Category: Reviews

REVIEW: Krispy Kreme Original Filled Doughnuts

Sean 2 Comments

Krispy Kreme Original Filled Doughnuts

What are Krispy Kreme Original Filled Doughnuts?

Krispy Kreme’s iconic Original Glazed Doughnut FILLED for the first time ever with either classic White or Chocolate Kreme.

How are they?

I love the Krispy Kreme Original Glazed, so I went into this with pretty high expectations, and I’m happy to report that those expectations were met.

Krispy Kreme Original Filled Doughnuts White

Most people with common sense and taste buds keen on sugary splendor understand the simplistic power of the light and airy Original Glazed, and all of that precision is on display with this new iteration. KK’s Kreme filling is another one of my favorite offerings from them so if you combine it with its already established OG it’s downright sweet deliciousness.

I akin the White Kreme filling to a slightly fancier version of the white stuff you’ll find inside of a Twinkie, but what’s on the outside is much more refined so the Kreme is even more welcomed in the oddest of trashy perfection. There’s a slight vanilla note to the filling but it’s mostly sweet with a creamy squishy texture that’s awesome against the subtle crack of the hardened glaze.

Krispy Kreme Original Filled Doughnuts Chocolate

The Chocolate Kreme version is equally good, with a bit more contrast that edges towards dominance over the gentler flavor of the glaze. The filling tastes a lot like jarred cake frosting, and I love it. Only a hint of bitterness makes its way through and I’m reminded of some kind of inside out cupcake that bursts with an absolutely satisfactory amount of chocolaty bliss.

Is there anything else you should know?

It’s hard to say how these could be much improved. Maybe a touch of crunch on top to a give a bit more of a textural pop? I hope that this is just the beginning of the OG filled saga that finds its way to peanut butter and caramel and lemon and quite frankly any creamy filling Krispy Kreme wants to bless us with.

Conclusion:

These are terrific. Bursting with filling, topped with a cute little drizzle squiggle, and absolutely on par with the quality I’ve come to expect from Krispy Kreme.

Purchased Price: $1.89 (each)
Size: One doughnut
Purchased at: Krispy Kreme
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: Original – 280 calories, 15 grams of total fat, 7 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 20 milligrams of cholesterol, 105 milligrams of sodium, 34 grams of total carbohydrates, 0 grams of dietary fiber, 21 grams of sugar, and 3 grams of protein. Chocolate – 280 calories, 15 grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat, 0 gram of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 115 milligrams of sodium, 34 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 20 grams of sugar, and 3 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Dunkin’ Kit Kat Coolatta

Vin 2 Comments

Dunkin Kit Kat Coolatta

Dunkin’ Donuts Coolattas have had a big impact on my life.

I realize that’s a ridiculous sentence to write, but it’s true. They started me down a lifelong path of coffee addiction. I consider them my caffeine gateway drug because I hated the taste of coffee before I tried a Coolatta as a kid.

Before I officially acquired the taste for less sugary “adult” coffee drinks, I was hooked on Coolattas and Frappuccinos in my teens.

It wasn’t just coffee either, every time a new Coolatta flavor came out, whether it be some kind of mocha, vanilla, or fruit concoction, I had to try ’em.

So, naturally, when I heard Dunkin’ Donuts was making a Coolatta based on one of my all-time favorite candy bars – Kit Kat – I got nostalgic and knew I had to try it ASAP.

Right out of the gate I was surprised at how many bits of Kit Kat were floating in my cup. The color of the drink itself was actually a welcomed surprise too because I could tell they didn’t bog it down with chocolate syrup. That was my worry. I didn’t want this to just be a generic chocolate drink. I wanted to taste that distinct flavor of the chocolate mixed with the wafers.

I have good news. If you’ve ever wanted a liquid Kit Kat, you can now drink frozen Kit Kats. This Coolatta is legit delicious.

Dunkin Kit Kat Coolatta Bits

It essentially tastes like milk and about 2-3 full Kit Kat sticks tossed in a blender with some ice. You get plenty of little chocolate pieces and soggy wafers (which are better than that sounds) in every slushy sip. Dunkin’ didn’t skimp at all here.

The consistency is something I’ve always liked about Coolattas. They’re not milkshakes or ice cream, and they’re not Slurpees, but they somehow tap into all three. I actually prefer this to say a DQ Blizzard or a McFlurry. I’m also a weirdo who heats ice cream in the microwave for 12 seconds (always 12 for some reason) so take from that what you want.

Dunkin Kit Kat Coolatta Explosion

I loved this. I’m docking it a single point because the last few sips almost choked me to death as it was 75% wet candy bits. Seriously, even when I was done it looked like someone blew up a Kit Kat. There was Kit Kat shrapnel lacing the entire cup.

Dunkin Kit Kat Coolatta Yankees

Actually, my only real complaint was the Yankees logo on the cup.

