Pepperidge Farm’s New Chessmen Cookies Include the Saltiest Cookie I’ve Ever Had

Two new Chessmen cookie flavors hit shelves this month, which feels both thrilling and perhaps a little unnecessary. That’s not Chessmen’s fault; I just feel like I’ve lived a thousand lives and eaten a thousand new products since the start of 2026. At this point, these new Pepperidge Farm cookies aren’t fighting to be good, they’re fighting to stand out among the rest of the new year’s bounty.

Don’t worry; I put aside my existentialism and tried these two new Pepperidge Farm cookies with a clear head. Here’s my honest take on both! 

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New Chessmen Cookie!

Salted Caramel Chessmen

Walmart

Ralphs

Pros: These might be the saltiest cookies I’ve ever had. They aren’t sprinkled with big granules of salt, instead the salt is baked into the cookie. (Though, every once in a while you get a crunchy bit that really just tastes like a granule of sea salt.) By any normal person’s standards, this should not be in the pro column. Per the words of my fellow taste tester Gwynedd Stuart: “This tastes like an accident.” But these cookies might have been made solely for me (and Justine Sterling, who also liked them). They’re almost inedibly salty and I think that’s kind of beautiful. What a freak of a cookie.

Cons: They’re too salty for the average person. The caramel is kinda lost. I recently told everyone that I put salt and brown sugar in my coffee, so naturally I had to try these dipped in coffee to see if that made them magically delicious. No. The coffee only made the salt stand out more. 

Verdict: I don’t think I’ve ever tried a sweet treat that I thought was too salty. I’ve met my match. It’s honestly kind of impressive. Thanks for designing a cookie just for me, Pepperidge Farms. (And hey—these definitely stand out from the crowd.)

Credit: Liv Averett / Ralphs

Rating:

7.5/10

Sporks

New Chessmen Cookie!

Cinnamon Sugar Chessmen

Walmart

Kroger

Pros: As advertised, you definitely taste the cinnamon and sugar. (The cinnamon scent is really prominent, too.) The flavor combo is classic and comforting. 

Cons: I’m not really sure who these are for. They’re a little bit too sweet and one note. (Two notes, technically; sugar and cinnamon.) They almost taste kinda dry compared to the other new flavor. Still, they aren’t offensive by any means. I wouldn’t be mad to find them in a cookie tin—I just wish they took a little bit of the salt from Salted Caramel and added it here.
Verdict: Unlike Salted Caramel, these are cookies I need to dip in coffee to curb the sweetness. (Plus, they make your coffee taste better.)

Credit: Liv Averett / Walmart

Rating:

5/10

Sporks