12 Keebler Cookies, Ranked

If you think of Keebler, you might remember those adorable elves in their tree factory who make all the cookies. I remember seeing the commercials as a kid, so I always found Keebler more whimsical than other brands. It doesn't hurt that my grandma always had some Keebler cookies in her pantry, and that memory prompted this taste test. I wanted to try as many of the elf-made cookies as possible to see how everything stacks up and whether anything is a worthy purchase for your cabinets, too. There were some mixed results from the dozen options, but I'd love to stock up on a couple of top picks. 

The cookie's taste primarily determines my ranking, but texture occasionally factors in too. I was looking for a flavorful, balanced treat that was enjoyable to eat. I didn't want something cloying or boring; it was also important that they hit the flavor profiles they are advertised as. Some of these are excellent, and rival those of other popular brands; others are sleeper hits I've never heard of, and others are best avoided. Come with me to figure out which Keebler cookies you should stock up on and some you should leave behind in the cookie aisle. There are many popular types of cookies, and Keebler offers an interesting selection from chocolate chip to shortbread and beyond. I did not try every Keebler cookie, so this is not an exhaustive list, but it covers a solid portion of them. Let's get snacking!

We must start at the bottom, and the Fudge Sticks Original earns its place here. The sticks are wafer cookies with layers of creme and a fudgy coating. They are exceedingly sweet, so much so that it's hard even to understand where it is coming from. After dissecting the cookie to find the culprit, it turns out that it's the creme filling between the wafer layers; it's so cloying that I can't taste any other component of the treat. 

The fudge falls to the wayside while the wafer is hardly noticeable — that sugary essence is the only thing I can focus on. Part of it is the sugar content, yes, but after looking at the ingredient list, maybe it's also due to the specific artificial flavoring used. Whatever it is detracts from the other parts of the cookie. It could rank higher because I like the wafer cookies, but the execution just isn't there. There is nothing here to offer depth or intrigue. The creme filling overwhelms the cookie even though it's thinly applied, so this doesn't deliver whatsoever.

The Cranberry Almond Shortbread Sandies sound like they'd be good for autumnal gatherings or moments when you want a cozy cookie with your tea. They are small, round, and relatively crunchy. However, the cranberry pieces are so minuscule that they offer little to no flavor. The packaging shows slightly bigger pieces, but the ones in the cookie are mere dots — if there are any at all. I can appreciate the general buttery-esque flavor of the shortbread, but it doesn't provide any cranberry essence. 

The almond pieces are also exceedingly small, but because almonds are so crunchy, I can still feel them as I chew. Additionally, they impart a slightly nutty flavor that enhances the cookie. These Cranberry Almond Shortbread Sandies aren't very flavorful and don't deliver what they promise, but at least they don't have major flavor flaws like the Fudge Sticks. I could see this being a favorite based on taste, but I want more cranberry bits.

There are exactly three M&M's plopped on top of every Chips Deluxe Rainbow With M&M's. The cookies have a crunchy base, while the colorful candies have a crisp candy-coating shell with a softer, melty, chocolate-ish center. I can appreciate a carefully placed appearance, but the flavor isn't all that appealing. The M&M's impart their signature milk chocolate flavor into the cookie, which, for whatever reason, doesn't work; people comment online that M&M's don't taste as they used to — kind of like a generic, less cocoa-forward, "chocolate flavored" type of candy. I can taste that here. 

Plus, I don't think there are enough chocolate chips to balance it out, so it basically tastes like a plain cookie with a random, funny-tasting M&M. It doesn't make for a particularly tasty experience. There are not enough chocolate chips or M&M's to justify getting this, and the flavor just doesn't hit the spot. It's better executed than the cranberry almond treats, but it stays toward the bottom of the list.

Keebler's Sandies Classic Shortbread flavor is a pretty good cookie, even if it ranks ninth on my list. You can still serve it successfully; there's nothing glaringly wrong with it, but it doesn't stack up to some of the other treats I tried. In comparison, the sandies are a bit dull. They're crisp, crumbly, and a bit dry after the second bite. You're left chewing and grasping for a cup of water to wash it down. 

