OREO is taking its flavor experiments somewhere few cookie lovers probably expected with a new Chicken & Waffles cookie that brings fried chicken and maple syrup flavor into one of America’s most recognizable snacks. The unexpected creation is one of three limited-edition OREO flavors arriving nationwide this month, joining Banana Pudding and Deep Fried. All three are part of the brand’s new “Twist, Lick, Vote” campaign, which lets customers decide which cookie deserves another nationwide run in 2027.
The cookies officially hit retailers across the U.S. on August 24, while presale and TikTok Shop availability began August 17.
Chicken & Waffles is easily the release most likely to have shoppers doing a double take. OREO says the cookie features a signature waffle texture embossment along with dual-layered creme infused with sweet and savory notes. The goal is to deliver the recognizable combination of fried chicken and maple syrup in every bite.
In other words, this is not simply a maple-flavored cookie with a wild name. OREO is intentionally attempting to capture both sides of the classic chicken and waffles pairing.
“For decades, our consumers have supported our wildest, most creative flavor endeavors, and now we want to elevate that relationship from a simple product drop into a dynamic, two-way conversation,” said Matt Foley, Vice President, OREO. “By dropping three incredibly distinct flavors at once, Banana Pudding, Deep Fried, and Chicken & Waffles, we are giving our community true agency to help decide the future of our product lineup. We know our fans are incredibly passionate about their favorite flavors, and we can’t wait to see which of these cookies they choose to bring back in 2027.”
The other two contenders stay closer to familiar dessert territory.
Banana Pudding OREOs feature vanilla wafer cookies wrapped around a dual-layered creme with sweet banana and vanilla pudding flavors. Deep Fried OREOs are inspired by the popular fried treat, using fried dough-flavored cookies with layers of dark chocolate and fried dough-flavored creme.
Still, OREO says the three concepts went through an extensive development process rather than simply being created for shock value.
“Our 2026 Mondelez State of Snacking report proved that ‘delicious, ’fun’ and ‘tasty’ are some of the leading benefits in social conversations. To meet that demand, we knew we had to bring our next bold flavor innovation to life through playful, yet unexpected flavor combinations,” explained Rohit Sakhamuri, Senior Brand Manager, OREO Innovation. “At the OREO brand, delivering on complex flavors requires a rigorous, insights-driven R&D process. We tasked our team with simultaneously developing three unique flavors based on today’s evolving snacking trends. Through over a year of meticulous research, we successfully transformed cultural fascination into a delicious reality, achieving the sensory balance our fans expect.”
OREO says its team spent more than a year simultaneously developing the three flavors.
Now, consumers get the final say.
Voting opened August 17 and runs through October 12. Fans can scan the QR code on any of the limited-edition packages or visit OREO’s voting website to choose which flavor they want back. The winning cookie will be announced October 13 and will return to the nationwide OREO lineup for a limited time in 2027.
Every eligible vote also automatically enters consumers into a sweepstakes for a chance to win a year’s supply of original OREO cookies.
The campaign essentially turns the three new releases into a nationwide taste test. Instead of OREO deciding which experimental creation deserves another shot, shoppers get to determine the winner.
That makes Chicken & Waffles the biggest wildcard of the bunch.
Banana pudding already fits comfortably into dessert territory, while deep-fried OREOs are familiar to anyone who has spotted the battered and fried cookies at fairs and festivals. Chicken and waffles asks consumers to go one step further by accepting fried chicken flavor inside a cream-filled cookie.
Whether people find that delicious, confusing, or completely out of pocket could be exactly what makes it stand out from the competition.
All three flavors will be available at grocery and retail stores nationwide beginning August 24 for a limited time and while supplies last.
By October, OREO fans will have decided whether Chicken & Waffles was simply one of the brand’s wildest 2026 experiments or strange enough, and tasty enough, to earn another trip to the cookie aisle in 2027.
