Tag: Candy

REVIEW: Reese’s JUMBO Cup

Julie 6 Comments

In addition to an excuse to buy more chocolate, the new Reese’s JUMBO Cup has given me the opportunity to brush up on elementary school math and vocabulary.

The JUMBO Cup is Reese’s latest experiment with size, this time expanding its classic peanut butter cup to a 2.8-ounce confection. This weight is equivalent to four original size peanut butter cups, a King Size package.

JUMBO is an appropriate adjective to use because this thing is bigger than Big. (Literally—a Big Cup weighs in at 1.4 ounces each. Also, think of all the other adjectives Reese’s may have in store for us. I like to imagine a Reese’s Vast Cup as a Reese’s Thin the size of a dinner plate.) For visual comparison, I purchased a JUMBO Cup and a pack of original size cups.

The JUMBO Cup is shaped like the original cup, as compared to the comparatively tall Big Cup or squat Minis. With a diameter of about 2.75 inches and a height of one inch, it’s just smaller than a hockey puck. The cup comes in its own little tray, both to protect the cup and to set it on a pedestal as though it has won a race. The chocolate shell is heavy and solid, which, along with the side seam running along the outside of the cup, gives it a well-molded appearance.

The chocolate and peanut butter here are classic Reese’s, as familiar and delicious as ever. The JUMBO Cup has a thicker base and top layer of chocolate. This chocolate is not thin and pliable enough to get stuck on the wrapper, but it’s not too thick either. The perfect peanut butter-to-chocolate ratio is a very personal preference, and this JUMBO Cup only raises more opportunities for discourse. I suspect peanut butter lovers will want to stick with Big Cups or the seasonal shapes. Those who prefer equal parts chocolate and peanut butter (or give chocolate a slight edge) will find the JUMBO Cup to be a super-sized treat.

While the JUMBO Cup is impractical for me in that I can’t eat it in one sitting, I won’t fault it for this in my rating. Yes, one benefit of smaller Reese’s products is the ability to enjoy conveniently portioned packages. However, there is something equally satisfying about carefully cutting a JUMBO Cup into slices and pretending that I’m sharing dessert with a cadre of gnomes. This novelty may fade, but Reese’s assures that my range of peanut buttery choices never will.

Ultimately, Reese’s JUMBO Cup is just that, a really big Reese’s cup. That means more of the chocolate and peanut butter that I love. No complaints here.

Purchased Price: $2.99
Size: 2.8 oz
Purchased at: Walgreens
Rating: 10 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 400 calories, 23 grams of fat, 8 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 240 milligrams of sodium, 46 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 42 grams of sugar, and 8 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Kit Kat Pink Lemonade

Julie Leave a comment

If all squares are rectangles, but not all rectangles are squares. . . . does that mean all strawberry lemonade is pink, but not all pink lemonade is strawberry?

Based on my collective understanding of geometry, the color wheel, and fruit, the answer is, “Yeah, sure.”

Luckily, Kit Kat takes a decided stance on what makes pink lemonade pink with its candy creme interpretation of the classic summer beverage. Kit Kat Pink Lemonade, a limited edition summer release, is described by the brand as “classic, crisp wafers wrapped in a pink lemonade flavored creme — this new flavor delivers a refreshing taste experience with unexpected hints of strawberry.”

The combination of strawberry and lemon in a Kit Kat sounded berry good to me. While the Lemon Crisp variety is one of my favorite Kit Kats, I worried that Kit Kat Pink Lemonade would be the very same flavor dressed up in a pink costume.

When I found a package of snack size bars at Walmart, I needed to quench the thirst of my curiosity. First impressions: The candy smells, for lack of a better word, pink—like pink Starburst or strawberry lip gloss. The creme coating is visually appealing, the perfect shade of creamy pink usually reserved for Valentine’s Day.

On first taste, I double-checked the packaging to be sure I hadn’t picked up a Valentine’s Day castoff that had been clinging to the shelves since February. The flavor was primarily strawberries and cream. Contrary to my fear of a Lemon Crisp clone, this Kit Kat reminded me more of Strawberry Ice Cream Cone Hershey Kisses, another summer offering. Both products have a strawberry milk vibe that is not too artificial and carries the creme’s sweetness well.

