As part of a continued partnership between brands, Holland’s Hudsonville Ice Cream has released more creations inspired by classic snack cakes from Little Debbie.  

Hudsonville and Little Debbie began collaborating several years ago, and the ice cream maker currently offers more than a dozen frozen treats inspired by the snack brand’s products.

In 2022, Hudsonville launched a line of ice cream flavors based on snack cakes, which now includes: Nutty Bar, Oatmeal Creme Pies, Strawberry Shortcake Rolls, Zebra Cakes, Cosmic Brownies, Honey Buns, Swiss Rolls, Star Crunch, Unicorn Cakes, Fudge Rounds and Birthday Cake. 

The company has also produced ice cream bars based on Nutty Bar, Birthday Cake, Star Crunch and Strawberry Shortcake Rolls. 

The latest innovation is a pair of new ice cream sandwiches based on Cosmic Brownies and Oatmeal Creme Pies.

In light of the new items, editor Cassandra Lybrink, photographer Adam Vander Kooy and reporters Cassidey Kavathas, Mitchell Boatman and (for one item) Austin Metz sampled the new treats — alongside the snack cakes that inspired them. For a bonus test, we also tasted Hudsonville’s new, limited-edition Birthday Cake. 

Here’s what we thought:

Oatmeal Creme Pies 

Snack Cake

Cassidey: This was my go-to Little Debbie snack when I was little and it’s still SO good. The chew of the cookie is great, but the frosting is a touch on the too sweet side.  

Cassandra: I am firmly of the mindset that these used to taste better; and not just when I was a kid, because I’ve had these in adulthood at some point and there was definitely more filling. It just eats dry now and there’s a not-so-great aftertaste. I’m sad.  

Adam: It’s nothing special, but gets the job done as a solid packed-lunch dessert.  

Mitchell: Not to sound cliché, but I remember these being better. It’s fine, but not exciting.  

Ice Cream Sandwich  

Cassidey: The cookie is great, but I feel like the cinnamon or spice flavor is overwhelming. The vanilla ice cream is classic and has a whipped, almost fluffy, texture that’s so good. I’m not mad, but I wish the cookie had a similar chew to the original.  

Cassandra: OK, this looks almost exactly like an Oatmeal Creme Pie. I would even say the cookie looks better. Also, it’s DELICIOUS. There’s so much great oatmeal flavor, the cookie has a great bite. It’s almost nostalgic, even though I’ve never had it before. I’m so happy right now. Whoever perfected this cookie deserves a promotion.

Of note, I also ranked the Oatmeal Creme Pie Ice Cream the best of the Little Debbie flavors from Hudsonville back in 2022. It just lends itself to this medium.  

Adam: This is my number one. The cold ice cream pairs really well with the oatmeal cookies — honestly better than the original. I can’t believe they’re just trying it now.  

Mitchell: Now we’re talking. For me, this is markedly better than the original. Obviously, the Hudsonville Ice Cream in the center is great. Being frozen also lends a firmness and texture to the cookie portion that really works for me.

Austin: As someone who grew up smashing Oatmeal Creme Pies when my mom wasn’t looking, I was ecstatic to see the new ice cream sandwich version of this fine delicacy. I made the purchase and dug into the box the second I got into my car, even as the temperature outside dropped below zero.

Unfortunately, I was disappointed. The cookie-to-filling ratio was off and I missed the chewy cookie outside that I’ve come to love. I’d prefer to take a standard Oatmeal Creme Pie and put that in the freezer. Ten-year-old me was not impressed. 

Cosmic Brownies 

Snack Cake

Cassidey: Fudgy deliciousness and a bite of childhood! I love the sprinkles on top but find the icing to be a touch too sweet.  

Cassandra: Finally, something that time hasn’t changed. (I’m sure it has, but apparently not enough to bother me.) A middle school classic that’s still great if you need a pick-me-up. They’re chewy, they’re chocolatey, and the sprinkles are somehow required.  

Adam: A classic that never lets me down. The fudge topping takes a regular brownie and turns it into a household staple.  

Mitchell: I ate more Cosmic Brownies than Oatmeal Creme Pies as a kid, so maybe it’s just the nostalgia talking, but this is still solid. The fudgy texture, the chocolate flavor, it still works for me. 

Ice Cream Sandwich  

Cassidey: The ice cream is a perfect balance of chocolate and sweet. The ice cream has the same fluffy texture as the Oatmeal Creme Pie Ice Cream Sandwich. The brownie part was disappointing and takes away from the overall treat. I found myself just licking the ice cream out.  

Cassandra: Well … it doesn’t taste like a Cosmic Brownie, and it doesn’t look like a Cosmic Brownie. The brownies are thinner than a Cosmic Brownie, the sprinkles more embedded. It doesn’t taste bad (the ice cream is solid) but there are better offerings from Hudsonville Ice Cream.  

Adam: This is a great idea on paper, but the execution misses. If they used the original Cosmic Brownie pieces and swapped the chocolate ice cream for vanilla, this could be a winner.  

Mitchell: This is … weird. The sandwich part is so soft, which was a little jarring after the Oatmeal Creme Pie Ice Cream Sandwich. The chocolate ice cream is good enough. Overall, I don’t see this being something I’d seek out again. 

Birthday Cake Ice Cream 

Cassidey: I love the sprinkles and pound cake pieces but found the blue icing swirl too overwhelmingly sweet — but that could be because I just gorged on other sweet treats.  

Cassandra: You’re talking to the girl who’s go-to Cold Stone order was Birthday Cake, but this was too sweet for me. I wished there were more cake pieces and less flavor swirls. 

Adam: I didn’t love it, but that’s on me. I’m not big on birthday cake-flavored ice cream, so no real surprise here.  

Mitchell: This is not for me. I’ll give credit that it does taste like a birthday cake, but I’m not big on birthday cake-flavored products. The blue frosting swirl was the dominant flavor I tasted and was just too much for me.  

Ranking 

Cassidey: Oatmeal Creme Pie, Oatmeal Creme Pie Ice Cream Sandwich, Cosmic Brownie, Birthday Cake Ice Cream, Cosmic Brownie Ice Cream Sandwich  

Cassandra, Adam and Mitchell: Oatmeal Creme Pie Ice Cream Sandwich, Cosmic Brownie, Oatmeal Creme Pie, Cosmic Brownie Ice Cream Sandwich, Birthday Cake Ice Cream 

— Contact reporter Mitchell Boatman at mboatman@hollandsentinel.com.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Hudsonville Ice Cream’s new Little Debbie sandwiches were a wild ride

Reporting by Mitchell Boatman, Holland Sentinel / The Holland Sentinel

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect