The “Dorothy’s New Friend” episode of the third season is a fan favorite, and consistently finds its place on top 10 lists. Written by Susan Harris, Robert Bruce, and Martin Weiss, it features some of the most memorable lines of the series, not to mention an unforgettable villain with the likes of Barbara Thorndyke. Hilarious literary references abound, including when Rose confuses Mallomars for a Pulitzer Prize-winning author. Mallomars are actually mentioned twice on the show, the first time being all the way back in the first season when Sophia almost decided to go live with Gloria.

Dorothy: I’m afraid I have some bad news.
Rose: Blanche, I’m afraid I have some bad news.
Blanche: Goodness! I’d better sit down. Dorothy just said she had bad news.
Rose: Oh. Well, since you got here first, you go ahead and tell her first.
Dorothy: No, you go ahead.
Rose: No, really.
Dorothy: I insist.
Rose: You got here first.
Blanche: Girls, please! Will one of you just say something so I can become hysterical, eat a box of Mallomars and get it over with?

The Custody Battle

So what’s the deal with these curious cookies? Some sources say that the Mallomar is a descendant of the s’more and, while the ingredients are similar, this isn’t really true at all. The flødebolle—a small, round, flat cookie topped with a mound of marshmallow and coated in chocolate— was actually invented in Denmark in the 19th century. That makes them Scandinavian in origin! Perhaps that’s why Rose was initially confused about the name, since who knows what they would’ve called them in St. Olaf.

In North America, this type of cookie was first produced and sold in Canada in 1901, where it’s known as a Whippet. More on that Canadian connection in a bit. Many other chocolate-coated marshmallow cookies can be found all over the world, primarily across Europe. The Tunnock’s Tea Cake from Scotland and Choco Mallows in the Philippines are two that closely resemble Mallomars with a flatter, less domed helping of marshmallow filling. Many of the other varieties, like the Schwedenbombe from Austria and the German Schokokuss, feature a taller helping of marshmallow.

Mallomars have been produced by Nabisco and sold in the United States since 1913, which makes 2023 their 110th anniversary. The first box was sold in West Hoboken (now Union City), New Jersey. According to Nabisco they are only available from October through April since the warmer months would cause the chocolate shell to melt during shipment. Perhaps this was true in the past, but these days it’s mostly marketing. Especially since Nabisco makes a similar cookie, Pinwheels, that’s available all year long. In fact, it’s actually Pinwheels that feature the chocolate cookie, so Dorothy was wrong in that case, too! As you’ve probably already noticed, Mallomars use a graham cracker type cookie as the base. And they’re drenched in dark chocolate, which makes them just a touch more decadent. Pinwheels are covered in a thinner layer of milk chocolate, but I digress.

And what of the Canadian connection? As it turns out, Mallomars have always been manufactured in Canada, even though they aren’t sold there. Three million boxes of Mallomars are made exclusively at one Mondelez International food company factory in east Toronto. Another fun connection to the show is that Mallomars are most popular in Dorothy’s home state of New York, particularly in the metropolitan area where eight-five-percent of the cookies are sold. Seventy-percent of the cookies are also distributed in the tri-state region. That’s all starting to sound like the time New Math almost caused the fall of St. Olaf, but you get the idea.

What makes the joke about Mallomars in “Dorothy’s New Friend” stand out so much is that it’s just as memorable as the cookie. It’s such a hilariously clever piece of writing that perfectly highlights the contrast between the uppity Barbara Thorndyke and the tension her presence creates between Dorothy, Rose, and Blanche. Mallomars have also had pop culture moments in When Harry Met Sally and on episodes of the Sopranos, the Simpsons, and The Nanny to name a few.

If you don’t want to eat the whole box yourself consider taking one to work to share. I did, and the whole thing was gone in about two hours! In an age where we can get just about any food or candy we want at the grocery store any time of year, Mallomars remain a special treat with a high nostalgia factor that’s hard to resist. Grab a box (or two, I won’t judge!) before the season is out!