In a cruel twist, Keebler has mucked with what is one of my favorite holiday traditions…the eating by the dozens of Jingles cookies by Salerno.
Keebler bought out the regional cookie maker a few years back and absorbed all of their excellent recipes, including the beloved anise flavored Jingle. After a few years, they sold off Salerno and kept only one brand…Jingles. Oddly enough, they did not actually keep the traditional recipe, just the brand name. It would appear that Keebler was more interested in the brand than the actual product.
Thus, when I asked Mrs. Geek to pick up a box of Jingles for the house, I was presented with what amounts to a mockery of a holiday tradition. The Keebler version of Jingles is a weak interpretation of the slightly soft and chewy traditional Jingle cookie with the excessive amount of red and green sprinkles and the overdose of anise. For all the talk about a “War on Christmas“, I think Messrs. O’Reilly and Gibson need to turn their Conservative Christmas Army on the cookie industry and fight for the right of chubby guys in Buffalo to eat a proper Jingle cookie.
Seriously, who can enjoy such a cheap knockoff of a classic holiday tradition? If Santa knew, he’s undoubtedly be pissed.
30 Comments
I’ve never even heard of these. We still have surplus Girl Scout Cookies in the house, and the lemon cremes are pretty damn tasty.
There was much wailing, moaning, gnashing of teeth, rending of garments and ashes on the head over these cookies this year in Casa de Chuckles as well.
That’s it, Christmas is officially dead…
Bastards. It’s the only commercially made Christmas cookie worth a damn and they screw with it. Keebler is dead to me now.
I’ve been wondering about the history of this brand. What seems to have happened a couple years ago was a branching, because now there are two different brands, similar to the original Jingles. The Keebler ones have the original shape, but they’ve screwed with the recipe. They’re blah. However, you can get “Santa’s Favorite’s” which are smaller versions of the shapes, but taste like the original. I picked up two boxes at Tops last night. I thought they were made by Salerno, but now I’ll have to check.
The operative word here is Salerno. Derek is Correct. You have to get the “Santa’s Favorites”. They are the real deal. I don’t remember if the size and shapes were changed, as I generally crush the entire box into my grill in one continuous motion. The cookies now named “Jingles” are a sad imposter to the Salerno product.
2 boxes for $4 at Wegmans (with shopper card) and they are usually located on an aisle end-cap.
Looking at the box, it appears that Salerno is a subsidiary of Archway & Mother’s Cookie Company in Battle Creek, MI. Questions or comments? call 1.800.272.2537 (8a - 5p EST). It also says that there is carnuba wax in these cookies. Perhaps that will help to keep my coat nice and shiny.
I gobble these cookies like a hungry dog. So much so that I am actually sick of them by Christmas. When they show up again next November, the process is repeated. Good times.
Don’t get me started on the Girl Scout cookies. I don’t know who is making them now, but they suck.
Pauldub “keebler is dead to me now”. Thats a good one.
Actually Keebler is owned by Kellogs, who are also located in Battle Creek, MI (just like Archway, makers of Santa’s Favorites), Battle Creek must smell pretty good with all those cookies and snacks and cereals cooking.
Kellogs also make Famous amos and Chips Deluxe, which are the same damn cookie - one has chips and the other has.. Amos.
It is interesting that the real Jingles (Santa’s Fave’s) and the fake “Jingles” are both made in the same town by different companies. They’re probably not even really made by elves, either.
Never liked Famous Anus cookies either…
I’ll pick up a box of the Santa’s favorites to try. If they are not to my liking thought I guess I’ll just have to go digging through the eighty million cookbooks I own and bake a bunch of anise cookies for myself. We have the cookie cutters and sprinkles already.
seriously… i picked up a box of salerno almond cresents and was very disappointed at the lack of powdered sugar…
Talk about cutting back!! Jeesh…
Oh sweet Jesus, they’re perfect!!!
I don’t care what they are called. As long as they taste like the old jingles that’s all that matters, and the cookies I just popped into my mouth from the Salerno “Santa’s Favorites” brand sure tasted good. Mmmmm
Just got a box - what the heck are these things? Taste nothing like Jingles at all. Isn’t there some kind of law we can take Kellogg’s to town on?
