13 Pop-Tart Flavors, Ranked Worst To Best

Pop-Tarts have been an acceptable and celebrated breakfast cop-out for decades. If you grew up in the '80s, Pop-Tarts were it. They still are. The divisiveness of what reigns supreme between consuming them toasted or straight from the pack is palpable. This nostalgic toaster pastry has stood the test of time and continues to innovate, regularly launching new flavors. Gone are the days where you only had a few to choose from.

Many trending flavors have made it into a Pop-Tart box, catering to a wide audience. Grocery displays are impressively filled with rows on rows on rows of Pop-Tart flavors, from basic to extra. It's a delicious spectrum that exists today all because a visionary at Kellogg's had the idea to riff on the classic breakfast jam on toast, and make it portable. Since that creative genius moment in the '60s, the brand has released around 100 flavors, although some Pop-Tarts flavors have been discontinued, too.

They are the GOAT of quick or on-the-go breakfasts and make the perfect snack, too. Join me on a gluttonous expedition to rank 13 Pop-Tart flavors worst to best. I will give it to you straight about winners and which do not deserve your time. As a Pop-Tart purist, I tasted all of them in their natural form, right out of the package (as did my family that demanded to participate in my rigorous research).

No. Absolutely not. I am actually offended by this one. If you're wondering how much a boost of protein can destroy the flavor of a true classic, it's a lot. The protein Pop-tart may look similar to the original with its multicolored specks and minimalistic white frosting, but the taste is off-putting and weird. The promise of 10 grams of protein per serving is just not worth it.

It tastes the way vitamins smell. That's the best way I can describe it and create any sort of relatable reference point. The strawberry flavor is not in fact slammin' because it's drowned out by whatever protein source is added to the recipe. If you can get past the taste (which would make me question any of your food recs in perpetuity), the other bad news is that it also tastes mildly stale. While I hate putting down any Pop-Tart, this one is a bad move. A for effort to capitalize on everyone all of a sudden being into protein full-throttle, but using a Pop-Tart as a vessel ain't it. Protein-packed breakfasts and snacks are totally in the limelight, but go eat some cottage cheese or grilled chicken and leave the Pop-Tarts out of it.

I was really looking forward to these because I have a deep-rooted love for Girl Scout cookies, especially the ones that inspired this Pop-Tart flavor. Unfortunately, the disappointment set in seconds after the Pop-Tart hit my taste buds. It claims to have a coconut caramel flavor, but all I tasted was caramel and it was not great. The caramel notes were aggressive and had a weird aftertaste. I took another bite before deciding, in case I was the problem. I was right the first time. The aesthetics of this variety are on point. The loopy swirl of chocolate frosting on top of the shiny caramel colored frosting looks delicious. The flavor does not match and I feel like I was catfished by this Pop-Tart, honestly.

It tastes nothing like Girl Scouts Caramel deLight cookies (aka Samoas) but even if you take that out of the conversation, the odd caramel essence isn't good either. Adding insult to injury, there is absolutely no sign of coconut to be found. It pains me to say this as a long-time lover of Girl Scouts Samoas, but skipping these is a good idea unless you want to suffer a let-down. They weren't as horrible as Pop-Tart's foray into protein, but they're not far behind either.

Before I am met with disdain and pitchforks for ranking this one so low, hear me out. I adore a hot fudge sundae (which was also Marilyn Monroe's favorite dessert). The ice cream, hot fudge, toppings, and whipped cream are absolutely a dessert slam dunk. I also love that Pop-Tarts took the sundae and ran with it. Here comes the "but". Pop-Tarts are small. There's only so much real estate to encapsulate an entire dessert with as many layers and intricacies as a sundae. I think with Pop-Tarts you can only go so wild before it just becomes a generic sugary mish-mosh with no clear direction. That's what the Frosted Hot Fudge Sundae is for me.

It looks enticing with the white frosting covered in color sprinkles and a nice chocolate loop-the-loop pattern. The taste is not bad, it just doesn't give sundae vibes.There's too much going on for it to taste like anything specific. I wouldn't pass on it, but it also wouldn't be at the top of my list. My husband and kids love this one so perhaps I am in the minority, but I stand by the fact that it's trying too hard to be a hot fudge sundae.

