Dirt Cake Oreos And Tiramisu Oreo Thins Review: The Tiramisu Thins Are A Standout
No matter how many inspired flavors the goodie-concocting geniuses at Oreo come up with, it seems like the company always has fun surprises to bring to the cookie cosmos. This time, it's a pair of treats based on already well-known desserts: Dirt Cake Oreos and Tiramisu Thins, which capture classic dirt cake and tiramisu in the beloved Oreo template. These two flavors may seem at odds with one another; fans of a layered chocolate pudding-and-sponge pan dessert threaded with gooey gummi worms aren't likely to appreciate the taste of a traditional trifle-like creation filled with more complex adult flavors. But what better way to introduce a set of options giving both older and younger cookies of their own to enjoy? It's a smart move on Oreo's part, targeting two distinct demographics in a single release of two wildly different products.
While dirt cake is a cookie flavor hat trick never before attempted by the Oreo flavor magicians, the taste of tiramisu was previously launched in limited edition full-sized Oreos. But these food producers are no cookie rookies. Instead, this calculated collusion of elevated elements spun off as bite-size delicacies is smartly designed to take advantage of audience tastes from both young and old Oreo aficionados. We couldn't wait to get our hands on a few packages so we could dive in and sample the good stuff for ourselves.
Dirt Cake Oreos are a limited edition, while Tiramisu Thins are here to stay
There's always room on store shelves for a fun new twist on Oreos, and Dirt Cake and Tiramisu flavors are no exception. Nabisco let these packs drop (carefully, though ... no crushed cookies!) on March 4, an update double-up that gave fans two new flavors to dip into and try to fit into the overall ranking of Oreo flavors. As with other special releases, Oreo plans to keep its Dirt Cake cookies on the scene for a while before taking them off to make room for the next exciting enticement. This may be an attempt to ramp up enthusiasm, allowing Oreo to hype the temporary shelf-life of its new item. And as followers know, a reissue of a fun flavor like this is never out of the question, depending on how well it goes over on the first run.
Tiramisu Thins, however, are set to become a permanent member of the Oreo family. This expands the Thins line, a collection with a slimmer profile than its larger counterparts, both in product size and variety. This flavor will undoubtedly become a premium offering, joining simpler, more grown-up options like Mint and Lemon.
The prices for these packs are comparable to other Oreos
Both Dirt Cake Oreos and Tiramisu Thins are listed at $4.50 per pack on the Oreo website, though we found them on the Target website for $5.19 per pack, which means that prices will vary by location. Kroger locations show a slightly lower price for Oreos in general – around $4.29 depending on the market – and price-beater Walmart shows a package of original flavor at $3.98, though this will likely vary by region as well. All of this is a fair indication that wherever you find Dirt Cake and Tiramisu Thins, you probably won't be paying more for them than you would for any other Oreo option, which makes giving them a chance all the more tempting.
This price matching made us wonder if all limited edition or special release Oreo flavors meet the average cost upon release. We checked in on another new flavor, Space Dunk Oreos, a wildly cosmic concoction with nebula-like pink and blue frosting peppered with crackling candy. This space-celebrating selection was priced a little higher at Kroger at $4.99 and at Walmart at $4.58, which means Oreo lovers are extra-lucky to get new dessert variants for less expense than special occasion alternative flavors.
You'll find these new Oreo options on grocery store shelves and online
Nabisco proudly parades its new Oreo recipes among the other creations in the cookie aisle, an ever-changing array of options that celebrate flavor from other confections as much as possible. The Oreo website singles out its two novel cookies in its New Arrivals menu, making it easy for eager snackers to jump in and grab a pack or two of each.
Even though the release date was the same for these new items, locating them may be something of a treasure hunt. We easily found Dirt Cake Oreos at Target as soon as the flavor was released, but we found it a bit more challenging to locate Tiramisu Thins. Aside from Target, we also had difficulty finding the tiramisu variety listed on grocery retailer websites. Hopefully, this is just a stocking delay and not an indication that scarcity is an ingredient in the Tiramisu Thins release recipe.
Anyone excited to take these flavors for a test run but can't seem to find them nearby can place an order at Oreo.com, though be aware that shipping costs will drive the price up.
The nutrition in these new cookies is slightly different from the usual Oreo line-up
Dessert-flavored snacks aren't exactly prime candidates for a sterling nutrition profile, and the new Oreos are no exception. However, we were happy to learn that these supreme selections aren't that different in the nutritional breakdown than their confectionery cousins. With Tiramisu Thins, you'll get four cookies in a serving that bring you 140 calories, 6 grams of fat, and 11 grams of sugar — making for a fairly sensible sweet treat, provided you stay within the serving expectations. Original Thins also puts four cookies in a serving, which comes out to 140 calories and 6 grams of fat, though the sugar increases to 12 grams.
