From looking at these boxes, I imagine the package designer for Stauffer’s is a disgruntled former Nabisco worker who vowed his revenge by fooling pre-occupied shoppers into grabbing Vanilla instead of Nilla wafers. “Not creative enough, huh? I’ll show them!” Just a thought : )
It’s been at least 20 years since I’ve had a Nilla wafer and never had a knock off, but when I saw the Vanilla wafers at Job Lot, I couldn’t resist leaving them on the shelf. This evaluation involved myself and Ethan and then I brought them into work where people wrote thier feedback on a piece of paper.
Nilla Wafer:
We noted the pleasant vanilla aroma right from opening the bag. These have a soft crunch and a couple of co-workers noted that these “melt in the mouth”. These were a little too delicate for dunking but I liked to take a bite and drink some milk and let it dissolve that way. One co-worker described these as “too soft”. It seemed everyone agreed that these had very good vanilla flavor which Ethan said was “very inoffensive” (?) Another comment from work was “You think of Nilla when you think of wafers!”
Vanilla Wafer:
These had a much rougher texture. They felt dryer just by touching them and had a very loud crunch when bitten into and it crumbled into hard pieces. This cookie did not absorb milk well at all. The vanilla flavor was too strong and artificial. Ethan described these wafers as the bottom of a soft serve cone with vanilla ice cream in the grid at the bottom, which is good but does not work as a cookie.
Some comments from co-workers were that these were stale tasting (although the date on the box said it was good for another 6 months) too hard, too crunchy, too rough. The same person who wrote the Nilla Wafers were “too soft” wrote that these were “crunchy and good”.
Wrap up:
Nilla Wafers were the clear winner. It won people over with it’s subtle texture and mild flavor. The Stauffer’s version was too rough and dry with a poor quality vanilla flavor so it just didn’t have a lot going for it. Although they did have one fan at work.
I’ve scanned the feedback sheet because I know I left some comments out, but if interested you can read for yourself by clicking here.
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I’d worry about IP infringement for “Vanilla Wafers” in both name and design. Although Nilla Wafers have been around maybe they’re fair use at this point… Now I’ve got a craving to try them again.
I wonder if baking with the (I’m assuming) cheaper brand would make a difference? Sometimes you can get away with different texture and even lesser quality flavor when baking in dishes with other items in them. I might do a compare of that myself. It would be interesting to know. Especially if you could get away with saving money.
Nilla Wafers
Nuf said
Nilla Wafers are pretty good, but I like the rainbow colored Keebler ones a little better. I think it’s more based on nostalgia than taste though. I remember eating them at my grandparents house when I was a kid. We always had Nilla Wafers at home though. I know the box says “simple goodness,” but I think that perhaps Nilla Wafers are a bit too simple. I always thought they were kind of boring on their own. I only ate them with a jar of peanut butter in hand, ready for dipping. (If you haven’t tried it, you’re missing out. It’s the perfect combination!)
Nilla Wafers completely rule the vanilla cookie universe.
That said, I kind of like cheapass “vanilla wafer” cookies because of their crunchiness (a trait I greatly admire in cookies.) The cheap crunchy ones also make a good “crust” for banana cream pie, too, because they don’t soften up too much when the banana pudding gets poured out on top.
I thought the feedback sheet was a good idea. I liked seeing people’s thought. If you do another feedback sheet for other products, please scan it, too! ?
the trader joe nilla wafers take it to another level. strong flavor of vanilla, better crunch.
Too dry!!! – Probably both!
What store can you find these wafers in Etobicoke …..Sobeys maybe… I tried No Frills and Metro and they do not carry them!
Nilla wafers r the bomb.??????????????????
Every day is World Nutella Day as far as my husband is conercned. He became addicted to it when he lived in Italy, and I will never forget the day he discovered it at our local market. I though he was having some kind of attack. He was speechless with awe and gratitude! Since then I have become a huge fan, too. I love the recipe, great post!
Jack’s vanilla wafers are even better than either of those.
I came across a Brand Called Buds Best…Vanilla Wafers..they taste pretty close to the original..Harder texture…but if you sip milk it melts just right with a slight crunch.
I’m sitting in my bedroom riding out a storm, sharing a bag of store brand vanilla wafers with my dog and cats. I found this site because I noticed that this particular knock off, not only excludes vanilla, but doesn’t even have vanillen. They aren’t vanilla at all!
1979 Dirk Drive Monique Chavonne Riggins yes Nilla wafers 10 20 30 yes Nilla wafers 10 20 yes Nilla wafers 60 70 yes
1979 Dirk Drive Monique Chavonne Riggins yes Nilla wafers pizza Hut Wings yes Budger king yes
Prefer Vanilla Wafers. Make tastier banana puddings. Vanilla wafers taste better because you can taste the vanilla. Thumbs down for Nilla all the way:(
Houes 1979 Dirk Drive
The Nilla wafers I just ate seem softer than I remember them. I’m in Florida where food get stail between the time you open it and get one out they stail enroute to your tongue.
I hate soft cookies! Cookies are meant to be crunchy ( unless the folk at Oreo got it all wrong), the wafers are too mushy. They taste good I had to sample like 15 to be absolutely sure that I was put off. Nilla should make a crunchy version for people like me.