It isn't particularly exciting or well-made enough to go higher. I recently tested it out with 11 other butter and shortbread cookies, and it didn't stack up that high there either. While it contains butter, it also uses vegetable oil, so it lacks the richness you'd get from an all-butter-based shortbread cookie. The sandies aren't interesting enough that I'd want to eat a second one, but I prefer the plainness over the chocolate flavoring of the M&M's cookie.

The Chips Deluxe Chips & Chunks deliver the amount of chocolate chips that I seek in a cookie. The other M&M's option was seriously lacking in that department. However, the issue I now face is the cookie's sheer sweetness. There's still enough cookie base and crunch that doesn't feel too overwhelming on the senses, but it's nowhere near the best chocolate chip cookie I have had. 

Still, I could see this being a good option to keep in the pantry for a little sweet treat to take on a picnic or something similar. The cocoa isn't as prominent as I would like, so I have to knock points for that. Originally, I was going to rank these slightly higher, but after trying everything for a second and third time, I found the chips and chunks a smidge too sweet. While they need more cocoa to balance them out, they're certainly tastier than the sandies.

We've reached the part of the ranking where I enjoy everything, and they get progressively better. And who doesn't love an adorable elfwich cookie compared to the regular schmegular sandwich cookie? They're just so festive and smile-inducing. The Choco Vanilla E.L. Fudge Elfwich Cookies have the cutesy elf shapes and almost appear like they are double-stuffed. The cookie is crisp while the creamy center imparts sweetness and richness. 

I have to say the cocoa cookies are fantastic, and they make a solid cookie foundation. The amount of filling detracts from the overall cookie flavor and makes it a little sweeter than it needs to be. Otherwise, these are really excellent. I would love to see Keebler make the chocolate-only cookie portion. I would be happy to purchase those if it were just the cookie alone; they would rank a few slots higher. The crunchy, firm texture is appealing for dunking in hot cocoa and coffee or using as a pie crust in place of Oreos. Oh, and if you're wondering about the mystery of what E.L. Fudge stands for," it means "Everybody Loves Fudge."

The Chips Deluxe Coconut Cookies offer a compelling, balanced treat, ideal for anyone who enjoys a tropical flavor. The coconut is pronounced from the first bite, but you can smell it too. This prominence is due in part to the lack of chocolate chips throughout the cookie; they are very minimal, which I noted in the M&M's cookie, too. At first, I wanted more chippies, but after trying the too-sweet Chips & Chunks variety, it seems better off this way. 

The light chocolate essence makes the coconut taste more noticeable. On the downside, it just doesn't deliver the amount of chocolate I would expect. Most bites are chip-less, so my ideal would be adding two more chips per cookie — enough to give it slightly more chocolatey appeal but nothing too overwhelming; the chips are so small anyway. Generally, the flavor is quite nice and deeply coconut-forward. I think there's better delivery and a better balance of flavors than anything else so far.

I love Girl Scout Thin Mint cookies and think these Keebler Fudge Mint Delights are an affordable dupe to have on hand. The mint is obvious and refreshing, and the cookie base is wonderfully crunchy with a cocoa-forward flavor. The exterior coating is where the treat loses me; it's a little too milky, too sweet, and lacks the cocoa richness needed to tame it. 

I think a standard Thin Mint has a better chocolate coating and doesn't contain dairy, which makes it taste richer and earthier without dairy whey diluting its intensity. Still, I like the thinness and the crunchiness to set the Fudge Mint Delights pretty high in my ranking. It sets itself apart from the other cookies by its density. I appreciate the use of peppermint oil to give it the signature minty-fresh aspect, and the compact size makes it easy to devour more than one. Unlike Girl Scout cookies, you can buy these year-round, making them an enticing option.

Truthfully, I didn't expect the Vienna Fingers to rank very high. They seem like they would be sweet and incredibly boring, but I was wrong. I find that they are well-made, with a wonderfully snappy cookie exterior — it's kind of like a tea biscuit, which I am a huge fan of. The cookies themselves are slightly sweet and crisp, while the creme center is appropriately sweet — nothing like the creme in the wafer cookies. 

