Substitutes
We found another worthy substitute for your pie crusts and cheesecakes.
by: Amanda Hesser
November3,2023
17Comments
Photo by James Ransom
17 Comments
Earlier this year, Nabisco discontinued its Famous Chocolate Wafers, one year short ofthe cookie’s 100th anniversary. Makers of icebox cakes and chocolate crusts were incensed, and you know what happens when a bunch of bakers get outraged? They riot in the streets! They organize sit-ins! They protest their local grocers!
Well, not really, but I wish they did. Bakers are much too practical for that. They lodged complaints on the internet for a few days and then got in their kitchens and angrily figured out substitutes.
One such unhappy baker was my mom, Judy Hesser, who’s been using the chocolate wafers for decades to make her sour cream cheesecake. In the comments of our story on the discontinuation of the wafers, she weighed in: “Since I will no longer be able to obtain the chocolate wafers for the crust of my cheesecake, I shall invent something new and will inform you at that time. Very sad that Nabisco discontinued the chocolate wafers but I will not use Oreos as a replacement, nor will I add cocoa to vanilla wafers.”
Sometimes in the heat of the moment, we say things we don’t mean. Judy tried using Tate’s Double Chocolate Chip Cookies as a substitute, but didn’t like the results. Later, after comparing the ingredient lists of the chocolate wafers to Nabisco’s Nilla Wafers, she realized they were very close in nature, so she ate her words and tried out the Nilla Wafers mixed with some cocoa and butter. The experiment paid off, and she created a chocolate crust worthy of the original. And, as Judy promised, she’s now sharing it with the community.
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See what other Food52 readers are saying.
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jhs
Before starting Food52 with Merrill, I was a food writer and editor at the New York Times. I've written several books, including "Cooking for Mr. Latte" and "The Essential New York Times Cookbook." I played myself in "Julie & Julia" -- hope you didn't blink, or you may have missed the scene! I live in Brooklyn with my husband, Tad, and twins, Walker and Addison.
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17 Comments
Li-Ann December 21, 2023
Vanilla wafers are discontinued in Canada
What recipe can help me out for a wafer crust
Amanda H. December 21, 2023
This recipe! https://food52.com/recipes/89719-judy-hessers-chocolate-crust-minus-nabiscos-famous-chocolate-wafers
TinaSMay November 28, 2023
I, too, was incensed about no more Famous Wafers. Was making a cheesecake for a birthday celebration. I used a reasonable substitute in Dewey's Bakery brownie crisp cookies, which I found in the cookie aisle at my Safeway. The lack the coconut-y flavor of the Famous Wafers, but they worked. On passing in case other bakers are interested. I thought about buying Oreos and scraping out the middle, but the waste bothered me. So, Dewey's got the nod. The cookies actually are very good on their own, too.
Shundak November 16, 2023
When my brother, sister, and I were kids (very young kids as we are in our 30s and 40s now) wow did I mean that? My grandfather was employed at the Nabisco Company located in Illinois as a groundsman and he would be given soooo many different boxes of their products/cookies and he’d come to his hometown here in AR and bring us sooo many pkgs of cookies (of course OREOS and the peanut butter butter cookies were my very favorite. He passed away a couple of years ago and I’m happy to have that memory of my grandpa.
AntoniaJames November 14, 2023
For years I've been using Trader Joe's chocolate cat cookies, blitzed to oblivion in my food processor, to replace the chocolate wafers called for in Melissa Clark's Fudgy Bourbon Balls https://food52.com/recipes/8644-fudgy-bourbon-balls . The cat cookies are considerably denser, and a bit drier, than famous wafers, so I always add an extra splash bourbon to achieve the required consistency. I imagine they'd work fine for a cookie-based crust, perhaps with a bit of extra butter added.
To make gluten-free bourbon balls, I bake up a batch of gluten free chocolate biscotti, leaving out the nuts and chocolate chips. (I use a standard recipe, substituting King Arthur's measure-for-measure blend for the flour.).
I've also made chocolate graham crackers, which have worked well. If taken out of the oven on the early side, so they remain a touch softer than you'd otherwise want them, chocolate graham crackers would work great for the traditional "icebox cake," as my mother called it, made by vertically layering whipped cream and chocolate wafers in a loaf pan. ;o)
jhs November 14, 2023
I didn’t realize Nabisco was discontinuing the chocolate wafers, the kids always loved the chocolate wafers and whipped cream cakes. So last year are used the thin Oreos. I scraped off the cream, but it was a great substitute.!
Carp November 14, 2023
A good substitute for the old Nabisco chocolate wafer cookies is said to be Dewey's Bakery Brownie Crisp cookies. I read about it somewhere online and looked them up. Comes in a pink box with a illustration of a black and white awning at the top of the box. Thereviews sounded promising.
abuttonbox November 15, 2023
Dewey's are Wonderful!! I've used them for crumbs and whole in icebox cakes too. Excellent taste and texture.
Ellebeth November 11, 2023
Oh no! Did not know these cookies had been discontinued. A Christmas tradition was my mother’s Brownie Pie. It wasn’t a brownie and wouldn’t be considered a pie. Crushed chocolate wafers, chopped toasted walnuts mixed into beaten egg whites, baked then topped with whipped cream and shaved chocolate. Not sure if the Nilla wafers and cocoa would be a good substitute but may have to try it.
Laura L. November 11, 2023
Glad to find a substitution for a crust recipe, but how we ever replicate the Famous Wafer Cake, a much beloved special occasion dessert in my household?????
abuttonbox November 15, 2023
Dewey's. Find them on Amazon!
Leslee P. November 10, 2023
What possible reason could there be to discontinue this excellent product?? Essential as an ingredient, dangerously delicious on its own, is Nabisco trying to make the world even worse than it already is? And mboden mentions Zwieback. I hadn’t noticed their absence but that’s a huge loss too - such a distinctive flavor and connection the the past.
Thanks for the recipe to substitute for the wafers.
FrugalCat November 9, 2023
Try chocolate graham crackers or Teddy Grahams.
HalfPint November 8, 2023
I've seen suggestions for substituting with Goya's Chocolate Maria Cookies. Haven't tried them yet, so I don't know if the flavor is comparable (but these biscuits are made in Spain, so it bodes well for the flavor).
mbobden November 5, 2023
Maybe someone can come up with a Zwieback crumbs replacement. This rusk was used as a main ingredient in Greek Walnut cake (Karithopita) as featured in Richard Sax Classic Home Desserts. Subbing melba or breadcrumbs doesn't do the cake justice as the zwieback had the perfect taste for this cake.
Amanda H. November 8, 2023
Sounds like a good challenge!
CorinneCrone November 14, 2023
Fresh Princess rusk recipe on YouTube are the perfect rusks!!!
