by Gabrielle Alli
Lady Gaga and her Oreos (credit: GettyImages, Kevin Mazur; Delish.com)
My brother and dad were walking down the aisles at Shoprite when they saw shiny, bright pink packs of Oreos. Dad thought nothing of it, but my brother decided to just grab one or two because he thought I’d like it. And now, here we are.
Back in December, Oreo announced that they’d be collaborating on some special Oreos with Lady Gaga to promote her sixth studio album, “Chromatica.” Oreo senior director Justin Parnell expressed particular excitement for working with Gaga on the product, and the Little Monsters (Gaga’s fandom) finally got to see it come to life in 2021.
The whole idea seems cool. But like with all celebrity-endorsed hype products— how does one know if it’s actually good? Well, a teenage girl with just a little too much time on her hands is here to let you know.
Presentation
Lady Gaga Oreos inside of the packaging
Everything about the Lady Gaga Oreos is bright and eye-catching, a replica of the aesthetics of “Chromatica.” The packaging is certainly no exception. It’s a shiny hot pink with “LADY GAGA” in big silver letters spread across the top. On the bottom, there’s a QR code to scan that allows you to make an “OREOgram”- a short, uplifting message that can be made into a song and sent to a loved one. And on the side, a quote that says “In Chromatica no one thing is greater than another.” This message is part of the world Gaga creates through her album concepts, emphasizing values of kindness, equality, and freedom. The little Easter eggs and the overall look of the package definitely matches the vibrancy Lady Gaga was putting out with her new album.
“Chromatica” embossments; the bright green creme inside
The cookies are pink-colored Golden Oreos with green creme, parallel to the same bright color scheme as the packaging and Gaga’s album. There are also three different designs that appear on each cookie, each of which is inspired by artwork on the album. The embossments include an artist’s rendition of the album cover, a heart, and simply the word “CHROMATICA” spread across. I like the heart one based plainly on looks, but I think the cookie artist’s rendition of the album cover is intriguing as well.
If you want to take a pretty picture of some Oreos, I’d suggest trying to grab a pack of Chromatica Oreos simply for that. They’re interesting to look at, to say the least. And if you do see them in stores, it would be pretty hard to miss the pink packages peeking in the corner of your eye.
Taste
Oreo’s press release announcement had confirmed there would be no special flavors accompanying Chromatica Oreos. There are, however, some food coloring and special designs involved to make them Lady Gaga-themed. Regarding texture, the cookie is slightly more crunchy than your average Oreo. It’s not stale, just different. I’m more of a chewy cookie person to begin with, but I’d say that the crunch is kind of satisfying after a cookie or two.
The case with the frosting is similar. There’s added green food coloring and no special flavoring. It’s slightly softer and there’s a generous amount spread between the wafers. I found that it added to the quality of the cookie sandwich, and was a pleasing touch.
As with any Oreo, I think that “dunkability” is an important factor to many consumers. Chromatica Oreos absorb regular milk well, and it’s a great option if you’re not crazy about the crunchiness of the cookie. I also tried this with oatmilk since that’s the alternative I usually have. Across the board, Gaga or original, oatmilk does not have that same absorption factor. The Gaga Oreo still stayed extremely crunchy. So if you’re going to dunk them, try to stick with regular cow’s milk.
Some Comparisons
top: Lady Gaga Oreo; bottom left: Golden Oreo; bottom right: original Oreo
I decided it would be fitting to test the Chromatica Oreos in comparison to the original chocolate wafer to get a full perspective. And, an excuse to buy some more Oreos. There’s a couple of things that are enjoyable about the Gaga Oreos in comparison to the original: the amount of frosting and, interestingly enough, the smell. There’s a lot more frosting on the Gaga Oreos, and in my opinion, better frosting. It's the same frosting as per usual aside from the color, but it feels softer to me with possibly a bit more sweetness. It also makes the Gaga Oreos smell really yummy. The normal Oreos smell sugary because of their wafers, but something’s special about that frosting. Regarding the “dunkability” concept, I’d lean towards the original Oreos because the chocolate wafers get softer and flavor-bend better with the milk.
Because the Lady Gaga Oreos are meant to be dressed-up Golden Oreos, I also grabbed some of those for another comparison. Out of all three Oreos, the Golden Oreos smell the sweetest because of their wafers. And texture-wise, the Golden Oreos and Gaga Oreos have that same crunchiness. Dunkability was also similar, more of a coating of milk than a genuine softening. The only major differences are the frosting and the looks. The Chromatica Oreos have more frosting (which is a big win for me), and they’re much more aesthetically attractive than the Goldens.
So what was the best in each? For looks and frosting, go for the Gaga Oreos. For dunkability and a comfort classic, grab a pack of the originals. And for a delightful smell and a pleasant alternative to the usual, try out the Golden Oreos. They each have their own uniquely satisfying taste, but it all depends on what you’re looking for. I enjoyed the chocolatey originals the most. However, the Golden Oreos are a milder flavor if you’re not a fan of chocolate. And the Chromatica Oreos have that excellent frosting that adds to the taste.
Overall Rating
Out of all the attributes of the Chromatica Oreos, I probably liked the frosting and the looks the best. I found the detailed embossments fun to look at and liked how they connected to Gaga’s album. And the frosting is really what made the cookie sandwich tasty. If I had to rate the cookies on a scale from one to ten, I’d give them a six.
Now you might be sitting there thinking, “So what? Do I get them or not?” I’d say not to drive yourself crazy and go out of your way to try them. But if you see an innocent pack sitting in an aisle of your local grocery store, consider grabbing them to try it out for yourself. Also, if you haven’t already, take a listen to Chromatica. It’s not something I’d usually listen to either, but it’s a feel-good album that I genuinely enjoyed.