For more than half a century, Pop-Tarts have been a stalwart fixture in American breakfast pop culture—as well as a foundational tier in the collegiate food pyramid. These O.G. breakfast cookies—sorry, toaster pastries—are tasty, portable, and have a long shelf-life, plus they can be eaten straight out of the bag, heated, or chilled, depending on your preferences. There’s something for everyone in the wide-ranging spectrum of Pop-Tarts—from limited-edition Jolly Rancher-inspired flavors for the kiddos to Dunkin’ Donuts Vanilla Latte and Chocolate Mocha coffee-fragrant iterations for grown-ups.
Our team here at Food & Wine scored 21 boxes of Pop-Tarts in all different flavors—as many as we could get our hands on (legally), from reliable classics (Raspberry, mmm) to newfangled creations (Strawberry Milkshake—surprisingly good straight out of the freezer!). Here are all 21 we taste-tested—ranked, starting from from least favorite and wending our way to most beloved.
21. Jolly Rancher Cherry
“This is the most unnatural thing I have ever tasted.”
“This is medicine flavor with Pop-Tarts health—the best of both worlds.”
20. Jolly Rancher Watermelon
“Tastes like crumbly bubblegum you can swallow.”
“Tastes like a watermelon Jolly Rancher with dry crackers.”
19. Unfrosted Blueberry
“I like the unfrosted, tbh. It seems closest to a real pastry.”
“Put frosting on Pop-Tarts FFS.”
18. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
“Maple-y. Not getting any dough vibes, but soft and yummy.”
“Much better toasted.”
17. Vanilla Latte
“If it was less sweet, it’d be better.”
“Like a gas station cappuccino.”
16. Jolly Rancher Green Apple
“This tastes like Four Loko and regret.”
“Too tart—doesn’t pair well with the pastry part.”
15. Unfrosted Strawberry
“Honestly, I’m into it.”
“Needs frosting to balance it out.”
14. Chocolate Mocha
“Not bad, not great.”
“Dry and weirdly savory.”
13. Cookies & Creme
“Very solid. Reliable. Safe in a good way.”
“This is the second cousin of s’mores.”
12. Pumpkin Pie
“I wish there was more filling, but very yummy.”
“Hard to justify eating this out-of-season.”
11. Chocolate Fudge
“Gets the job done, which is chocolate.”
“Tastes exactly like fudge—good job Pop-Tart!”
10. Cinnamon Roll
“Light, simple. Tastes exactly like a cinnamon roll. Could use a little more frosting.”
“Tastes like real food.”
9. Unfrosted Brown Sugar Cinnamon
“I love the filling—no frosting needed!”
“Good but needs frosting!”
8. Chocolate Chip
“Happy with this—like softer Cookie Crisp.”
“Good amount of chocolate.”
7. S’mores
“Perfectly fake marshmallows, what more could you want.”
“Grew up with this one—love the alternating chocolate/marshmallow filling.”
6. Strawberry Milkshake
“If Pop-Tarts and strawberry Pocky had a baby.”
“Maltier than normal frosted strawberry.”
5. Cherry
“I like fake cherry flavor, so yes.”
“The cherry flavor isn’t medicine-y!”
4. Brown Sugar Cinnamon
“Would be great with coffee!”
“If I had to have an actual meal, but only had Pop-Tarts, this would be a top flavor of choice.”
3. Raspberry
“A total classic. Wish it were a little lighter on the raspberry flavor.”
“Tastes like a classic jam cookie.”
2. Blueberry
“The O.G.”
“Classic. Satisfying.”
1. Strawberry — THE WINNER
“Vending machine classic—nostalgia embodied.”
“Jammy and delicious.”
What’s your favorite Pop-Tarts flavor? Tell us via social media @foodandwine.
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