All that said, this isn’t something I’d recommend starting your day with. It’s definitely not a threat to my typical two morning cups of “just a little half and half” joe, or a cold brew, but I’ll probably go back and try the other new Hershey’s-flavored Coolattas at some point.

Oh, and FYI, a large has over 200 grams of sugar, which is insane, but if you’re in the mood for ice cream or a milkshake, this makes for a pretty damn good alternative.

Purchased Price: $3.39
Size: 14 fl. oz.
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 570 calories, 12 grams of fat, 8 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 15 milligrams of cholesterol, 180 milligrams of sodium, 108 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 101 grams of sugar, and 7 grams of protein.

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REVIEW: Ben & Jerry’s Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert

Marvo 1 Comment

Ben Jerry s Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Non Dairy Frozen Dessert

Ben & Jerry’s Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert is a non-dairy version Ben & Jerry’s iconic Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream. It features vanilla-flavored frozen dessert made from almond milk, gobs of vegan chocolate chip cookie dough, and fudge flakes.

Before stuffing my mouth with a spoonful of it, I thought I would definitely love it. The original dairy version is one of my favorite flavors, I enjoyed the two Ben & Jerry’s Non-Dairy varieties I’ve tried so far (Cinnamon Buns and Chocolate Salted ’n Swirled), and I like the vegan snackable chocolate chip cookie dough bites Ben & Jerry’s offers in bags. But, despite all that, I didn’t love this pint.

The vanilla base is what broke my heart. I can taste the almond milk in it, but its flavor also makes Cool Whip flash in my head. I’m fine with the frozen whipped topping. I won’t say anything bad about it, like it could probably be used as hair product in a pinch. Heck, there have been moments in my life when I ate it like ice cream. But I don’t want my ice cream, er, non-dairy frozen dessert to taste like Cool Whip. There’s something not quite right about that.

Ben Jerry s Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Non Dairy Frozen Dessert Closeup

There’s a good amount of the vegan chocolate chip cookie dough in the pint, but not enough so that every time you dip your spoon into the container you’ll pull out one of those gobs. While there’s a lot, they don’t help improve my opinion of the flavor overall.

As for the fudge flakes, I’m not sure there were any in mine. I don’t know if the fudge in the chewy cookie dough bites are the fudge flakes, but there weren’t any dark brown mix-ins suspended in my pint.

Because the base is made from almond milk and the cookie dough gobs are vegan, this whole pint is vegan. So no animals were harmed or touched in the making of this flavor. Although I imagine some animals were probably petted along the way.

I finished the pint, but that doesn’t reflect of how I truly feel about this non-dairy frozen dessert flavor. Of the three Ben & Jerry’s Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert varieties I’ve tried, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough is, disappointingly, my least favorite so far.

Purchased Price: $3.50 (on sale)
Size: 1 pint
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1/2 cup) 260 calories, 12 grams of fat, 8 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 35 milligrams of sodium, 37 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 25 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: New Coke (2019)

Mike 6 Comments

New Coke 2019

As an older millennial, born in 1985, I never quite know how I should think of the ‘80s. Am I an 80’s kid? On the one hand, I distinctly remember hiding my He-Man themed Slap Bracelet in my Transformers Trapper Keeper because some kid two towns over had allegedly accidentally slit his wrist with one. Further evidence: that Trapper Keeper would later be lugged home in a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles duffle bag and the map on the classroom wall still had an ominous swath of red labeled “USSR” on it.

On the other hand, my ‘90s kids sense of ironic detachment says it’s kinda sad so many of my early memories are dominated by commercial properties. Plus, I only saw The Breakfast Club last week, and still haven’t seen Labyrinth.

Whether I’m a child of the ‘80s or not, there’s one relic from the era that I regret missing: New Coke. The soda always seemed to symbolize something essential about the ‘80s. It’s an updated, new take on a decade’s old classic, ready for the next generation and eager to face a hopeful future. Yet, it failed.

(‘90s kids says, “Dude, it’s just flavored sugar water, get over it and go live an authentic life!”)

Ever ready to capitalize on nostalgic desire, Netflix and Coca-Cola have collaborated on the Stranger Things 1985 Limited Edition Collector’s Pack featuring New Coke. Will trying it fill in some ineffable hole from my childhood? Let’s find out!

According to internet lore, New Coke was actually Coca-Cola’s attempt to replicate Pepsi’s sweeter tasting formula, which performed better in blind taste tests. You can thank my internal internet-obsessed ‘00s teen for that factoid.

New Coke 2019 2

So, this seems like a perfect opportunity to perform a comparison: New Coke vs. Pepsi vs. Coca-Cola Classic.

Before tasting, I gave each a quick sniff. Coke Classic has a very mild scent, with both Pepsi and New Coke being much sharper. As I taste each, this pattern remains. Coke Classic is less sweet, with a rounder flavor. New Coke and Pepsi are sweeter and have a more acidic bite. I can see how Pepsi would perform better in a taste test. It’s also more carbonated, so it’s more exciting to drink in the moment.

