Oreo's Firework Cookie Uses An Unusual Candy Ingredient

When you think of Oreo Cookies, what are the two main flavors that come to mind? Chances are you probably thought chocolate and vanilla crème, the original flavors of milk's favorite cookie. But Oreo isn't afraid of experimenting with its sandwiches, stepping away from the classic flavors to tread on unexplored territory.

As part of a fall tradition, Oreo releases its limited-edition candy corn flavor, which consists of orange and yellow crème between two vanilla cookies. The Impulsive Buy described the cookies as having an aroma that smelled strongly of cupcakes rather than candy corn, even noting that the cookies tasted like "sugary vanilla cupcakes with buttercream frosting." Despite the surprising and somewhat misleading flavor, the review wasn't too harsh.

Perhaps the strangest flavor released is the Kroger-exclusive Swedish Fish Oreos, which has a crimson-colored crème that supposedly tastes like the famous gummy fish. Thrillist's review of these unconventional cookies was unfavorable, noting the odd taste of "cough syrup" alongside the classic taste of Oreo chocolate.

Oreo's newest flavor also focuses on candy as an ingredient, this time using one that, depending on your tastes, might be better than Halloween candy and gummy fish.

You probably have fond memories of popping candy, better known to most as Pop Rocks. After all, for many, the surprising origin of Pop Rocks never mattered as much as how cool they were. Because of these, they're often popular among children. Whether it's pouring a packet of sugary rocks on your tongue to make the inside of your mouth sound and feel like an off-the-wall rave or testing the myth of downing a pack alongside a bottle of Coke to see if you'll actually explode — a myth long-debunked, according to Snopes — there are quite a few things people have always done with Pop Rocks. For Oreo, they were another ingredient to add to its famous sandwich cookie.

According to a tweet from Oreo, the new 4th of July-themed cookies — appropriately named Firework — are stuffed with a crème interlaced with specks of popping candy. As the company was unable to capture the true taste of an actual firework, the red, white, and blue candies inside the crème will simulate the crackling explosions of a firework without all the risk. 

While Pop Rocks in cookies may sound like an unusual choice, Oreos isn't the only company to use them in baked goods. Professional chef Giada De Laurentiis used Pop Rocks in her take on chocolate pop tarts, while the Food Republic reported Pop Rocks being used in professional kitchens in everything from cocktails and lollipops to, in one case, shrimp. Finally, worth noting is that Firework Oreos have existed since 2017, per Eater, but they only fly back onto shelves once a year.