I don't feel like the center overwhelms the cookie. Instead, it's the perfect creamy complement that keeps it from feeling too one-note. This is a surprisingly delicious treat, and I think this would be a safe bet for entertaining; bolder flavors like mint or coconut might not be to everyone's liking. Of everything, this is the most surprising for me because I just didn't expect it to taste or fare as well as it did. They're not particularly riveting, but they are quite good. Apparently, they recently had a recipe revamp to make them more crisp and less dry. It's worth a try!

When you conjure up an image of Keebler cookies, you're probably thinking of the Original Fudge Stripes Cookies. They are about as classic as you can get. It's definitely one of the Keebler treats I was most familiar with before my taste test, so I am happy it still ranked so well. It blends the crisp cookie base with fudge to create a tasty, perfectly harmonious combination. You get a hint of cocoa and sweetness. It's firm, slightly crumbly, and isn't nearly as crunchy as the Vienna Fingers, which makes them a little easier to bite into. 

I enjoy the flavors and think they pair well, but I also appreciate how thin the fudge is; it's a mere layer on the bottom, with a bit of drizzle on top. The cookie part remains front and center, but you get those chocolate notes too. It's well-made and easy to have more than one. The Fudge Stripes are a staple that I would serve at a gathering because the flavors are well-known and easy to eat. They certainly beat out knock-offs like Aldi's Benton's striped cookie, so you might as well stick with the original.

These are the cookies that my grandma used to have in her cupboard, so looking at them brings me joy. But it was even better to eat the E.L. Fudge Elfwich Original Sandwich Cookies and know that they are still delicious — it is not just the nostalgia talking, either. We have a scrumptious, crunchy cookie base coupled with the wonderful fudgy filling; it's definitely the best filling of any sandwich cookie on this list. While it might seem similar to the previous Fudge Stripes, it's very different. 

The cookies here are much crunchier and firmer, whereas the Stripes seem considerably softer. The E.L. Fudge interior is cocoa-forward and creamy, while the Stripes are firmer, with a more set fudge exterior. This would be a top pick if you're buying something to serve guests. In fact, I would choose this one over my No. 1 pick because it's a little more approachable for the average person. You just can't go wrong with a chocolate-and-vanilla pairing. 

The crunchy cookie and melt-in-your-mouth center are really unparalleled, and remind me of the sandwich cookies I typically find in the international aisle or specialty markets. I love that this is not too sweet, and that is reflected in the sugar content. I'm not tracking sugar at all, but two cookies have 8 grams of sugar, compared to 11 grams in the Vienna Fingers.

The Coconut Dreams are named as such because you'll think about them as you sleep; they're so good. And yes, these were considered an amazing Girl Scout dupe, just as good as the real thing, in a head-to-head taste test. I find this to be the most interesting, complex, and well-executed cookie among the ones I tried. Of course, we have some sweetness from the caramel, but it's balanced by the nutty notes of toasted coconut, the cocoa flavor, and the unique cookie base, which is unlike anything else I've tried. It's firm enough, but it falls apart as you bite into it. 

This is the most enjoyable to consume, with a perfectly balanced medley of textures and flavors. These really are a "dream" to eat. They had me not only finishing the entire cookie but also grabbing a second one. In contrast, most of the other cookies (particularly lower-ranking ones) were a little one-note. Since I'm basing this on the overall intrigue of flavor and execution, it makes it an easier first-place pick, even though I know coconut isn't to everyone's liking. I think this is a pretty obvious and popular Keebler cookie, and for good reason. If you like coconut and chocolate, this is a marvelous store-bought option. If you don't like coconut, then stick with my No. 2 or 3 picks.

To taste-test all 12 cookies, I took a couple of nibbles from each one and tried them one after another, with water as a palate cleanser. I did that two more times over the course of two more days to really solidify my thoughts. Flavor is the main factor here; I wanted an enjoyable cookie that was neither too sweet nor too bland. 

The cookie needed to deliver on its advertised flavors as well. If it underperformed or lacked an ingredient, it didn't rank as high. Cookies needed to have a little intrigue to stand out. Texture comes into play, mainly for higher-ranking cookies, to add depth. A cookie ranked better when it had a more interesting flavor that delivered what it said it would, compared to lower-ranking ones that were far too sugary, one-note, or missing an ingredient to entice me to eat another cookie.