Let me go digging for Santa’s Favorites.
my mom brought over a package of these the other night and I was excited to say the least. as much as I like jingles, I can only bear to eat them during christmas. I knew right away after I took my first bite they were different….and not in a good way.
I live in Florida - cn’t find them any help out there??
Safeway, Giant, and SuperFreshall sell Salerno/Archway products as does Publix. Perhaps you can ask the store manager to order you some?
Trnasplated from Chicago to O.C. California, I was just explaining to my wife(native Californian) how these “Jingles” are just not the same. My kids will never know what a real Jingle cookie tastes like. That’s a bummer.
My brother was in Chicago last week. And i ask him to pick me up some jingles because i can’t get then in Fla. I look forword to haveing then once a year. When i got them I opened a box and had one. And I could not beleave it but they were not what i expected. I was looking for that tast of anise but nothen. How could you totaly remove the best part of the cookie. I will never get to taste that cookie again. So if you have any kind of hart you will bring back the cookie that taste so good.
I have to say thank you all so much. I just bought my first box of Jingles this year and was so very sad, disappointed and then angry at the change! However I do feel better just knowing there are others out there that feel my pain. And I have hope for these “Santa’s Favorites”. I’m in Spokane, WA so we’ll see if I can find them. I am almost jealous of my husband who has never had one of the originals and doesn’t know what he’s missing. So has someone started the Keebler petition already or what?
Listen I remember being fooled with the Keebler versions a couple of years ago. But in Chicago we do have the original ones and I purchased them this morning 12/14/07. The are undedr the name SALERNO and it is a green box that has a fake gold metallic medal on it that says “Traditional Holiday Classic Holiday Taste Recipe” on it. It has it’s origianal name SANTA’S FAVORITES - Original Holiday Recipe Anice Flavored Cookies- and they have the red and green sugared, overly anised sweet taste we love! I purchased them at Jewel Osco Food stores and I believe you can get them at Dominick Food Stores in the Chicago land area as well. Try going to the Jewel website or PeaPod website- which is company that shops for you at jewel and you can see groceries on line.
O yeah I almost forgot. The name of the company on the box is Archway& Mother’s Cookie Company, Inc. Battlecreek Michigan 49017
Thanks all who posted so much for hunting the fabulous original Jingles down. I had to be in Chicago, where I grew up, a couple of years ago and they were still selling the original Jingles. Never found (or fortunately bought if the comments above are any indication) the Keeblers version.
So my next question, does anyone know any source in the Philadelphia (PA) area for either original Jingles (Salerno) or the Santa’s Favorite’s version?
Thanks so much for any help!
PS. While we are on the subject of great Chi-town cookie brands–how about those Dutch almond windmill cookies–I can never find those here either.
I am from Chicago. My Mom used to send me Jingles after I moved away. I was craving them this year. I am alone now and wanted a comfort food of Christmas. Now what am I supposed to do. Keebler, you are now boycotted!!!!!!!
Shame on Keebler. Such a good manufacturer, and to take a loved cookie and change it. A classic example of something not broken, but someone thinking they have to “fix” it. My Husband loves the original jingles, and thinking I was getting some, I picked some up yesterday and at first bite, we knew it was not the same. If only Keebler knew how much so many people looked forward to these cookies at Christmas. Shame Shame Shame
FYI–Archway hasn’t baked a cookie in Michigan in over 10 years. Their only bakery is in Ashland Ohio. Just the offices remain in Michigan.
They have been through alot of changes in ownership since their owners sold them off, but some of the cookies are still good…
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does anyone know how one might find jingles,.. er… ’santa’s favorites’ in vancouver? ive just been to several stores, including a very large safeway, and the cookies are nowhere to be found.
I love the original (Jingles) by Salerno but they rip them off the shelves the day after Christmas!!! Why not wait till I can get to the store and buy them all! GRRRRRRR!!!!!! I got fooled by Keebler once but never again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yea for the original (JINGLES)
After searching for weeks and spending mega-$ in gas to go from store to store. I never did find Jingles cookies. I am hoping beyond all hope that someone can come up with the RECIPE for making my own jingles. Please people! Someone HAS to have a recipe that is close or even exactly like JINGLES COOKIES. If you have one would you please share it with me? You can email it to me at jeff1947@gmail.com Even if its close in taste, I will try it!
The cookie I miss is the Salerno Iced Oatmeal,sadly its another treat that is a ghost of my past.