There are only a few food products that truly make it to worldwide stardom, and Oreo cookies are one of them. You can buy them in so many places around the world, it’s pretty incredible. Why they’re so popular? I wouldn’t know. But, its stark dark black color has to play an important role.
There aren’t many foods blacker than an Oreo. It’s probably as black as thoroughly burned food, though without the unappetizing flavors. The secret lies in just exactly how that chocolate or cocoa, that’s used in an Oreo cookie, has been processed.
Cocoa colors an Oreo black
Upon inspecting the ingredient list of Oreo cookies, you’ll find that the only ingredient that significantly contributes to its color is cocoa powder, of which the cookies contain about 4.5%*. This confirms that they are indeed chocolate cookies. The other ingredients are wheat flour, sugars, fats, leavening agents, salt, emulsifier, and aroma. So there’s no dye, or colorant in there.
However, most cocoa powders are brown, not black. They get this brown color during the production process in which cocoa beans are turned into cocoa powder. But, their exact color depends on the way they’ve been processed. More specifically, on how they’ve been alkalized.
Alkalization turns cocoa powder black
Cocoa powders are made from cocoa beans. At several steps during this process, manufacturers can decide to ‘alkalize’ the cocoa. Normally speaking, cocoa powders are acidic. Their pH-value roughly falls in the range of 4,7-6. During alkalization an alkaline ingredient is added to the cocoa which increases the pH of the cocoa powder, often turning it alkaline.
Increasing the pH, thus alkalizing the powder causs the color to change from a light brown into a dark brown or even black color. Aside from color, it can also make the flavor less bitter and improve the solubility of the powder. That is, it will be easier to dissolve in water, for instance to make chocolate milk.
The exact color and flavor profile of alkalized chocolate depends on the conditions used to alkalize the chocolate. A different temperature, pressure, duration or alkalizing agent can all result in a different color of cocoa powder. For instance, generally speaking, to make black cocoa powder high temperatures, up to 135°C (275°F) are required to achieve the desired color. Any higher might make it more black, but will also result in undesirable flavors. Alkalizing at lower temperatures will instead result in powders with a red color. Black cocoa powders also take longer to alkalize and generally need higher pressures than brown or red powders.
Dutch cocoa is alkalized cocoa
You may not be able to find alkalized cocoa powder. Instead, you may find Dutch, Dutched, or Dutch-process cocoa powder. These are one and the same. The Dutch naming stems from the inventor of this process who was a Dutch chocolate manufacturer called van Houten. He discovered the effect of alkalizing on cocoa powder over 100 years ago.
Alkalization moderates flavor
Generally speaking, the darker the color, the less astringent and bitter the cocoa powder. As a result, a product made with these darker powder will have less of that typical ‘chocolate’ flavor. It may well be why you may not even associate an Oreo cookie with a chocolate flavored one.
Sources
Cocoa powder and processes for its production, Patent WO2013128146A1, link
David Lebovitz, Cocoa Powder FAQ: Dutch-process & natural cocoa powder, 2020, link
Moser, A., Alkalizing cocoa and chocolate, June 2015, The manufacturing confectioner, link
*This percentage was found for Oreo cookies sold in the Netherlands, in 2023, ingredient lists may vary slightly between countries and regions.
Black cocoa powder is the primary color ingredient. This variation of cocoa powder is super alkalized, which is a chemical process that changes the color, pH, flavor, and solubility of natural (light brown) cocoa. It's got a very unique flavor and is what is used in Oreo cookies.
Packaged Oreo cookies contain Black Cocoa which gives them their distinct dark cocoa color and extremely mild chocolate flavor. It can be difficult to source in store but purchased easily online. If you don't have it, you can also use Dutch-process cocoa. My favorite brands of Dutch-process cocoa powder are E.
Oreo was created in 1912 as an imitation of Hydrox. Oreo eventually surpassed Hydrox in popularity, which resulted in the Hydrox cookies being perceived by many as an Oreo off-brand, despite the opposite being the case.
Oreo cookies, for many years the most sold biscuit in the world, owes its black colour to the addition of ammonia during the production process. Though not unusual or illegal, people have started to question whether this is harmful.
The cocoa used in Oreo cookies is dutched (treated with alkali). This makes it darker, and also makes it less bitter. Dutched chocolate comes in a number of different grades, one of which is called black cocoa.
Etymology. The origin of the name "Oreo" is unknown, but there are many hypotheses, including derivations from the French word or, meaning "gold", or from the Greek word ωραίο (oreo) meaning "nice" or "attractive". Others believe that the cookie was named Oreo simply because the name was short and easy to pronounce.
Oreo is the best-selling cookie in the world. It is now sold in over 100 countries. Oreo was first produced in 1912 by the National Biscuit Company, now known as Na-Bis-Co.
Not a surprise, really, that a cookie coated in additional chocolate fudge is about the least healthy Oreo you can get, is it? This variety has the most saturated fat of any Oreo on the list.
Upon inspecting the ingredient list of Oreo cookies, you'll find that the only ingredient that significantly contributes to its color is cocoa powder, of which the cookies contain about 4.5%*. This confirms that they are indeed chocolate cookies.
Some people think the Oreo is a shade of brown, while others view the color closer to black.” So which is it really? Well, they're made from cocoa beans, which are brown. But the cocoa is processed with alkali, which darkens the powder a LOT . . . in fact, cocoa powder with alkali is called “black cocoa powder.”
They called their creation Hydrox. It was America's first chocolate sandwich cookie. Most people think of Oreos as a key ingredient in Cookies and Cream ice cream, but many ice cream parlors used to use Hydrox.
Yet Oreo's dominance is unparalleled, accounting for roughly 10% of all cookies purchased in the US. Nabisco, the maker of Oreo (and a subsidiary of Mondelez Inc.), commands nearly 40% of the cookie market. Hydrox, meanwhile, was discontinued in 2003.
According to PEOPLE, Oreo first introduced the churro-flavored cookies back in 2019. Per the publication, the flavor came in the form of a "mystery cookie" which came in white packaging, with the cookies looking identical to regular Oreos.
So there's no dye, or colorant in there. However, most cocoa powders are brown, not black. They get this brown color during the production process in which cocoa beans are turned into cocoa powder. But, their exact color depends on the way they've been processed.
Start by combining blue, red, and green dyes in equal amounts. Add additional drops of red and green. You will likely need to add additional drops of red and green (a bit more red than green) to reach a truly inky black.
Well, they're made from cocoa beans, which are brown. But the cocoa is processed with alkali, which darkens the powder a LOT . . . in fact, cocoa powder with alkali is called "black cocoa powder." so it's on you to fight it out. SHARE if you think they are brown, comment if you think they are black!
Introduction: My name is Kelle Weber, I am a magnificent, enchanting, fair, joyous, light, determined, joyous person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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