasty, with a strong chocolate flavor that chocoholics will probably love. The creme filling is overpowered by the chocolate and not too noticeable. But then again, most people are going to eat these for the chocolate, not the creme. My only real complaint was that the cookies broke apart very easily when eating them, due to the softness of the filling. Side note: Mother's Cookies have been around since 1914, but it does not appear that they have a web site. They aren't even on Wikipedia. I can't remember the last time I came across a major company that didn't have a web presence.
Phoood rating:
September 14, 2005
Oreo Double Stuf Peanut Butter Creme
New on my supermarket shelf are new Oreo Double Stuf Peanut Butter Creme cookies. There are no big surprises here, just your typical chocolate Oreo wafers filled with peanut butter creme. Like most combinations of chocolate and peanut butter, these cookies are pretty good. I think they taste like the combination of an original Oreo and a Nutter Butter (yum). The peanut butter creme is only OK, it could have a better flavor and texture. I didn't dunk them in milk like I should have, but I'm sure they would be good this way. Overall, it’s a pretty good cookie.
Phoood rating:
July 5, 2005
Phoood Hall of Fame: Mother’s Circus Animal Cookies
Every since I can remember, my favorite cookies have been Mother’s Circus Animal Cookies. To this day, my mouth still waters every time I see a bag of them as I walk down the cookie and cracker aisle. These pink and white-frosted cookies with sprinkles are probably aimed at the 10-and-under market, but I don’t care – I love them anyway. I’m don’t know if Mother’s cookies are available in all states. If they’re not, then I feel sorry for those of you that can’t get them. You are really missing out. Keebler makes a similar cookie, and I’m sure other cookie makers do to. But I’ve never tried these others – it would be like cheating on a girlfriend. Did you know that you can improve the taste of these cookies by putting them in the freezer? It’s the only way I eat them. For some reason (maybe a scientist could explain in to me…), they just taste better when frozen. Try it and I bet you’ll agree.
June 11, 2005
Pepperidge Farm Soft Baked Snickerdoodle Cookies
A co-worker was raving about these new Pepperidge Farm Soft Baked Snickerdoodle Cookies the other day. Being a snickerdoodle connoisseur, I knew I had to give them a try. These cookies do not taste like any other snickerdoodle I have ever had. They are much darker, with a strong molasses-like flavor – a lot different than the light golden color and cream-of-tarter flavor that I love I'm used to. They are also much too chewy, in my opinion. The cinnamon and sugar covering the cookie are the only things that even make me think that it is a snickerdoodle. Hey, Pepperidge Farm – you guys should have hired me as a consultant when developing this cookie. I would have told you how a snickerdoodle really should be.
Phoood rating:
February 27, 2005
Almond Joy Cookies
I spotted these new Almond Joy Cookies in the local Kwik-E-Mart and thought I’d give them a try. If you didn’t already figure it out, these cookies are made to taste like an Almond Joy candy bar. Well, sort of. The cookies have a crispy chocolate wafer in the middle, which isn’t found in the candy bar. And missing from the cookies are the almonds found in the candy bar. Actually, there is a tiny bit of them that you will hardly notice unless you look for them carefully. The coconut and milk chocolate are what gives the cookie a quasi-Almond Joy taste. Misleading product name aside, the cookies are ok, but nothing to get too excited about.
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June 17, 2004
Golden Oreos
I finally got around to buying a bag of Nabisco’s new Golden Oreos, and was not disappointed. The creme in the middle tastes the same as the creme used in the original Oreo cookie. The two golden-colored cookies surrounding the creme have a very good flavor that is surprisingly addictive – almost as addictive as original Oreos. The cookies were also delicious when dipped in milk, which is my preferred way of eating them. If you are a traditionalist and balk at the idea of a non-chocolate Oreo, it will be your loss. You’ll miss out on a great tasting cookie that can proudly sit beside original Oreos on the supermarket shelf.
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