Home Recipes Cooking Style Comfort Food
ByLisa Kaminski
Taste of Home's Editorial Process
Updated: Feb. 23, 2024
Who doesn't love Milano cookies? Flavors like mint chocolate, milk chocolate and chocolate orange all sound delicious, but which are really the best?
TMB Studio
TryingMilano Cookie Flavors
Pepperidge Farm makes some of the best packaged treats out there. The brand’s Farmhouse cookies are one of our Test Kitchen’s favorite store-bought chocolate chip cookies and the Texas toast is pretty darn good, too.
But, in our humble opinions, all those pale in comparison to one Pepperidge Farm product: Milano cookies.
These cookies ranked at the top of our Pepperidge Farm cookie taste test a while back, but we knew we had to go back and do another test—this time including all the Milano cookie flavors. See how the nine flavors at our nearest supermarket stacked up.
Via Instacart.com
9. Strawberry Chocolate Milano Cookies
Of all the Milano cookie flavors out there, the strawberry-chocolate version ranked the lowest.
Mark Neufang in the Test Kitchen explains the experience of these cookies well: “I can smell this cookie before I even put it in my mouth—and it smells and tastes super artificial.”
Mark is unfortunately correct here. The strawberry taste in these cookies comes off as being phony and candy-like—and not in our favorite way. “The poor chocolate can’t even stand a chance against the strawberry,” per Mark.
Good thing there were lots of Milano cookie flavors to try!
via merchant
8. Raspberry Chocolate Milano Cookies
The raspberry chocolate Milanos didn’t fair much better than their strawberry counterparts in this test.
“I see what they were trying to do with the raspberry-chocolate pairing here,” says Mark. These cookies are filled with dark chocolate and a tart, though artificial, berry layer.
In theory this works, according to testers, but Mark explains, “It’s very hard to replicate the flavor of fresh berries…so these are more of a miss.”
via merchant
7. Orange Chocolate Milano Cookies
While the first two fruit-flavored Milano cookies weren’t a favorite in the Test Kitchen, things started to turn a corner with the orange-chocolate variety.
These Pepperidge Farm cookies strike the right balance of flavors here—much like these reader-favorite chocolate and orange desserts.
Our testing team agreed that the orange in these cookies tasted more zesty and natural than the previous cookies. “These have a nice citrusy kick,” says Mark. That vibrant orange goes so well with the dark chocolate sandwiched between the two butter cookies.
Because these cookies have a slightly more potent flavor than, say, a plain chocolate cookie, you’ll likely only want to indulge in one or two.
via merchant
6. Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Milano Cookies
For snacking, you can’t beat a good sweet-and-salty combination. It’s why treats like chocolate-covered pretzels and kettle corn are so appealing. And you can now add dark chocolate sea salt Milano cookies to your list of go-to sweet yet salty treats.
These store-bought cookies are just like a traditional dark chocolate Milano, but with a whisper of salt. Per Shannon Norris in the Test Kitchen,“I like the salty addition here.”
A little bit of salt heightens the flavor of the cookie and the chocolate. However, the salt may keep you from eating too many of these cookies. Per the Test Kitchen’s Maggie Knoebel, “You’ll definitely want a glass of milk with these.”
via merchant
5. Milk Chocolate Milano Cookies
In the words of Maggie, “These are a classic.” Milk chocolate Milano cookies are the original—and a store-bought cookie you can rely on to satisfy every time.
As with every Milano, the cookies are crisp and tender. Inside, there’s a thin yet sweet layer of chocolate. It’s that whisper of sweetness that keeps you digging into the bag for cookie after cookie.
Our team suggests enjoying these with a hot cup of coffee for the perfect quickie breakfast.
via merchant
4. Double Milk Chocolate Milano Cookies
The classic milk chocolate Milano was a darn good cookie, but our team would argue that the double milk chocolate Milano is even better.
In these cookies, the milk chocolate is more pronounced, and the thicker layer of filling comes off as almost creamy. The result is a cookie that not only tastes decadent but feels special too.
Per Maggie, “I love the bite the chocolate has with the crisp cookie, and how it starts to melt as you eat.”
via merchant
3. Mint Chocolate Milano Cookies
While our team loved every version of plain chocolate Milano cookies, the chocolate and mint version of this cookie managed to sneak its way into the top three in this test.
The reason these Milano cookies took a top-tier spot: balance. Neither the mint, the chocolate or the cookie shines too brightly here.While some sweets tend to go too hard on the mint extract, Maggie explains that in these cookies, “the mint is refreshing; it reminds me of a lighter version of Girl Scout Thin Mint cookies.”
And, just like those cookies, these minty Milanos are downright craveable. “I could devour a bag of these in one sitting,” says Mark.
via merchant
2. Dark Chocolate Milano Cookies
While milk chocolate Milano cookies ranked well in this test, the dark chocolate version nudged them out. We think that’s because slightly bitter dark chocolate marries so well with a sweet butter cookie.
In the traditional dark chocolate Milanos, you get a wafer-thin layer of deep dark chocolate. “These are both rich and light,” says Shannon. “You get richness from the chocolate and lightness from the cookie.”
That touch of chocolate is just enough to satisfy when you’re craving a chocolaty treat (though our top contender might be the best choice for that!).
via merchant
1. Double Dark Chocolate Milano Cookies
If one layer of dark chocolate is good, two have to be better. That’s exactly the case with double dark chocolate Milano cookies.
Every single tester raved about these cookies. Reviews ranged from “Ooooh yes!” to “A+” to “We can’t do better than this!”
So what makes the double dark chocolate Milanos so special? “It’s the classic amped up,” says Mark. The balance here is just right. Yes, you get plenty of the tender, crumbly cookie everyone loves but there is also plenty of chocolate that shines through. And because of the sweetness of the cookie, slightly bitter dark chocolate really is the perfect match—especially when it’s a double dose.
Taste of Home
Check Out More Test Kitchen-Preferred Products
Our Test Kitchen is constantly testing food, kitchen gadgets and cleaning gear looking for brands that deserve the right to be calledTest Kitchen-Preferred.
If you want to fill your pantry and fridge with the best products, check out these tests:
- Chocolate chip cookies
- Almond butter
- Chocolate cake mix
Originally Published: May 24, 2023
Author
Lisa Kaminski
Lisa is a former editor of Taste of Home and a fantastic baker. During her tenure, she poured her love of all things sweet (and sometimes savory) into Taste of Home’s Bakeable community. She also tested ingredients and kitchen gear. Today, Lisa continues to share her passion for baking and embroidery on her blog Cabin in the City.
Read More