The Frosted Chocolate Fudge Pop-Tart is a classic. The chocolate shell is a tasty deviation from the traditional crust. The fudge frosting does exactly what you would expect of it. It's sweet but not too sweet, and finished off with tiny little white sprinkles, which slightly enhance the texture. It's a solid Pop-Tart choice even though it's not fancy. In the olden days, it was just what the chocoholics ordered as a nice break from the OG Strawberry. 

My biggest note would be that it needs more frosting. Most of them do, though. I don't know what is going on in the Pop-Tart assembly line but it looks like the frosting machine skips out before it finishes the job. Overall it's exactly what you'd expect a chocolate Pop-Tart to taste like. The Frosted Chocolate Fudge Pop-Tart is like the employee with 30 years under their belt who coasts along at a status quo pace. They're dependable, consistent, and you know exactly what to expect, but they'll probably never go out of their way to knock your socks off during a sales pitch.

Not bad, Pop-Tarts. I see what you did here. Chocolate chip cookie dough is a love language. Whether you lick the spoon, eat it straight from the tube, or have the civility to wait for cookies to bake, cookie dough is a lifestyle. I am fully subscribed to that lifestyle, and was eager to sink my teeth into this one. I liked it. My biggest gripes with the Frosted Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Pop-Tart are that it's a little bit too sweet, and I wish the cookie dough filling tasted more like actual cookie dough. 

The chocolate frosting and vanilla drizzle is standard. It's the right flavor trajectory, but would be better if there was just a little more enthusiasm. While it's foolish to think anything can taste as heavenly as time-honored chocolate chip cookie dough, I'm not mad at Pop-Tart's attempt. This flavor is good in a pinch to adequately fulfill a cookie-dough-esque craving. It's just missing a little oomph.

This is also one that my family loves much more than I do. Since anything even remotely related to an Oreo is automatically a fan favorite in my house, I'm not surprised. It's another chocolate crust Pop-Tart and it's perfectly styled, paying homage to the whole cookies and crème aesthetic. White icing with tiny crunchy cookie pieces adorns the top. The flavor is fine, but the sweetness could be tamed a little. One too many bites results in the kind of sweet that zaps your molars when it hits.

There's no way I could take down the pair of Pop-Tarts without feeling like my teeth were going to disintegrate. One pastry was more than enough. Despite the sugar high, it was close enough to the conventional notes of cookies and cream to decipher what Pop-Tarts intended to do. If you had to guess the flavor on taste alone without seeing it first, you could totally get it.

Similar to its strawberry cousin, the Frosted Blueberry Pop-Tart is textbook and cherished by toaster pastry fans everywhere. The thin layer of filling has the anticipated blueberry tang, and it does not disappoint. The frosting sitch is quality and par for the course with a legendary Pop-Tart flavor. This is one of the purest forms of the Pop Tart — it's downright wholesome.

If you prefer the fruity flavors to other varieties of Pop Tarts, this one is right up your alley. It's sweet and traditional with the signature Pop-Tart frosting look, and probably toward the top of the list for the more classic figures in Pop-Tart history. If you're looking for a slight deviation to a morning blueberry muffin, she is cute with her perfectly speckled cloak. You can't go wrong, and what you see is what you get — there are no surprises or curve balls. It's predictable and comfortable, like your favorite pair of worn-in jeans.

I have a lot of strong feelings about the Frosted Chocolate Chip Pop-Tart. Let's start with the crust. It's packed with chocolate chips, and it's delicious. It reminds me of the little flower-shaped chocolate chip cookies with the hole in the middle that your kindergarten teacher gave out during snack time. I don't know if that's too niche, but if you know what I'm talking about, you'll get it. The frosting could use some editing. There's a single chaotic swirl of chocolate smattered across the pastry, and I feel like it could benefit from a heavier-handed display in that department. The chocolate filling is ordinary at best — nothing more, nothing less.

I have an idea if anyone from Pop-Tart's corporate team is reading this: What if you took the filling from the Cookie Dough Pop-Tart and filled the chocolate chip shell with that instead? I don't want to be presumptuous, but I feel like that would really make this one shine and boost its ranking. Making this tweak would do big things for those who share my level of enthusiasm about cookie dough-themed treats.

Still reeling from the heartbreak of the Girl Scouts Coconut Caramel debacle, I mentally lowered my expectations for this one. Nobody should have to relive that kind of despair. I braced myself before my first bite and hoped for the best. I'm happy to report that my personal favorite Girl Scouts staple was much more successful on every level. It had the soul of that signature thin mint taste. Any Girl Scouts Thin Mints devotee would be satisfied with Pop Tart's translation of the famous cookie. 