The lemon was hard to detect. At first, I thought the creaminess of the base might be hiding the flavor. I tasted the Kit Kats several times over the course of three days, and it has taken me that long to concede: there is some lemony tang in the aftertaste. It’s a zesty finish, if you will, like a drizzle of lemon juice on a strawberry shortcake.

I anticipate the comments section filling with disbelief: “You fool! These bars are dripping with zest!” “Thanks to Kit Kat, my mouth is in a permanent state of pucker!” “IDK, they taste like lemonade to me.”

If anyone’s experience does reflect my imaginings, I’ll eat my hat (as a palate cleanser before testing yet another Kit Kat Pink Lemonade). Until then, the Kit Kat Pink Lemonade bar is a familiar, fruity take on a summer favorite—just not the one you’re expecting.

Purchased Price: $2.37
Size: 5.88 oz package (contains twelve .49 oz snack size bars)
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (per 2 bars) 150 calories, 8 grams of fat, 5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 20 milligrams of sodium, 18 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 14 grams of sugar, and 1 gram of protein.

REVIEW: Reese’s Cluster Bites

Tiffany 4 Comments

Reese’s is the elite, the S-tier. So, when it came out with its new Cluster Bites, I was immediately intrigued. All its new items have been pretty fire so far, from the DiPPeD line to the Big Cups with various inclusions.

While the name itself is a mashup of the now-discontinued Reese’s Bites and the current Reese’s Clusters, the offering is a bit different from both. It touts “creamy peanut butter, gooey caramel and crunchy peanuts, all covered in smooth milk chocolate.” So, unlike the clusters, there are no pecans! But honestly, it may have benefitted from it.

I ripped open the bag to find bigger clusters than expected. I thought it would be smaller because of the bites part of the name. For once, the food itself actually matched the size of the picture on the bag!

Unlike a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, it smelled more like peanut butter. But, it was its texture that shook me. It was quite a different eating experience compared to a Reese’s cup, which has that distinct texture of the thin chocolate snapping under the pressure of your teeth. Instead, these clusters were soft and squishy, particularly because of the caramel. The texture primarily came from the whole peanut rather than tempered chocolate. Its flavor was like eating a softer, smaller nougat-less Snickers bar. Meh.

All good things come to an end, including Reese’s streak of fire innovations. This was just OK, but maybe it’s because Reese’s other new items have been so good that they set the bar way too high.

I will say that the new Cluster Bites are indeed more “snackable,” and I can appreciate the volume. I can eat many without feeling as guilty or full as I would if I ate an equivalent number in mini cups or DiPPeD pretzels. Even so, I don’t see this replacing or being added to my weekly Reese’s rotation.

Purchased Price: $4.42
Size: 7 oz pouch
Purchased at: Menard’s
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (4 pieces – 30 grams) – 160 calories, 10 grams of fat, 3.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 45 milligrams of sodium, 16 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 13 grams of sugar (including 11 grams of added sugar), and 3 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Chocolate Frosted Donut Kit Kat

Erin 3 Comments

Certain snacks just lend themselves to being successfully changed up in a multitude of ways without affecting what makes them great in the first place. The humble Kit Kat is a perfect example of this. At its core, it’s just wafers and chocolate; classic and delicious but also beckoning to be dressed up in as many styles as you can think of. Japan knows this and has seen hundreds of variations, but things have been played a little closer to the vest here in America. In the last few years, however, the Hershey factory has gotten more adventurous, and we’ve seen quite a few new takes on the “Give Me a Break” treat. The latest edition is Chocolate Frosted Donut, a permanent addition to the lineup.