A bit more internet research reveals that cola flavor is actually a combination of vanilla, cinnamon, and citrus. The citrus element of Pepsi is supposedly more lemon-forward, with Coke Classic relying more on orange. This unverified and poorly sourced research conforms to what I already thought, and so I will believe it. I would bet the primary differences between New Coke and Coke Classic are that the former is sweeter with more lemon in its cola formulation.

New Coke 2019 3

Additionally, Coke Classic has some caramel flavor that’s lacking in Pepsi. If there’s a difference between New Coke and Pepsi, it’s that New Coke also has some of this caramel flavor.

It turns out there’s a reason they don’t make New Coke anymore. It doesn’t deliver anything that Pepsi doesn’t already, and Coca-Cola Classic is better than both. (Don’t @ me Pepsi fans. 2019 adult me doesn’t need to be dragged through the mud on social media.)

Purchased Price: $19.85 (Included in Stranger Things Collector’s Pack)
Size: 12 fl. oz. can
Purchased at: Cokestore.com
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts:: 160 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 45 milligrams of sodium, 42 grams of carbohydrates (includes 42 grams Added Sugars), 0 grams of fiber, and 0 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Dairy Queen Sour Patch Kids Blizzard

Denis 4 Comments

Dairy Queen Sour Patch Kids Blizzard

When you look at the list of possible Blizzard ingredients on the menu board, which oddly DQ doesn’t really publicize you can use to create a customized creation to your liking, just about everything has been already done between the regular Blizzard menu, Blizzards of the Month, a plethora of seasonal Blizzard menus, plus special Blizzards with movie tie-ins or for the second Tuesday of Lent. DQ has essentially admitted that all the reasonable combinations have been tried, as they tend to recycle some of the same or very similar Blizzards now and then.

Enter the Sour Patch Kids Blizzard, which as far as I can tell after four seconds of online research, is the first time DQ has used these sweet and sour gummies. This latest concoction features vanilla soft serve with Sour Patch Kids Redberry flavor (don’t worry, I didn’t know it was called that either) mixed with Sour Patch Kids Bitz.

The first thing that caught my attention was the smell, which is not something I normally notice or think about with a Blizzard. But this one exudes a fragrant essence of Sour Patch Kids, just like opening a bag of the tasty little fellows.

I’m not sure if the Sour Patch Kids in here were mutilated by the magic Blizzard machine, or if DQ calling them “Bitz” means they were already hacked to pieces before the mixing process. Either way, the pieces of kids are approximately the size of Nerds (which made me pine for the long-deceased Nerds Blizzard of years gone by).

Dairy Queen Sour Patch Kids Blizzard Top

The Bitz in mine didn’t seem to be as large or as plentiful as the promotional photos show, but I might have had a frugal and overzealous mixer. As you might have guessed, the coldness of the ice cream changes the firmness of the Sour Patch Kids a bit. They didn’t have the same soft chewiness you might be accustomed to, but I didn’t find that to be a drawback, and they do pack a sour punch.

The Redberry-flavored soft serve tasted great, like DQ somehow liquified a bag of red Sour Patch Kids and infused it into the ice cream. But before they liquefied the poor little kids, DQ apparently removed the sour coating because the ice cream flavor was all sweetness, and it was splendid. As a standalone treat, I’d eat the ice cream part all day (and all night).

Dairy Queen Sour Patch Kids Blizzard Spoon

The kicker is the little chunks of Sour Patch Kids, which of course still have the sour coating and seemed to have a delayed effect on my taste buds. So first you get the sweetness of the Redberry-flavored ice cream, then slowly you experience the sour flavor in your mouth as the Bitz free themselves from their ice cream cocoons, and then finally you get the sweetness again when you get to the gummy part of the Sour Patch Kids.

Sometimes you don’t know how much you wanted something until you see it, or in this case, taste it. Of all the possible things that can be thrown into a Blizzard, I’m not sure I would have thought of Sour Patch Kids. But I’m glad the Blizzard wizards at DQ gave it a try because it’s a winner in my book and a nice change of pace from some other recent Blizzards that always seem to revolve around chocolate, Oreo, or Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. Since Sour Patch Kids are not a regular DQ menu item, this one figures to be gone for good after July. You have been warned.

Purchased Price: $3.79
Size: Small
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (Small) 660 calories, 24 grams of fat, 11 grams of saturated fat, 1 gram of trans fat, 50 milligrams of cholesterol, 190 milligrams of sodium, 82 grams of carbohydrates, -1 grams of dietary fiber*, 86 grams of sugar, and 12 grams of protein.

*The DQ website inexplicably lists a negative amount of dietary fiber. I’m no mathematician or nutritionist, but that seems to be impossible on many levels.

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