Fall is (almost) Here with Caramel Apple Oreos

After a seemingly endless run of summer Limited Edition Oreo flavors, the first of the fall varieties has hit shelves and is being sold exclusively at Target.  Considering the onslaught of pumpkin spice flavored products that are already showing up, I was certain that Oreo would enter the fall market with a re-release of everyone's orange-colored favorite.  I was pleasantly surprised when I learned that Caramel Apple Oreos is the flagship fall flavor this year.  It sandwiches the pumpkin craze on both ends with a nod to both peak apple season and Halloween.

Let's try them, shall we?

Oreo wants us to work for our treats this go 'round - the convenient pull-tab top is absent, so I had to slice off an end of the package with a pair of kitchen shears.  When I slid out the tray of cookies I saw that something unfortunate seems to have happened to my package.  They weren't exactly broken, but were covered in crumbs.  Perhaps they are meant to be cookie crumb dipped caramel apples?  Mmm...

The filling has the caramel and apple flavors side-by-side, similar to Cotton Candy Oreos.  As is typical with any Limited Edition Oreo using a Golden cookie, the aroma is mostly cookie with a hint of sweet caramel and candy green apple playing around in the background.

I tried the green filling by itself and it tasted like sugary sweet, yet still tart, green apple candy.  I wasn't impressed with the caramel layer on its own, it reminded me of those mass-produced individually wrapped caramels after they've been sitting out for too long.

 

After trying both flavors together, however, I can say these are convincing as caramel apple.  The Golden Oreo cookie threatens to overwhelm the flavor balance, but there is enough of the filling coming through to make me want to start carving Jack-o-lanterns and filling treat bags with candy.

I'll give these a very scientific rating of "not bad".  Tasty enough that die hard caramel apple fans will enjoy them, but not special enough to make me want to go back for more.  If anything, they make me excited to see what Oreo is going to do over the course of the fall season.  Does anyone have any guesses?

Pick up Caramel Apple Oreos only at Target!