Did Little Debbie Quietly Change Its Recipe?

Customers suspecting that their favorite brands have changed their recipes is nothing new – and this summer, we’ve seen a lot of talk about who might be switching things up on the sly. Aldi has been a particular lightning rod for this, with its shoppers questioning whether it’s quietly changed its recipes pretty much every week. Over in snack land, there have been similar accusations levelled at the likes of Takis, which had previously responded to questions about whether it had altered its formula, saying that it was, in fact, the same. 

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The latest brand to field questions about whether it’s mixed things up is Little Debbie – and now, the snack cake brand has put things on record. Let’s discuss.

The Claim

Customers have had questions about Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme Pies for a couple of years now, and last week, Tasting Table dug into those questions. Like many other snacks, people have felt for a while that Little Debbie’s most iconic snack tastes and feels a little different. Amongst the changes people suspect are that its Oatmeal Creme Pies have gotten smaller and sweeter, with an altogether different flavor balance than the one it had before, and that they now have less cream. 

Some people have stated that these changes seemed to occur around the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the cakes tasting the same before and different after. While customers have said that the larger Oatmeal Creme Pies remain similar to what they remember, the standard, smaller packs just feel like they’ve changed. 

The Rebuttal

This week, Little Debbie responded to questions about potential recipe alterations in a statement to PEOPLE, in which it said that no, things hadn’t changed. “Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme Pies have been a staple treat for decades, and the iconic recipe consumers know and love remains essentially the same,” said a spokesperson for Little Debbie’s parent company McKee Foods. “Like all packaged food products, minor adjustments are occasionally made over time to account for regulatory updates or ingredient sourcing changes. However, there has been no major or intentional reformulation of the Oatmeal Creme Pie—it continues to be crafted to deliver the exact same taste and experience our fans have enjoyed for generations.” So, while Little Debbie’s ingredient suppliers may have changed along the way (which may account for potential subtle flavor differences), at a base level, it continues to make its Oatmeal Creme Pies in the same way.