Hydrox is the brand name for a creme-filled chocolate sandwich cookie that debuted in 1908 and was manufactured by Sunshine (later Sunshine Biscuits). Its name was formed from the atomic elements which make up pure water: hydrogen and oxygen.[1] Some accounts report the Oreo—introduced later, in 1912—was inspired by the Hydrox, yet Hydrox suffered from the impression of being a knockoff. Compared to the Oreo, the Hydrox had a "tangy, less-sweet filling" and a crunchier cookie that stood up better in milk.[2]
Sunshine Biscuits was purchased by Keebler in 1996, and in 1999, Keebler replaced Hydrox with a similar but reformulated product named Droxies.[1] Keebler was later acquired by Kellogg's in 2001. Kellogg's removed Droxies from the market in 2003. Kellogg's now markets a chocolate sandwich cookie under the Famous Amos brand. Kellogg's says the Hydrox recipe is unique.[2]
On the cookie's 100th anniversary, Kellogg's resumed distribution of Hydrox under the Sunshine label, with the first batches shipped in late August 2008. Hydrox aficionados had bombarded Kellogg's with thousands of phone calls and an on-line petition asking that production resume. The recipe was slightly altered from the original; trans-fats were removed.[3] The cookies were to be available nationally for a limited time, and less than a year later Kellogg's had removed Hydrox from their web site.
The Carvel ice-cream franchise still sells ice-cream goods manufactured with "Hydrox" cookie crumbs. Carvel used the cookies' all-kosher status as a selling point as the original Oreo recipe used lard.[2] The cookies are not specifically mentioned by name on the Carvel website, but they are identified as hydrox (lower-case 'h') on the in-store posters.[4]
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