Tag: Candy

REVIEW: Milk Chocolate Pumpkin Pie M&M’s

Mark 1 Comment

We live in an era when food companies try to inject pumpkin spice into everything and when Mars introduces multiple unique flavors throughout the seasons. What a time to be alive! (I say that in earnest.)

So, of course, Mars has experimented with pumpkin spice versions of America’s favorite candy-coated chocolate. (Well, at least the country’s favorite candy-coated chocolate that is not shaped like eggs.) M&M’s introduced a Milk Chocolate Pumpkin Spice flavor in 2013, with spice flavors mixed with chocolate. In 2015, it switched to Milk Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Latte, which I never tried. And in 2017, it ditched the milk chocolate and introduced White Pumpkin Pie M&M’s, which stuck around for a few years. That version was my favorite, and I thought it came close to pumpkin pie. The 2024 offering combines the milk chocolate of a decade ago with the “pie” name of 2017.

(True story: I bought the pumpkin spice flavor in 2013 and 2014. Then, in 2019, I found an old package of it in my house that had somehow managed to escape the trash can, and there was one solitary M&M left inside. You better believe I ate it because what kind of a candy reviewer would I be if I didn’t? It wasn’t great after five years, but I didn’t die.)

This new variety is the standard size of M&M’s novelty flavors, and there is no special filling besides the chocolate. It just tastes like chocolate and spices to me. My palate isn’t discerning enough to tell you what spices, but it definitely tastes like fall. I’m reminded of the pumpkin spice hot cocoa I take on September camping trips, and I think of October trail runs among the yellow and red leaves.

Beyond the spices, though, I’m afraid these really have nothing in common with pumpkin pie, texturally or flavor-wise. Nothing reminds me of crust. Nothing reminds me of the squishy, custardy part of pumpkin pie. Nothing reminds me of the namesake squash.

It wouldn’t surprise me if Mars reused the pumpkin spice recipe from 2013 and 2014. But I can’t know for sure because it’s been ten (…or five) years since I had that one.

M&M’s stopped making the White Pumpkin Pie version, and I can’t help but feel like this milk chocolate version is a step backward. It’s hard to complain about chocolate, but Mars promised me pumpkin pie, and it failed to deliver.

Purchased Price: $2.99
Size: 2.47 oz. bag
Purchased at: 7-Eleven
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1/2 pack, 35 grams) 170 calories, 7 grams of fat, 4.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, less than 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 25 milligrams of sodium, 25 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of dietary fiber, 22 grams of sugar including 20 grams of added sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Kit Kat Ghost Toast

Julie 8 Comments

Only a junk food enthusiast will experience an emotional rollercoaster ride upon the release of a new Kit Kat flavor. This time, Kit Kat Ghost Toast, the brand’s newest seasonal Halloween flavor described as “crisp wafers in cinnamon toast flavored creme,” elicited the following reactions, in this order:

  • Delight. Ghost Toast! How cute! It rhymes!
  • Concern. Can ghosts even eat toast? Won’t the crumbs just fall through their hollow bellies directly onto the ground? Is this why they moan and rattle chains? Are they hungry for toasty warm bread they’ll never experience? Since I misplaced my Ouija board, I’ll never know.
  • Relief. On the bright side, Kit Kat has chosen an appealing flavor with whimsical wordplay that is neither overdone (like boo-berry) nor unhinged (imagine a boo-loney or ghoul-ash Kit Kat!).

Sufficiently in spooky mode, I bought a bag of snack size bars from Giant Eagle’s Halloween candy display. From the winking ghost on each wrapper to the candy’s orange-colored creme, these bars are well-dressed for the season. They will make a fun addition to any treat bag or scary movie night.

The Kit Kats may emit a scent reminiscent of a Christmas candle, but their flavor makes up for it. Ghost Toast tastes so much like a dream collaboration between Kit Kat and Cinnamon Toast Crunch that my initial concern swelled to a panic. Is the ghost on the Kit Kat wrapper the spirit of CTC’s former baker mascot, Wendell?

While it may be too late for me, don’t let this conspiracy theory divert you from the Kit Kat’s delicious cinnamon flavor. The cinnamon is strongly concentrated within the crisp wafers, a smart choice to achieve a perfect pairing of taste and texture. One crunchy bite will remind you of cinnamon-sugar toast or cereal.

The creme has some cinnamon flavor, but the familiar sweet, white chocolate-esque taste of Kit Kat’s white creme shines more. Further supporting the Cinnamon Toast Crunch vibe, the cinnamon-tinged creme reminds me of the Cinnadust-infused frosting released by Betty Crocker. Some might find the creme too sweet to be true to the flavor of cinnamon toast, but Kit Kat Departed Soul Iced Cinnamon Roll just doesn’t have the same zing.

Kit Kat Ghost Toast is cinnamon toast meets creamy candy sweetness. The cinnamon in the wafers elevates the cinnamon flavor significantly. It is such a major improvement on the brand’s past cinnamon endeavors (namely the okay-but-forgettable Churro Kit Kat) that you will be shocked not to see Cinnamon Toast Crunch branding on the wrapper. Try it before the season is over—or be haunted by the missed opportunity.

Purchased Price: $4.99
Size: 9.8 oz bag
Purchased at: Giant Eagle
Rating: 9 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 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.