18 Pepperidge Farm Cookies, Ranked

It’s been nearly 100 years since Margaret Rudkin and her family moved into Pepperidge Farm and created a legacy. With a portfolio bigger than it has any right to possess, the cookie giant is amongst the best in the biz. But with so many cookies to its name, which should you choose in a pinch? Do they hold up since your childhood? 

I’ve got answers. Here are 18 of Pepperidge Farm’s most popular cookies, ranked. 

Pepperidge Farm provided samples for this review, but the ranking is based solely on the author's taste test. 

I had no doubt in my mind that Milanos would win this thing. I grew up on them, and have loved them my whole life. I always liked Brussels too, but I never actually thought about which was a better cookie. The crisp texture that a Brussels cookie provides knows no equal in the Pepperidge Farm world. The size is perfect, just like the amount of chocolate used. Everything about this cookie is a hit. Do you think you like a Milano better? You’re wrong. Taste a Brussels cookie and tell me you still like a Milano better. I’ll be waiting. 

When I was a wee one, these were probably my favorite treat in the world. My mom would grab a bag and I would lose my mind for ‘em. That slight hint of orange is beautiful, and I swear they make the orange-chocolate ones crunchier. Either way, a lifetime of loving these hasn’t worn off. I love them now as much as I loved them 30 years ago. 

And when I couldn’t get my hands on Orange Chocolate? You better believe Mint Chocolate was next in line. Mint and chocolate are age-old buddies, and here in this beautiful oval of baking magic, they exist together more powerfully than almost anywhere. I’ll love a Mint Milano until the day I die, and if you people really love me, you’ll bury me with some. 

A chocolate Milano, simply put, is one of the best cookies on the planet. It’s unique, delicate, and delicious. The fact that there are two flavored Milanos that rank higher is actually a testament to the power of a classic Milano itself; the orange cookie only has a hint of orange. Same with mint. The backbone of a Milk Chocolate Milano is so strong that when you add things to it, they flourish. When you take away milk chocolate and replace it with white chocolate, you’ll see what happens to these cookies.  

I don’t normally lose my beans for a gingerbread cookie, but maybe that’s because I’ve never had Pepperide Farm’s Gingerman. First off, I love that he is one singular man. That’s hilarious to me. Secondly, this is probably the best gingerbread cookie I’ve ever had. It’s light and thin, snaps perfectly with each bite, and has plenty of sparkling sugar. Terrific stuff. 

I love this. We’ve got notes of both caramel and coffee, but none outdo each other. Harmony, my friends. Maybe I miss the chocolate at the end of the day, but this is still very good. It’s lighter than a traditional Milano, which could end up proving dangerous when I end up crushing a bag in one sitting, but we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it. 

This has got to be the gold standard for a hazelnut pirouette. Just enough chocolate. Just enough hazelnut. The crunch is stellar. The thing is long, like a magic wand, and somehow when you bite it, it leaves no flakes behind. Two thumbs emphatically up. 

This is not that much different than a chocolate Milano. There’s a hint of Earl Grey for sure, but it’s hard to detect. I suppose that’s a good thing, because why do you want that? I see no reason to add a hint of bitterness to a cookie that we’ve all agreed works incredibly well how it is. No real issue though, because the flavor is so mild. I don’t mind these, but I probably wouldn’t pick them if there were any of the classic flavors available. 

Everybody has their perfect chocolate chip cookie. For some people, it’s a crunchy bag of Famous Amos. For others, it’s hot and gooey or nothing. I’m closer to this side, and have never really felt the love for the crunchy and the crisp. In fact, I’m almost never reaching for a pre-packaged chocolate chip cookie. I like ‘em fresh-baked, baby. It’s the way they deserve to be. These are good, high-quality cookies. But they’re not fresh-baked, and for me, that will always be a problem. 

Peppy Farm is nailing these soft-baked cookies. These Ojais are soft and chewy, like they just came out of an oven. We’ve got crunchy sparkling sugar granules to chomp down on, too, which is one of the best parts of a sugar cookie. The only real issue is that the lemon flavor tastes sadly artificial, like they baked a delicious sugar cookie and then stuck a syringe full of lemon flavor. I wish this was dusted with lemon zest or something, if it needs to be lemon flavored. 

As a white chocolate hater, I tip my hat to Pepperidge Farm. Overall, I enjoyed the white chocolate in these Milanos more than I have in just about anything (except for, you know, the last-placer). If these were a strawberry and vanilla cookie, it might pin down that berries and cream vibe a little more. Unfortunately, the white chocolate ascends to the top of the flavor profile, and it’s all I can think about. 

Shortbread cookies are infinitely more appealing to me than butter cookies, and these are great ones. I have nothing bad to say about these, but everything above is a far more exciting experience. Shortbread cookies are, while tasty, pretty boring at the end of the day. 

As far as oatmeal raisin cookies go, this is a banger. I can taste cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and all kinds of autumnal flavors. The texture is soft and easily chewable. The only problem is that this cookie shouldn’t exist, because raisins are the world’s biggest liability. In my opinion, maybe only 1% of the time that they appear do they actually improve food. This is a well-made cookie, but it should be illegal to put raisins in food. 

While I love the soft texture of this cookie, double-chocolate situations are generally too rich for little ‘ole me. That said, it’s easy to see this cookie’s strengths: The soft, brownie-like vibe is great with the big chocolate chunks, and the size is just right. 

P-Farm has demonstrated mastery of so many flavors throughout its vast portfolio, but one that they can’t really seem to get right is lemon. Much like the lemon sugar cookies, this tastes incredibly artificial, but it does help to drown out the white chocolate flavor, so that’s something. 

What do you say about a butter cookie? It’s probably the most boring cookie that exists, neither delicious nor disgusting. Butter cookies are like blocks of padding or something. I like the burnt colors on these but like all Danish-style butter cookies, they don’t taste like much. 

It’s a tough situation that Strawberry Veronas find themselves in. For starters, I’m a savory guy. I don’t really feel passion for desserts and sweets the way I do for savory food. Second, pastries are one of the lowest sub-sections of desserts on my list. (Ice cream is my favorite dessert, thank you for asking.) Then, underneath pastries, there are jelly-filled pastries. Thumbprint cookies are just so very not for me. No fault of the humble Verona, but this one is a skip for me. 

Pop quiz! What are my two least favorite flavors? Correct: coconut and white chocolate. This double-whammy didn’t do me any favors, starting with the explosive sun tan lotion aroma that permeated my apartment when I opened the bag. The cookie itself tastes like an Uh-Oh Oreo that’s been left sitting in a bottle of Malibu. If that’s for you, then power to ya. Grab a packet of these things.  

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