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Oreo is a trademark for a popular type of sandwich cookie( manufactured by the Nabisco Corporation, introduced in 1912. The modern design of the Oreo was developed in 1952 by William A. Turnier. It consists of two circular chocolate wafers, invented by John D. Unger , with a sweet white filling (commonly referred to as "cream") sandwiched between them. It is very similar to Sunshine's competing Hydrox cookie, introduced in 1908, which, having lost market share to Oreo for years, was withdrawn in 1996.
Originally, Oreos were mound-shaped; some postulate that this is the source of the name "Oreo" (Greek for "hill"). The modern design of the Oreo allows it to be eaten in several ways. Some people twist apart the wafers and eat the filling first; others eat the cookie without taking it apart. Some prefer to eat Oreo cookies after dunking them in milk.
According to a statement from Kim McMiller, an Associate Director of Consumer Relations, a two-stage process is used to make Oreo cookies. The base cake dough is formed into the familiar round cookies by a rotary mold at the entrance of a 300-foot-long oven. Key ingredients include sugar (later supplanted by chemically produced high fructose corn syrup), Dutch cocoa, and pure chocolate liquor purchased from outside suppliers in addition to flour which is milled at Nabisco's flour mill.
About.com states that there have been over 362 billion Oreo cookies sold since it was first introduced in 1912, making it the best selling cookie of the 20th century.
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Varieties
Not all varieties are listed here, and not all are available in every country.
Caramel Creme (Dulce de Leche) - an Oreo cookie with a filling of caramel "cream".
Colored Creme Oreo - Instead of white cream, these Oreos contain cream that is tinted a certain color. They are sold at appropriate times of the year (orange at Halloween, red at Christmas, blue and yellow during springtime). All colored creme Oreos have special designs embossed into the chocolate wafer cookie like kites, pumpkins, or Christmas trees.
Chocolate Creme Oreo contain chocolate-flavored cream instead of the traditional white cream. A similar cookie by the name of Fudgee-O is made in (and available in) Canada, also made by Nabisco. (This is also available in "Double Stuf")
Double Delight Oreo - Oreo cookies with two different flavors of filling in the same cookie
Caramel 'n' Chocolate - The filling is half caramel "cream" and half chocolate flavored "cream".
Coffee 'n' Creme - The filling is half white "cream" and half coffee-flavored "cream".
Mint 'n' Creme - The filling is half white "cream" and half mint-flavored "cream".
Mocha 'n' Chocolate Creme The filling is half mocha "cream" and half-chocolate "cream". This product is only available in Canada.
Peanut Butter and Chocolate - The filling is half peanut butter and half chocolate-flavored "cream".
Double Stuf Oreo - an Oreo cookie with a double portion of filling
Double Stuf Peanut Butter Creme Oreo - an Oreo with a double portion of a peanut butter-flavored filling
Double Stuf Mint Creme Oreo - an Oreo with a double portion of a mint-flavored filling
Double Stuf Chocolate Creme Oreo - an Oreo with a double portion of a chocolate-flavored filling
Fudge Oreo - like the traditional cookie, but with an overall coating of chocolate fudge
Golden Oreo - have the usual cream, but yellow wafers instead of chocolate ones. "Uh-Oh! Oreo" is essentially a Golden Oreo cookie with chocolate filling. In Canada, Golden Oreos were originally introduced separately from the Oreo brand as "Funilla" cookies, and changed to Golden Oreos about a year later.
Mini Oreo - A smaller, "bite-sized" version of the cookie, they are packaged in bags or individual snack packs rather than the usual wrapped trays.
Mini Mini Oreo - A much smaller version of the cookie, smaller than the Mini Oreo. Introduced in Hong Kong.
Cool Mint - like the traditional cookie, but with an overall chocolate mint flavored coating
Oreo Barz - a candy bar variation of the cookie, containing the wafer and cream, plus a chocolate coating and chocolate chips for topping
Oreo Cookie Sticks 'n Creme - Part of Kraft's "Handi-Snacks" line, this single-serve package separates the cookie components into chocolate cookie sticks and a vanilla dipping creme.
Oreo Crisps - sold exclusively in pouches in Nabisco's "100 Calorie Packs," these are crispy chocolate cookie wafers with white flecks and a similar flavor profile to the real thing. In Canada, this is called "Thinsations" thin crisps.
Oreo O's - a breakfast cereal containing the chocolate and cream flavors of the cookie with marshmallow bits. Post makes this cereal.
