This came out last year as part of the Lay’s Flavor Swap line, but I heard, due to running out of ingredients, it was difficult to find. So if you weren’t able to find it last year, you’ll have an easier time this year, if you have a Sam’s Club membership. Not sure if it’ll be available at other retailers. (Spotted by Robbie at Sam’s Club.)
Frito-Lay seems to be slacking.
(Drops mic)
Well, if I’m on the company’s holiday card mailing list, I’m definitely off it now. Or maybe I’ll be on a different list that’ll get lumps of caked Flamin’ Hot seasoning.
Why do I think they’re slacking?
Well, recently, they seem to be slightly tweaking flavors that already exist. The Doritos Tangy Tamarind I reviewed the other day tastes like a less spicy version of Doritos Flamin’ Hot Limon. And after eating these Doritos Twisted Southwest Ranch, my taste buds think they’ve been eating a significantly less hot version of the Doritos Flamin’ Hot Cool Ranch that came out early this year. I guess you could say this new flavor is a Smolderin’ Warm Cool Ranch Doritos, if you will.
Doritos Twisted Southwest Ranch is currently a Sam’s Club exclusive in a pillow-sized 19.375-ounce bag. While looking to see if my local Sam’s Club had this in stock (it didn’t), I noticed a review for it that said there’s no ranch flavor and another that said it was gross. However, much like the Doritos Flamin’ Hot Cool Ranch, I thought the ranch seasoning sticks out the most. While it may not have the trademarked “Cool Ranch” in its name, it could be mistaken as a Cool Ranch cousin.
But along with the ranch’s tang, there’s an added sour cream tanginess that’s surprising. It was odd at first, but then it grew on me. Also, a faint sweetness comes from the brown sugar in the seasoning. According to the back of the bag, these chips have a “desert heat with a tangy twist.” So I guess that added tang on top of the ranch is the “twisted” part.
Or maybe the “twisted” part is that even though there’s fire on the packaging, the heat is paltry. The warmth from the chips is the equivalent to what you’d get from standing in front of your TV while Netflix’s Fireplace For Your Home plays on it.
Overall, Doritos Twisted Southwest Ranch is a chip I’m willing to eat 19.375 ounces of. But I think that extra tanginess, sweetness, lack of heat, or a combination of the three might turn off other taste buds. My wife grimaced the first time she tried a chip, but after eating a few more she admitted the flavor grew on her. Your amount of grimacing may vary.
Purchased Price: More than one should pay on eBay*
Size: 19.375 oz bag
Purchased at: eBay
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (about 12 chips) 150 calories, 7 grams of fat, 1 gram of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 190 milligrams of sodium, 17 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 1 gram of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.
From what I can tell after spending 30 seconds on Google is that this cherry flavor has been available in Canada, but it’s the first time it’s been in the US. (Spotted by Josh G at 7-Eleven.)
There’s also a Tropical Punch flavor. I mean, OH YEAH! There’s also a Tropical Punch flavor. (Spotted by Robbie at Walmart.)
Little Debbie’s Snickerdoodle Crème Pie is the newest addition to the product line that includes the classic Oatmeal Crème Pie, beloved by kids and former kids alike. Will these Crème Pies earn a place next to the adored oatmeal variety?
The Snickerdoodle Crème Pie is made of two cookies with vanilla crème sandwiched in between. It’s a simple snack, but sometimes the simplest things can be the best.
In this case, it’s just kind of boring. The cookies are soft, cakey, and moderately sweet with cinnamon flavor but lack anything to make them stand out. They’re not rolled in cinnamon sugar like a normal snickerdoodle but have cinnamon bits that add textural interest. They’re unevenly distributed, though, being completely absent from some cookies. The vanilla crème is inoffensive when eaten with the cookies but also doesn’t bring much excitement. When eaten alone, it leaves a waxy residue, like bad cake frosting.
I was shocked at how tiny these are. The Oatmeal Crème Pies I eat are much larger, and it sent me down Google hole to find out what was going on. It turns out there are actually two Oatmeal Crème Pie sizes commonly available. The large is often marked for individual sale and seen in convenience stores, and the smaller can be seen in multipacks at grocery stores. The Snickerdoodle Crème Pies seem even smaller than those. What I’m saying is that if your preferred size is the Triple Decker Oatmeal Crème Pie, you should plan on eating several of these.
These are serviceable yet unremarkable cookies. Those who love snickerdoodle cookies might love them, but others will probably find them unexciting.
Purchased Price: $2.29
Size: 9.57 oz/8 pack
Rating: 4 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 cookie) 150 calories, 5 grams of fat, 2.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 mg milligrams of cholesterol, 95 milligrams of sodium, 24 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 14 grams of sugar (including 14 grams of added sugars), and 1 gram of protein.
