Berger cookies - those fudgey, fatty delights we can’t resist. 

These things have been around since 1835, when the recipe came to Baltimore from Germany via the Berger brothers. The cookies are now iconic to the area.

Last year, DeBaufre Bakeries, maker of the cookie, made $2.5 million in sales. Not too shabby for a hometown hero. But is the 187 year reign of Berger about to come to an end?

The FDA is proposing a ban on partially hydrogenated oils, a major source of trans fats, that could come into play as early as next year. Margarine, a main ingredient in Berger’s fudgy topping, has plenty of partially hydrogenated oils that have been linked to heart disease. Can’t DeBaufre just make a healthier cookie, free of the fatty margarine?

Apparently, the recipe is hard to break… it seems the margarine gives the cookie it’s extra-irresistible creaminess.

“I just know that when we tried the substitutes, without making any additions ourselves, it tasted nasty” - Charles DeBaufre, owner

What’s next for the cookie?

A healthier substitute? The black market? Or is it bye-bye Berger?

Public health experts have condemned trans fats for a long time, and New York City already banned the oils from restaurants back in 2007.

“The FDA deserves great credit for taking this step, which will help Americans live longer, healthier lives,” Mayor Bloomberg said.

Do you think the FDA ban is a step in the right direction? Let us know.