Inside The Origin Of Pepperidge Farm Milano Cookies - Mashed (2024)

ByAmanda Tarlton/

Anyone who has ever walked down the cookie aisle at the grocery store knows just how overwhelming it is. There's literally a cookie for every mood and every occasion. There are Oreos for the chocolate lovers, Teddy Grahams for the kiddos (or the nostalgic adults), and Famous Amos for those who prefer the classic chocolate chip. But perhaps one of the most popular cookies on the shelf is Pepperidge Farm Milanos.

The flaky, buttery cookies (held together by a thin layer of the creamiest, richest chocolate) are a favorite among Americans. According to a Statista survey conducted in November 2020, over one million people in the U.S. have eaten eight or more packages of Milanos in the last 30 days. But how the beloved dessert came to be is a bit of a surprise — because it wasn't even planned. In fact, the birth of Milanos happened because of a shipping mishap back in the 1950s.

Milanos were invented by accident

While Milanos have become arguably one of Pepperidge Farm's most popular cookies (there are now 19 flavors, from pumpkin spice to dark chocolate sea salt to key lime), the original cookie actually began as a complete accident as the result of an unexpected issue with shipping. According to Slate, who interviewed the then-presidentPepperidge Farm Pat Callaghan, it all started in 1957 when Pepperidge Farm was experimenting with a cookie called the "Naples."

The Naples cookies were open-faced with a layer of chocolate — which was fine until Pepperidge Farm started shipping them to stores in the South. The cookies weren't made to stand up to the hot Southern heat and the chocolate began melting. As a solution, Pepperidge Farm decided to put another cookie on top of the chocolate layer to keep it from getting messy. And thus, the sandwich cookie lining the shelves of grocery stores that we now all know and love as a Milano was born.

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Inside The Origin Of Pepperidge Farm Milano Cookies - Mashed (2024)

FAQs

What is the history of the Pepperidge Farm Milano? ›

Pepperidge Farm introduced the Naples cookie in 1956, an open-faced cookie with chocolate on top—but the chocolate was melting in warmer temperatures. The fix? Add a second cookie like a sandwich. And in 1957, the Milano was born.

What is the original Milano cookie? ›

The Milano was created as a result of Pepperidge Farm's original cookie concept, the Naples, which was a single vanilla wafer cookie topped with dark chocolate. Many additional varieties are marketed, such as milk chocolate and double chocolate.

What is the Pepperidge Farm scandal? ›

A New York resident claims that Pepperidge Farm misleadingly claims that the beloved snack contains "no artificial flavors or preservatives." MANHATTAN (CN) — Pepperidge Farm, the maker of Goldfish, was slapped with a class action on Friday for its use of citric acid in some varieties of the beloved snack.

What is the history of Pepperidge Farms? ›

Pepperidge Farm is an American commercial bakery founded in 1937 by Margaret Rudkin, who named the brand after her family's 123-acre farm property in Fairfield, Connecticut, which had been named for the pepperidge tree. Norwalk, Connecticut, U.S.

Why are Milano cookies called Monaco? ›

Milano is the Italian name for the Italian city of the same name. Canadians will see the Monaco cookie on store shelves due to a naming conflict with another local Italian cookie brand.

Why are Pepperidge Farm cookies named after places? ›

Pepperidge Farms founder Margaret Rudkin began the tradition of naming cookies after cities during her trip through Europe aboard the Queen Mary. The trip resulted in the European Collection, which includes fan-favorite cookies like Brussels, Bordeaux, Geneva and Milano.

Did Milano cookies used to be bigger? ›

Here is one such change where Milano cookies went from 6.25 ounces to just six.

What is the oldest cookie in the world? ›

Pizzelles are the oldest known cookie and originated in the mid-section of Italy. They were made many years ago for the “Festival of the Snakes” also known as the “Feast Day of San Domenico” in the village of Colcullo in the Italian region of Abruzzo.

What cookie was not invented until 1938? ›

It wasn't until very recently, around 1938, that chocolate chip cookies were first invented. Unlike a lot of other things, the chocolate chip cookie was not invented by accident. During the 1930s, a chef named Ruth Graves Wakefield decided to give something different to her customers.

Does Campbell's own Pepperidge Farm? ›

Campbell Soup Company, one of the largest and most highly respected food companies in North America, acquires Pepperidge Farm in 1961. America gets its first taste of Goldfish® crackers in 1962.

Who owns Pepperidge Farm cookies? ›

What is the settlement for the Pepperidge Farm class action lawsuit? ›

Adam, Jon and their co-counsel represented all Pepperidge Farm distributors in Massachusetts, Illinois and California and a Federal Court in California recently approved the settlement of all three cases for approximately $23 million, with an average payment of approximately $18,000 per distributor across all three ...

What is the motto of the Pepperidge Farm? ›

Initial Advertisem*nt and Tagline

Pepperidge Farm, an American commercial bakery, crafted an advertising campaign that coined the memorable phrase, “Pepperidge Farm Remembers.” This tagline tapped into a sense of nostalgia, with the company reminiscing about “the good old days” to promote their products.

How many Pepperidge Farm factories are there in the USA? ›

A division of Campbell Soup Co., Pepperidge Farm Inc. operates eight bakeries in the United States. Pepperidge founder Margaret Rudkin built her first new commercial bakery in Norwalk, Conn., opening the plant on Independence Day 1947.

Where is Pepperidge Farm headquarters? ›

Are Pepperidge Farm Milano cookies Italian? ›

Are Milano Cookies Italian? Technically, no. The cookies were actually created by Pepperidge Farms in 1956. That being said, the cookie is based on Italian-style cookies.

Do Milano cookies expire? ›

Milano cookies are usually best consumed by the best before date on the package. However, if stored properly in a cool, dry place, they can last a couple of weeks beyond that date, though their quality may begin to decline.

Why are they called sausalito cookies? ›

That would have resulted in the name "Kona" for a cookie with macadamias and milk chocolate, because that is where the exotic nut is grown. Well, the milk chocolate with macadamia nut version is called "Sausalito," a foggy little peninsula that could never support the growth of macadamia trees.

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