16 Pepperidge Farm Cookies, Ranked From Worst to First
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There's something utterly wholesome about a plate of Pepperidge Farm cookies. The brand, founded by Margaret Rudkin in 1937 and named for her family's pepperidge tree, has long been a staple at dessert tables. The sight of a Milano may conjure up memories of holidays at Gram's, and a Double Dark Chocolate Nantucket may remind you of after-school fun.
Pepperidge Farm cookies come in two lines. The "Distinctives" are genuinely distinct. Not easily baked at home, each cookie is named for a location. Think Brussels and Tahoe. Bonus: Parents can claim it's a geography lesson (or lean into the nostalgia of milk and cookies and call it a day).
Speaking of nostalgia, the Farmhouse line is more accessible and more closely resembles the thin, crispy, buttery or chocolate chip cookies you may have adored as a kid.
In other words, there are many flavors of Pepperidge Farm cookies. But can you really go wrong with a signature white bakery bag in any flavor?
That's debatable. My opinion? There are winners and losers to be found in the Pepperidge Farm cookie section of the sweets aisle. We nibbled our way through 16 flavors to create this definitive (yet subjective) Pepperidge Farm cookies ranking.
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16 Pepperidge Farm Cookies, Ranked From Worst to First
16. Verona Strawberry Thumbprint Cookies
Strawberries are one of the best, sweetest and juiciest fruits. However, the filling isn't enough to make up for the fact that these shortbread cookies are rather dry and not nearly as buttery as they look. Even the strawberry filling leaves something to be desired—it's a bit more sour than sweet. A sweeter strawberry and moister shortbread would be more my jam.
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15. Gingerman
While some call this cookie a holiday classic, I simply don't see it. The adorable little Gingerman looks too cute to eat, but really, he's just too flavorless. The notes of ginger are basically nowhere to be found. You do get some fun large sparkling sugar crystals for texture and taste, but it's just not enough to call this cookie anything but "average" at best. Leave the Gingermen for Santa and grab yourself a Gingersnap for something that's truly sugar and spice and everything nice. Unlike St. Nick, you work more than one day a year—you deserve the better cookie.
14. Mackinac Oatmeal Milk Chocolate
Named for the island between Michigan's upper and lower peninsulas, the Mackinac combines two quintessential cookies: oatmeal and chocolate chip. However, like Brangelina, sometimes it's best if two icons remain apart. Exhibit A: The Mackinac Oatmeal Milk Chocolate Cookie, which is just overwhelmingly sweet. The chunky chocolate chips and raisins simply don't mix, falling short of even Raisinet status. On the bright side, the soft-baked texture is soothing.
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13. Soft Baked Santa Cruz Oatmeal Raisin
Sometimes, multitasking isn't the way. The Soft Baked Santa Cruz Oatmeal Raisin cookies succeed where the Mackinac fails by keeping it simple and staying in one lane: oatmeal. The chewy, subtly fruity and soft-baked cookies aren't ground-breaking, but they are reliably delicious. The other "drawback" is you may get some oatmeal cookie peanut gallery chiming in that crispy is the only way to go, but you can just tune them out as you grab a second.
12. Farmhouse Thin and Crispy Butter Crisp
These straightforward cookies come as advertised. Bite into one, and there are no surprises. You get a buttery, crispy cookie. The flavor doesn't reinvent the wheel, but sometimes, that's what you're looking for in a comfort food—something you can count on. The creamy taste and lack of bells and whistles make Butter Crisp cookies prime candidates for dunking in milk.
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11. Chessmen
Speaking of not reinventing the wheel, enter the iconic Chessmen. Sure, you could get a sugar cookie from your local Girl Scout. But a. Those cookies are only sold in the beginning of each calendar year, and b. You may be stockpiling more creative classics like Thin Mints. The simple, sugary Chessmen are like a good friend—available whenever you need it. Like the Butter Crisps, this cookie is ideal for dunking (milk or even jam), but the thickness makes it a standalone winner. The only reason it falls outside the top 10 is the fact that it's not all that original (See: Girl Scouts and dozens of other, more budget-friendly buttery sugar cookie alternatives).
