Last year, I sent up the red flags noting that Mother’s Circus Animal cookies were gone. Just a few weeks ago, I made a passing reference noting the fact that they’re back.
Yes, my friends, it is true! Those phenomenal little frosted miracles are back, and as good as they always were.
While it is true that the original Mother’s Cookies company has gone out of business, Kellogg’s stepped in and bought the trademarks and the original recipes, and fired up the magical cookie ovens again.
So great was my elation in discovering this fact that I had to buy a bag of them.
And when that ran out, I had to buy another.
Unbeknownst to me, my wife bought a bag on the same day. She was so thrilled to find a bag in the store, after seeing them fly off the shelves in recent weeks that she couldn’t pass it up. Imagine her surprise when she brought home this treasured bag, and then learned that I’d already bought one.
But it really became absurd when the next day a box arrived from my brother via FedEx: a box containing three bags of Mother’s Circus Animals. This brought our total to five bags. I’d say that’s plenty.
So at least as it concerns that one aspect, life is good again.
Now, during that dismal, dark epoch bounded by October of 2008 and January of 2009, I reluctantly resigned myself to the purchase of a substitute brand of frosted circus animal cookies. They held out some promise to be a worthy replacement, as they bore a brand of some repute: that of a somewhat famous elf and his cohorts, who presumably run their operation from within a hollow tree.
Upon inspection, I was immediately disappointed. These cookies were not the same. Not by a long shot.
I’ll let you be the judge. Cast your eyes upon this unaltered side-by-side comparison of the physical aspects of these two cookie brands (click for larger image).
Is there really any comparison? Taste-wise, the results are about the same as well. The “Brand X” cookies were thin, weak, doughy and tasted faintly of moss. The Mother’s cookies were of course spot on: crisp, light and with just the barest hints of lemon and coconut.
I did finally figure out that the one unfathomable “Brand X” cookie at the top was supposed to be a Gorilla, and that I had turned it the wrong way. Since Gorillas are in fact traditionally included in the “circus animal” phylum, I suppose I can give them the benefit of the doubt on that one.
What shocked me the most, though, was the discovery that “Brand X” is also owned by Kellogg’s. In sum, Kellogg’s owns two different lines of cookies competing for the same market. To me, that’s sort of like selling a Lexus on the same showroom floor as a used Pacer. Whatever.
I’m just glad they’re back. Don’t be surprised if you can’t find any at your store though. I think I might have them all here.
the mother's brand seems to be of a hippo and a camel. What circus did they come from?
Glad you are getting your cookie fix on.
Mother's cookies has the grandfather clause; whatever they decide to include in the "circus animal" lineup is fine with me. Penguins, Sloths, Pleurodons, I don't care. They got chops.
The brand X cookies were just gross. The Mothers cookies were soooo delicious with the exception of a few fails. We found a few of the cookies without sprinkles. I haven’t seen the holiday Circus Animal cookies yet. Remember the red, white and blue cookies???
The holiday cookies! Good point. We should see those coming out soon, unless Kellogg's has decided not to pick up that option.
Ok, now I'm hungry. If Kellogg's makes them, I'm sure I can find them in my grocery store. And would you believe I've never had a Mother's cookie? Alas, my "diet" has been lacking. As soon as it cools off a bit, I'll be searching for these cookies.
Apparently MichaelsMommy likes these cookies? What's the verdict from Michael and his sisters?
@surprised — you've NEVER HAD ONE??????!!!!!!! These are only the greatest cookies ever to grace God's green earth! Even above Oreos and Famous Amos chocolate chip! You must RUN, not walk to the nearest grocery and obtain a bag for yourself.
To answer your question: Michael loves them, his sisters love them. Hands down, without question.
Oh, I love those cookies. The Mother's brand, of course. I could buy a bag and eat the entire thing, I think. I haven't bought them in so long, I didn't know they weren't on the market for a while. Eating an entire bag in one sitting made me think it was a food choice I should let go of…but I may have to revisit after reading this. I can already taste that yummy, thick-frosted, heavily-sprinkled cookie melting in my mouth!
@BabyNews — we had to limit ourselves to a bag per month, after our little 5-bag spree. The "locusts" (teenagers) living here made short work of those.
The top, icky one seems to be an alligator howling at the moon.
This post made me laugh; the same thing happens every year here at our house, with Cadbury eggs and Hershey candy-coated chocolate eggs. I'm gaining weight just thinking about it.
I'll have to look and see if we have them here. I don't think I've ever seen anything but a "Brand X"
That poor, poor, pink elephant and his lonely sprinkles. I think my 3 year old daughter could manage to turn out better quality than that!
@Melisa — oh, that wonderful Easter candy. I'm glad it's not off-limits at your house! Chocolate's not really a religious factor anyway; it's an ecumenical candy.
@OhCaptain — look hard, and peel your eyes for the purple and red circus striped bag. Accept no substitutes.
@Scott — It looked more like the tiny buckshot they used to bring the poor beast down.