Oreo Ice Cream - a brand of cookies 'n' cream flavored ice cream containing blended Oreo cookies and vanilla ice cream. Breyers makes this ice cream in the United States while Nestlé makes it in Canada. Dairy Queen Blizzards and McDonalds McFlurry desserts approximate this combination by blending vanilla ice cream with crushed Oreos.
Oreo Ice Cream Sandwiches - same as the cookie with larger wafers and Oreo ice cream in the middle (without the huge chunks of oreo cookies in it) Breyers makes this Ice Cream in the United States while Nestlé makes it in Canada.
Oreo Big Stuf - an Oreo cookie about twice the size of a regular one
Reduced Fat Oreo-Identical in size to the original Oreo, this cookie has less fat per serving. It has a somewhat tougher texture, approaching that of its competitor, the Hydrox
Sugar Free Oreo (also called Oreo CarbWell) - Like the original, but made with maltitol and other non-sugar sweeteners.
Uh-Oh! Oreo - The flavors of the cookie are reversed; the wafers are vanilla flavored and the creme is chocolate. The name is explained in the television commercial for the cookie, in which a little child exclaims, "Uh-oh!" after watching malfunctioning factory equipment create a reversed cookie.
White Fudge Oreo - Oreo cookies with a coating of white chocolate fudge (these are usually sold during winter, to be reminiscent of snow)
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As an ingredient
The Oreo cookie is commonly used as an ingredient or adornment for other foods. Milkshakes containing Oreo cookies are popular, and deep-fried Oreo cookies, which are batter-dipped Oreos fried like funnel cakes, are sometimes sold at carnivals and fairs. Also, the development of premium ice creams has produced "cookies and cream" flavors, a vanilla ice cream with chunks of chocolate sandwich cookies included. Cookies 'n' Cream may or may not contain actual Nabisco Oreo cookies, however, and may instead have non-Nabisco brand chocolate sandwich cookies that are functionally identical, such as Hydrox and an endless stream of "generic" brands. Many cookies similar to Oreo cookies are commonly referred to as "Oreo" despite not having an actual connection to Nabisco.
Cup o' dirt or Dirt pudding - This children's dessert is not exactly an Oreo, but a cup of chocolate pudding and crumbled Oreo cookies on top, filled with gummy worms. May alternatively be called "worms 'n' dirt."
Deep Fried Oreo- only in fairs. Oreos are coated with a sweet batter then deep fried and dusted with powdered sugar.
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Variations and adaptations
Jell-O Oreo Pudding - Jell-O brand chocolate pudding at the bottom and one top, with vanilla in the middle
An Oreo variety with lemon-flavored filling was available in the 1920s. Some generic brand cookies still have such varieties.
In Brazil, a very similar cookie to Oreo called "Negresco" is manufactured by Nestlé (picture, description).
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In popular culture
For many years, one of the most well-known traits of the DC Comics character J'onn J'onzz, the Martian Manhunter, was his addiction to Oreo cookies. Later the addiction was changed to "Chocos" due to trademark or copyright laws.
Oreo is the name of a popular band in Aruba.
The Futurama episode "The Birdbot of Ice-Catraz" opens with Fry making an Oreo-type cookie by putting two wafers and a cream filling in a press only to separate the halves to lick off the cream and throw away the wafers.
On a late episode of the television series 7th Heaven, the way that the characters ate their Oreos was used as a plot. One character even presented a wedding ring by way of Oreo.
In 1998 film The Parent Trap the two main characters bond over a mutual love of Oreos and peanut butter.
In the 1998 film Rounders the way in which an Oreo is broken by John Malkovich's character is a poker tell that helps Matt Damon's character win against him at the climax.
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Dietary compatibility
In 1998, Nabisco declared that Oreo cookies were kosher-dairy in kosher diets.
On May 13, 2003, attorney Stephen Joseph filed a lawsuit charging Nabisco with using hydrogenated (or partially hydrogenated) oils (trans fats) to make the cookies. The suit was dropped as Nabisco considered replacing the hydrogenated oils with alternative oils. Joseph admitted he filed the lawsuit to call attention to the matter, and he considered his motive successful. As of January 2006, classic Oreo cookies are no longer manufactured with hydrogenated oils. Older packages will still be on store shelves for some time, and other varieties may not have eliminated hydrogenated oils completely.
Depending on the area of manufacture, Oreo cookies may or may not be vegan.
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Reference
2. Limited edition caramel creme box from Big Lots in Bristol, PA
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