Putting the gingernut debacle to bed

I have purchased a package of Griffins Gingernuts, and have found stark differences between the two brands. Here is a full NBR review of Griffins Brand Gingernut Biscuits.

Funnily enough, both brands list their biscuit as being the "Original" biscuit, and both brands taste almost completely different.

Overall, the Griffins gingernut appears to be more durable than the Arnott's brand biscuit. They are lighter in colour and have less cracks in them to start with, and are thicker and crunchier to the bite.

Dunkability is where it becomes really interesting - I'm not sure the Griffins biscuits are completely dunk-stable after more then 3 seconds immersion in your favourite hot beverage. This is strange given that they appear to be more durable than the Arnott's brand. The effect of dunking is also totally different - Arnott's biscuits become soft and crumbly, while these particular biscuits become almost cake-like in comparison. They are soft and lack crunch. I'm not sure which texture is better. Like the flavour, I guess it's a love it or hate it kind of affair.


Griffins gingernuts, like all gingernut biscuits, are tough. These are probably the toughest you can buy in New Zealand and we do not advise you eat them just by themself, unless you are prepared to committ a good amount of time to munching down on one biscuit. It's doable, but certainly not recommended.

Strangely, I found the flavour of both brands difficult to compare. Griffins biscuits are definitely spicier - less sharply, sugary sweet than Arnott's biscuits. In an attempt to find out why this is, I turned to the back of both packets to investigate their nutritional values, and even stranger still, Griffins biscuits comprise of roughly 44% sugar, while Arnott's ones comprise only 39%. Perhaps it's the spices inside the biscuit that also contribute to their sweetness? Either way, I personally found the ginger taste to be stronger and more full bodied in the Griffins biscuit.

One recommended serving of Griffin's gingernuts includes 2 biscuits totalling a whoppnig 26g as opposed to a much more spartan 17.9g for Arnott's biscuits. The packaging is basically the same, but there are only 20 biscuits per pack in the green corner, and they cost $3.29! The obvious value winner here is Arnott's, but do bear in mind that Griffins Gingernuts come in a double pack as well, which is often on sale at your local supermarket. Something to watch out for.

So for the verdict then...

Durability: 9/10
Dunkability: 9/10
Crumbliness: 4/10
Flavour: 9/10
Price: I found out that $2.50 is the standard price for Arnott's gingernuts, so being $3.29 for only 20 biscuits seems like a rip off in comparison. 7/10

Total: 38/50, high dunkable, very durable

Verdict: It's an old classic, and many of you prefer this brand, but perhaps it's time to give the other side a try and see how they fare in your mouth.