The packaging and appearance of these Kit Kats delight me. Like the Duos flavors, this one is two-toned with a tan base and brown chocolate top, neatly mimicking its donut namesake. The smell is sweet and buttery, and while it doesn’t exactly scream “donut” to me, it’s certainly bakery-esque. It leans a little sweeter than a standard chocolate Kit Kat and the “frosted” flavor rings true. If I blindly tasted the bar, I think my guess would have been along the lines of cake and frosting, but obviously not the birthday cake flavor that already exists in Kit Kat form.

When I picture eating a donut, the ring I see myself holding is of the yeast variety, so it’s possible my expectations might have just been a bit off. Perhaps the reason these remind me of cake is because they’re supposed to taste like a cake donut. Maybe instead of screaming “donut,” what they were actually whispering was “duh.” Part of the magic of a freshly made yeast donut is in the fried factor and the airy-chewy texture, both of which would be difficult to replicate in a candy bar so heavily centered around crispy wafers. But there’s nothing wrong with a cake donut, and if I ignore the fried and yeasted aspects I typically associate with donuts, I’m more willing to believe these Kit Kats can call themselves donut-flavored.

Whether or not these truly taste like a donut, they are enjoyable, and I would have no problem eating them again. Unfortunately, they aren’t as delicious, unique, or well-executed as the excellent Blueberry Muffin Kit Kat, so I’m not sure why this one was chosen for permanent status. They’re certainly worth trying and a nice change of pace, but I don’t feel the need to rush out and grab a dozen.

Purchased Price: $2.19
Size: 3 oz (King Size package)
Purchased at: Mariano’s
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (3 fingers – 32 g) 160 calories, 9 grams of total fat, 5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 20 milligrams of sodium, 21 grams of total carbohydrates, 0 grams of dietary fiber, 16 grams of total sugar (including 15 grams of added sugars), and 1 gram of protein.

REVIEW: Reese’s Caramel Big Cup

Julie 4 Comments

While I love The Impulsive Buy for padding my grocery list with fun new items, I also value it as a historical record of all the products I’ve loved before (or never got to try or barely remember).

Digging into the archives reminded me that a Reese’s Caramel Cup once existed circa 2005. But that was then, and now it’s time for an upgrade. After recent varieties filled with such treats as salty snacks, candy pieces, and cereal, Reese’s Big Cup is embracing caramel, that candy bar classic. Combining a layer of caramel with its quintessential peanut butter filling, Reese’s Caramel Big Cup is available in standard or King Size packages.

Knowing what to expect from a standard Big Cup, I was most interested in the caramel element. A slim layer sits at the bottom of the cup, beneath the generous peanut butter core. It’s smooth and loosely textured, but not runny. When I cut the Big Cup in half with a knife, the caramel reminded me of jarred caramel ice cream topping: it is soft enough to coat parts of the blade, but not so thin as to be messy. Yes, I did feel like Sweeney Todd in this moment if he were either very hungry for a sweet treat or just trying his best to transfer his dark urges to something more wholesome.

There seems to be a very thin layer of chocolate separating the peanut butter and caramel, so the two don’t mix together too much. It’s possible to taste them separately. The caramel is sweet, buttery, and soft. You don’t get the chew of a Twix or Snickers caramel here. When all elements combine, the caramel gets a little lost, but it enhances the Big Cup’s sweetness. Overall, the Big Cup tastes like a regular Reese’s, just sweeter. The Big Cup is a good vehicle for caramel because it provides a solid structure to encase what is often a messy ingredient. If the cup had dedicated a tad more space to it, the caramel’s buttery tones might have harmonized more equally with the peanut butter flavor.

Without the historical archives of The Impulsive Buy, I might not remember the Reese’s Caramel Big Cup in ten years’ time. (That Great Gatsby-level of pining is reserved for the Elvis Peanut Butter and Banana Creme Reese’s Cup, thank you very much!) But for now, it’s a nice, slightly sweeter variation that I may pick up next time my sweet tooth goes into overdrive.

Purchased Price: $2.28
Purchased at: Walmart
Size: 2.8 oz (79 g) King Size package
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (per 1 cup) 190 calories, 10 grams of fat, 4.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, less than 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 120 milligrams of sodium, 24 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 22 grams of sugar, and 3 grams of protein.