Oreo is the leading cookie brand in the United States based on sales. However, despite its popularity, it is not the original chocolate sandwich cookie. Hydrox was introduced in 1908, four years prior to the invention of Oreo, and it is still being made today after a hiatus.
While Oreo is not the original, it’s viewed as the king of store-bought cookies. Many cookie brands have attempted to capitalize on their success by creating imitation products, including Great Value Twist & Shout.
Here we will compare Oreo vs Twist & Shout to ultimately determine whether Oreo really is the superior cookie. If you’ve already tried both cookies, be sure to vote for your favorite in our poll at the end of this article.
Oreo vs Twist & Shout
Blind Taste Test
During our Oreo vs Twist & Shout taste test, the testers tested the outer chocolate cookie, the cream filling, and the cookies as a whole, separately. Here are the results:
Chocolate Cookie – Our taste testers found the outer chocolate cookie on the Oreo to be superior. It was crunchier with a better chocolate flavor than the Twist & Shout. One taste tester indicate that the Twist & Shout tasted almost stale.
Cream Filling – The cream filling on the inside of the Twist & Shout was preferred over Oreo’s filling. The testers stated that Twist & Shout tasted more homemade and almost like a tasty sweet frosting. The testers also indicated that the Oreo cream was too oily with one person stating it felt like eating a mouthful of Crisco.
Entire Cookie – Oreo was the consensus winner of our taste test when consumed as a whole. Its superior chocolate cookie somehow worked perfectly with the cream filling we described above. Overall, the testers loved the Oreo cookies with Twist & Shout being an acceptable alternative to Oreo according to most testers.
Appearance
Oreo (pictured on the top) is extremely similar in appearance to Twist & Shout (pictured on the bottom row). The cream interior of Twist & Shout appears about the same thickness as Oreo. The cream interior of Oreo is an off-white color compared to the more pure white appearance of the Twist & Shout.
Packaging
The Oreo packaging is superior without question. It is much more durable and features a resealable pull-away top as pictured below. You can shake or flip an unopened package of Oreos and feel minimal movement of the cookies inside. Most people would have little worry about these cookies breaking during travel from say the grocery store to home.
The Great Value packaging is thinner and looser compared to Oreo. You can feel the cookies move around inside if you flip the package upside, unlike the Oreo packaging. We believe Twist & Shouts may have a greater chance of getting damaged if not handled with care compared to the better protected Oreos. A major downside to some people may be the old school tear open the side and pull out the tray packaging of this brand. The top resealable opening that is on the Oreo packaging is much more user-friendly.
Price
We purchased the Oreo and Twist & Shout cookies from Walmart. Naturally, the name brand Oreo package was much more expensive than the store brand Twist & Shout cookies. We paid $3.18 for the Oreos (14.3 oz.) versus $1.88 for the Twist & Shouts (15.5 oz.). That’s $1.30 more for the Oreos.
Twist & Shouts are a part of the Great Value brand owned by Walmart so you will likely only find them in Walmart stores. However, Oreo cookies are sold at numerous retailers. Here are some prices we found for Oreos (14.3 oz. size) at a selection of other stores:
| Store | Price (14.3 oz package size) |
| Walmart | $3.18 |
| Target | $3.39 |
| Kroger | $3.29 |
| Walgreens | $4.29 |
| Safeway | $3.50 |
| Meijer | $3.39 |
| Giant Eagle | $2.99 |
| Albertsons | $3.33 |
| Food 4 Less | $3.19 |
| Big Lots | $2.89 |
| Weis | $3.99 |
| Average | $3.40 |
In summary, you will pay a premium for the Oreos compared to Twist & Shouts likely no matter where you purchase them. If you’re a regular eater of Oreos, it may be worthwhile for you to try the Twist & Shout cookies for potential long-term cost savings if you happen to like them.
Nutrition
Below are the nutrition facts for each cookie brand. The nutrition is extremely similar for both cookies. However, if we had to pick one simply based on nutrition, we’d select Twist & Shout because of its fewer carbs and sugar. Oreo does, however, have a bit less sodium.
| Oreo | Twist & Shout | |
| Serving Size | 3 Cookies (34g) | 3 Cookies (34g) |
| Calories | 160 | 160 |
| Total Fat | 7g | 7g |
| Saturated Fat | 2g | 2g |
| Trans Fat | 0g | 0g |
| Cholesterol | 0mg | 0mg |
| Sodium | 135mg | 160mg |
| Total Carbohydrate | 25g | 24g |
| Dietary Fiber | less than 1g | 1g |
| Total Sugars | 14g* | 12g* |
| Protein | 1g | 2g |
| Vitamin D | 0% DV | 0% DV |
| Calcium | 0% DV | 0% DV |
| Iron | 8% DV | 25% DV |
| Potassium | 0% DV | 0% DV |
Ingredients
Oreo – Unbleached Enriched Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate {Vitamin B1}, Riboflavin {Vitamin B2}, Folic Acid), Sugar, Palm And/Or Canola Oil, Cocoa (Processed With Alkali), High Fructose Corn Syrup, Leavening (Baking Soda And/Or Calcium Phosphate), Salt, Soy Lecithin, Chocolate, Artificial Flavor.
Twist & Shout – Unbleached Enriched Four (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Sugar, Palm and Soybean Oil, Cocoa (Processed With Alkali), Dextrose, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Cornstarch, Salt, Sodium Bicarbonate (Leavening), Artificial Flavors, Chocolate, Soy Lecithin (Emulsifier)
Poll: Oreo vs Twist & Shout
Assuming you’ve tried both and had to choose one, would your favorite be Oreo or Twist & Shout cookies? Please vote below!