The flavor is a tad too muted, and unleashing it would be an improvement. The Girl Scouts Thin Mints Pop-Tart needs a little more drama to hit the mark. Initially, I thought the chocolate shell and chocolate filling would be too much, but it was surprisingly mild. The sweetness level is respectable, and I would have it again, but it wouldn't be my first choice. It's good, but in this pastry race good is not enough to take you to the finish line.

What a nice surprise this Pop-Tart is. Lemon Blueberry is a very specific flavor palate and it may not be for everyone, but it's indisputably for me. I have to say that Pop-Tart's hit the bakery-inspired bullseye with this one. Immediately out of the foil, there's a delightful smell, and it's almost like you know exactly what it's going to taste like from one whiff.

If you close your eyes and inhale, it would be easy to believe you were standing in line for a pastry straight out of a cute little bakery. Thankfully, the first bite was not anticlimactic and lived up to the hype. Admittedly some of the Pop-Tarts come off too sugary, but the co-mingling of lemon and blueberry is heavenly. Plain and simple, Frosted Lemon Blueberry Crumble is a top notch Pop-Tart flavor. As a super-fan of the flavor combination, I appreciated the commitment to deliver on this one.

The Frosted Brown Sugar Pop-Tart is a first string player. It's unpretentious-looking compared to some of the more intricate flavors with flashy exteriors. In this case, less is more, and the sheer simplicity of the whole execution is what makes it so terrific. I call her old faithful, because she is delectable and never disappoints. This is one variety of Pop-Tart that will always remain active in my roster.

While most Pop-Tart flavors only go up in points when heated, the Frosted Brown Sugar is excellent at its natural room temperature factory setting. The notes of brown sugar and cinnamon are precise and authentic. It may just be one of the most perfect Pop-Tart bites. Also, I'm pretty sure this was the gateway to my brown sugar shaken espresso habit. The understated frosting is great and pairs well with the dreamy, balanced filling. Frosted Brown Sugar almost took second place in my rankings, but there was a twist even I wasn't expecting — and it changed the rankings instantly.

I would do some questionable things for a good cinnamon roll. Often thrown into breakfast territory, it's such a valid dessert, too. When it's done right, it's the addictive saccharine boost you need in your life. I'm not saying a proper cinnamon roll can fix your problems. However, it can easily rival many other desserts and should not be overlooked. Same goes for the Frosted Cinnamon Roll Pop-Tart. Therefore, I would like to take this moment to personally thank Pop-Tarts for this unexpected gift.

First, it totally succeeds in mimicking that quintessential cinnamon roll flavor. I don't know how it does it, but right down to the whisper of cream cheese icing, this is gold standard energy. It's so good I would gladly eat both pastries in the package with no regrets. If you want to kick things up a notch and channel some of the ooey-gooey aura that cinnamon roll fans live for, toast this one up. I feel comfortable allowing the Frosted Cinnamon Roll Pop-Tart to sit next to my front-runner. She earned it.

I'm about to make a bold statement. Frosted S'mores is the best Pop-Tart iteration of them all, and I don't care what anyone else says. If you disagree with this crown jewel of the Pop-Tart lineage sitting in her throne, you are wrong. It's quite literally the perfect little toaster pastry, and it deserves to be celebrated and honored. The frosting-to-crust ratio is more even than its Pop-Tart siblings. Don't even get me started on the filling: I don't know what sorcery the company uses, but it's different from the others. 

Is it because there are two separate flavors in alternating rows? Is it the magic of the marshmallow part of the concoction that feels more billowy than other fillings? Maybe both, who knows. S'mores is a masterclass in Pop-Tart's ability to pay homage to a sweet treat in the best way. These are delicious cold, and extra-delightful warmed up — you can even give Pop-Tarts the air fryer treatment if you prefer. It's one of the only flavors that tastes superior at either temperature. I went into this exercise with an open mind, but in my gut I knew S'mores would take it all. She's an icon, and earned this win.

All 13 varieties of Pop-Tarts were ranked according to criteria such as flavor, sweetness, and how authentic they tasted compared to whichever treat they are meant to replicate. I tasted all of them right from the box, without heating, to create a level playing field for fair comparison.