The readout on Dirt Cake Oreos is a little different. A serving of these beauties turns out to be just two cookies that provide 140 calories, 6 grams of fat, and 12 grams of sugar. This is relatively similar to Thins, considering that regular Oreos are about twice as thick. But in Original Oreos, snackers can enjoy three cookies in a serving while taking in 160 calories, 7 grams of fat, and 14 grams of sugar. The difference a single cookie can make could be something worth calculating for careful eaters.
These new flavors fall in line with the Oreo-as-dessert tradition
If there's one thing Oreo seems intent on proving, it's that America's dunkable dessert can take on the flavors of any dessert our sweet little hearts desire. By capitalizing on already-known bakes, both Dirt Cake and Tiramisu Oreos continue the motif. The trend has become a game of wait-and-see as fans watch for the next inventive spin to hit the market. And while there are certainly enough different desserts in the culinary world to keep the flavors rolling out for a long while, Oreo appears to be going after a meaningful collection of after-dinner dishes that recreate a moment as much as a flavor.
The Tiramisu Thins fall in line with the Red Velvet and Blackout Cake Oreos cooked up by the cookie colossus, which seem to aim for a heightened experience that borders on restaurant-level gourmet desserts. Heading in the opposite direction, Dirt Cake aspires to capture the sugary spirit of childhood in flavors like the company's Black and White Cookie and Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie Oreos, bites of bakery bliss that remind customers of how much happiness a dessert can bring. Making it possible to pick up a pack of cookies that provide the same elation as a homemade dessert or something magical from the pastry tray potentially gives Oreo a straight line into the hearts and souls of everyone who takes a taste, no matter what the next exciting creation turns out to be.
Dirt Cake Oreos are an overly-familiar chocolate triple-up
In the Dirt Cake Oreos, we found two different chocolate crème centers, one mimicking the brownie layer and one recreating homemade dirt cake. Taken individually, the difference is clear, but when eaten as a whole cookie, the two creams blend to the point of becoming non-descript.
Meanwhile, the cookie tops glisten with glittery sprinkles inspired by the gummi worms found in a full-fledged dirt cup dessert. They're a fun visual kick, though the tangy flavor is too faint to make itself known against the richer triple chocolate essence. It's hard to imagine how else Nabisco could have incorporated real gummy worm bits into the recipe without making the center lumpy and weird, so we'll award some points for the sprinkle substitution.
While more chocolate crème in a lighter form is always a welcome inclusion in an Oreo, the central issue here is its similarity to other chocolate-filled versions we've seen in the past, like Hot Cocoa and Chocolate Creme. Even the multi-hued shimmer of gummi glitz topping the cookies isn't quite enough to distinguish these confections. We're not dunking on Oreo here; we're just reporting the facts as we see them. Any chocolate-infused Oreo reimaginings will require real creativity to impress cookie lovers, and while Dirt Cake is a great try, it's not special enough to rise above the pack.
Tiramisu Oreo Thins are a dessert lover's delight
On the other hand, we thought the Tiramisu Oreo Thins were a total revelation and a sweet new expression worth the buzz. Upon opening the package, we detected the slightly overwhelming yet entirely lovable essence of fresh caramel corn, buttery and bright and unlike any other Oreo we've encountered. We know caramel corn isn't part of the tiramisu formula — or caramel, for that matter — but it's certainly a delightful aroma to find in an Oreo pack.
Upon biting into the cookie, the flavor turns out to be more sophisticated than caramel corn, too. There's a complex coffee-and-cream combination that turns these wafer-thin Oreos into a decadent treat. Who knew Nabisco could fit so much flavor in Thin? It's an incredible blend that approximates the layering of real tiramisu, making for an exciting interplay of flavors that evolves as you chew. If there's such a thing as an adult Oreo, one that invites sophisticated after-dinner conversation with friends over espresso, this package is it.
We found it difficult to resist overindulging in these crisp creations, due in part to the easy-to-devour texture of Oreo Thins. Something about the more wafer-like quality of the cookies makes them seem elegant, like a designer cookie that re-fabricated the original Oreo into something chic ... not that we're gauging cookies by their style now, but if a treat has honest-to-goodness rizz to offer the snacking world, it's worth noting.