I Tried and Ranked Every Little Debbie Dessert I Could Find — And the “Delicious” Winner Was a Total Curveball
Nostalgia is a powerful thing. As we grow up, so many of us hold onto vivid memories, reliving precious moments of laughter or comfort when life was a little less complicated. Whether it’s a flashback to a homemade school lunch, a bright spot in a chaotic family vacation, or an afternoon picnic in the park, food sets the scene for a lot of our most-loved moments.
When I was assigned the task of ranking 16 Little Debbie desserts, I wondered how my childhood memories would interfere with my now-adult taste buds. From its classic cakes to ice cream flavors and even scented candles, Little Debbie is a legendary name in sweets. As I unwrapped the items, I crossed my fingers and hoped each bite would hold up as magically as it did in my mind.
Biased or not, I couldn’t just rely on my own opinions here. (I am nothing if not a professional!) I gathered a panel of testers to help judge each cake, brownie, cookie, and more on its own merits.
We rated all 16 across six categories: flavor, moisture, texture, messiness, sweetness, and nostalgia (naturally). There were clear winners, heartbreaking upsets, and shocking revelations. In the end, we may have discovered the best little-known Little Debbie snack of all.
10. Honey Buns
In all of its yeasty glory, Honey Buns are closer to a glazed donut than any other snacks you’ll find at the gas station. The light, airy cake is flavorful and surprisingly savory. It’s topped with a dripping icing that congeals over the cake, making it into an unrecognizable — but still tasty — sweet treat that leaves your fingers enjoyably sticky. However, if you’re looking for that baked-and-glazed satisfaction, you’d be better off getting something fresh from a local donut shop.
Buy: Little Debbie Honey Buns, $2.99 for 6 buns on Instacart
9. Cosmic Brownies
It’s always so devastating to see an icon fall from grace. In my memory, Cosmic Brownies were the answer to my prayers — an 8-year-old’s dream come true. The chocolate treasure, bejeweled with multicolored candy chips truly felt like the height of luxury. These days, however, it tastes different. It’s dense and fudgy, but the flavor is a little too sweet for our present-day selves and falls flat when compared with the other more layered treats. Despite the strong nostalgia, we’d opt for the homemade remix going forward.
Buy: Little Debbie Cosmic Brownies, $2.68 for 12 brownies at Walmart
8. Fudge Rounds
40 years after creating the deliciously popular Oat Cremes, Little Debbie introduced Fudge Rounds as its most decadent chocolate offering. With two soft chocolate cookies, a chocolate filling, and a fudge drizzle on top, it promises a rich cocoa flavor that’s hard to find elsewhere. Unfortunately, that chocolatey flavor doesn’t quite deliver and is more muted next to stronger contenders like (Spoiler!) Devil Cremes. They’re still a reliably delicious option if you’re looking for a quick bite.
Buy: Little Debbie Sandwich Cookies, Fudge Rounds, $2.99 for 8 cookies on Instacart
7. Swiss Rolls
There is an unspoken, decades-long feud between Swiss Rolls and Hostess’ Ho-Hos. It’s a snack war that has ended friendships, incited divorces, and rescinded job offers. Just kidding, but people do have strong feelings about it. When it comes down to it, the Hostess/Little Debbie feud is ultimately a toss-up. These Swiss Rolls have a moist cake and thick layers of buttery filling wrapped in rich chocolate icing that makes you forget all about the snack drama.
Buy: Little Debbie Swiss Rolls, $2.68 for 12 cake rolls at Walmart
6. Zebra Cakes
In comparison to their heavily sugar-coated cousins on this list, Zebra Cakes provide a more subtle option with the fluffiest cake of the group, a modest layer of white icing, an otherworldly hexagonal shape, and fudge stripes to top it all off. It’s more balanced than the ultra-sweet snacks we may have preferred in elementary school.
Buy: Little Debbie Zebra Cakes, $2.68 for 10 snack cakes at Walmart
5. Chocolate Mini Brownies
They’re poppable, bitable, stackable, and the perfect portion for when you need a quick snack on the side. Chocolate Mini Brownies are the simple, solid option for a mess-free dessert, whether it’s halftime at a kids’ soccer game or nestled in the cupholder of your car. The mellow chocolate flavor is guaranteed to be a lunchtime favorite.
Buy: Little Debbie Mini Brownies, $3.18 for 5 pouches at Walmart
4. Devil Cremes
Although these melt-in-your-mouth chocolate sandwich cakes have a truly perplexing texture, they’re versatile enough to grace the top half of our list. They’re crumbly yet moist in a way that defies any scientific explanation, and have a satisfying ratio of cake to whipped filling. A box of these might be closest to having a piece of homemade chocolate cake — without the hassle of preheating the oven.
Buy: Little Debbie Devil Cremes Cakes, $3.48 for 6 snack cakes at Walmart
3. Oatmeal Creme Pies
As the first-ever Little Debbie item, launched in 1935, these creme pies are a certified classic. With soft oatmeal cookies that look and taste nearly homemade and a whipped, velvety filling that balances the savory oat elements, it’s impossible to eat just one. They’re the ones to buy when you need the ultimate crowd-pleaser, appealing to guests of every age.
Buy: Little Debbie Big Pack Oatmeal Creme Pies, $4.98 for 12 cookies at Walmart
2. Nutty Buddies
Nutty Buddies are not only wildly flavorful but genuinely entertaining, too. There are so many ways to eat the stacked wafers layered with peanut butter and chocolate; you may even find yourself comparing methods to see which tastes the best. Its satisfying crunch, bold peanut flavor, and delicate chocolate coating make it one of our top contenders.
Buy: Little Debbie Nutty Bars, $2.50 for 12 bars on Instacart
1. Strawberry Shortcake Rolls
When unwrapping the strawberry shortcake roll, you may notice its soft, crepe-like cake envelops layers of buttery filling and tangy strawberry jam. It’s an objectively beautiful treat — almost artfully wrapped and sealed with a light white icing underneath. What none of us were prepared for, however, was how perfectly the flavors combine to create a creamy, fruity, handheld version of the summer staple. Strawberry Shortcake Rolls were a sweet surprise that, to us, wholly deserves the title of best Little Debbie dessert.
Buy: Little Debbie Strawberry Shortcake Rolls, $2.50 for 6 cake rolls on Instacart
Do you agree with our ranking? Tell us about it in the comments below.
This post originally appeared on The Kitchn. See it there: I Tried and Ranked Every Little Debbie Dessert I Could Find — And the “Delicious” Winner Was a Total Curveball