10. Tahoe White Chocolate Macadamia
Named for Lake Tahoe, a haven for beach-goers and skiers alike, Tahoe White Chocolate Macadamia cookies take your tastebuds on a sweet adventure. Creamy white chocolate blends seamlessly with nutty macadamias for an utterly heavenly treat. The crispy texture satisfies crunchy cravings.
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9. Bordeaux Carmelized Crisp
Though wafer-thin, Bordeaux Carmelized Crip cookies are light, crispy and sweet. Some say they have burnt notes, while others taste those flavor notes as tasty caramelization. To me, the strong, buttery taste, combined with caramelly flavor, tastes positively luxe.
8. Pirouette French Vanilla Creme-Filled Wafers
Pirouettes may be a controversial inclusion on this list. Are the rolled sweets really cookies? Pepperidge Farm calls them wafers, and I love them, so I'm going with it. The thin, vanilla-filled ones pair perfectly with an after-dinner coffee or glass of warm milk. The delicate texture and appearance are deceiving (and make it easy to gobble up thirds, fourths and fifths). Plus, there's something about a rolled, filled cookie that just screams sophistication, even if you're munching on them straight out of the can on the couch in front of the TV. It's called high-low, people!
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7. Milano Cookies Orange Flavored Chocolate
Spoiler alert: You've reached the point of this list where "Milano" is going to reign supreme. The iconic, crispy chocolate-filled sandwich cookie has many flavor options, proving sometimes sequels can stand up to the original. The Milano Cookies in Orange Flavored Chocolate is one of those sequels. The orange flavor is just enough to add interest but doesn't overpower, playing oh-so-nicely with its chocolate counterpart. Try it with orange tea and thank me later.
6. Milano Cookies, Raspberry Chocolate
If there was ever a sexy cookie, it would be the Milano in Raspberry Chocolate. The raspberry flavoring adds a touch of tang and sweetness and a ton of decadence.
5. Montauk Soft Baked Milk Chocolate
My Long Island bias may be showing here—I love getting to Montauk, known affectionately as "The End," an area known for its stunning Atlantic Ocean views. Speaking of stunning, these soft-baked milk chocolate cookies are it. The large cookies with also big chocolate chunks pair perfectly with milk and ice cream but are frankly perfect on their own. The size makes them easy to split, but you won't want to.
4. Farmhouse Thin and Crispy Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies
Speaking of Long Island bias, Tate's Bakeshop's original store is situated in Southampton. These days, you can find the thin, crispy milk chocolate chip cookies around the country. If you can't, Pepperidge Farm's Thin and Crispy Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies make for a nearly identical and worthy alternative (keyword nearly, but again, I'm biased). The buttery, crispy cookies also rival those that came right out of the oven when you arrived home from school.
3. Brussels Dark Chocolate Cookies
These thin, lacy cookies with a decadent chocolate filling are deservedly synonymous with the Pepperidge Farm brand. The circular cookies are easy to grab, easy to dunk and even easier to eat by the dozen. They're so good (and fancy-looking) that they can hold their own as a member of a holiday cookie plate.
2. Mint Chocolate Milano
I'm a sucker for mint chocolate things—ice cream, York peppermint patties, you name it. Mint Chocolate Milano cookies do not disappoint. The light mint flavor adds a freshness to the cookie and brings out the best in the chocolate filling. They're extra-delicious around the holidays, but are also a year-round winner.
1. Milk Chocolate Milano
Its flavored offshoots are fantastic, but the original still reigns supreme. Arguably the cookie most associated with the Pepperidge Farm name, the crispy Milano cookies with creamy (but hard) milk chocolate filling are classic and delicious. Pro tip: Put them in the fridge for a few hours so the chocolate filling becomes colder and harder—in the best way possible.
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