REVIEW: Dunkin’ Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew

/ / Reviews / 1 Comment

Dunkin Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew Tall

What is the Dunkin’ Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew?

Dunkin’s surprisingly tasty way of hammering down the final nail in summer 2021’s coffin.

How is it?

I’ve been on the fence about this whole “sweet cream” kick Dunkin’ has been on recently…until today.

Finally! This is the first time I’ve had any of their various sweet cream toppings that didn’t melt into a viscous goo within two minutes.

The cold brew itself is standard fare, but it’s a style I love around this time of year. I’m usually a “one pump” of pumpkin flavor swirl guy, but special medium-sized drinks always have three. It’s not something I want every morning, but I really didn’t mind it being a little too sweet for my liking. Plus, I think Dunkin’s pumpkin flavor is great because the “spice” is left out.

Dunkin Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew Top

The pumpkin cream is kind of a revelation. I ate a few scoops of it and thought it tasted a little too synthetic at first, but then realized it had a nice light pumpkin pie filling flavor to it. Not only that, I could have been convinced it was spliced with something else. I landed on a vague coconutty taste. While there’s zero indication this is the case, those are two flavor profiles you never get mixed, so I dug it, even if coconut wasn’t technically there.

If this pumpkin cream was sold in a can, I’d probably have that nozzle hovering over my mouth before I even got home.

Anything else you need to know?

The cream is so light and fluffy that it really doesn’t make much sense in watery cold brew. Don’t get me wrong, I liked it a lot, but it just sat there on the top, causing me to mostly eat it on its own as if it was a meringue or something. Once I ultimately gave up and just mixed it into the drink, it didn’t add all that much to the flavor. I think it would probably be more ideal for a frap-style drink.

I also feel like I have to mention that I always use oat milk as my dairy, so my cold brews are always slightly creamier than the rest.

Conclusion:

Dunkin Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew In Hand

This coffee was the first taste of fall I’ve had, so it actually bummed me out a bit. I drank it on a warm, breezy summer day, and while it worked in that setting, I could imagine the crisp cold autumn winds creeping up my neck. I guess it’s time to acknowledge that summer is over. I pretty much use Dunkin’s fall line of products as the gauge anyway.

So, whether you’re a summer dude like me or one of those sweater-loving, Halloween-devoted, and Ugg-thumping Autumn weirdos (I love you all), you can’t really go wrong with a Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew.

Purchased Price: $3.25 (G.O.A.T. Milk is $.25 extra)
Size: Medium
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 210 calories, 2 grams of fat, 0 gram of trans fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 10 milligrams of cholesterol, 120 milligrams of sodium, 42 grams of total carbohydrates, 42 grams of total sugars, 0 grams of fiber, 4 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Little Caesars Crazy Calzony

/ / Reviews / 9 Comments

Little Caesars Crazy Calzony Top

Little Caesars has launched another limited-edition novelty item: the Crazy Calzony. According to Little Caesars, this fusion dish is a pizza with a “calzone-like crust filled with garlic white sauce and cheese.” I’ve been a Little Caesars fan for most of my life, so I felt compelled to try this.

The Crazy Calzony is available in pepperoni or cheese. I opted for the former. The pizza portion of the dish is topped with sliced pepperoni, while the calzone-like crust contains julienne pepperoni.

Upon opening the pizza box, I was struck by the Crazy Calzony’s unique aesthetic. It reminded me of a cross boomerang. The calzone crusts were overflowing with cheese and looked quite appetizing. Its aroma was quintessential Little Caesars, but with a heavier presence of garlic.

The pizza segment of the slices tasted exactly as one would expect. If you’ve had a pepperoni pizza from Little Caesars, you already have a good idea of how this tastes. The foundational pizza crust did seem a little thinner than usual, though.

Little Caesars Crazy Calzony Cheese

Now, onto the most important part: the calzone crust. With my first bite, a strong garlic flavor immediately jumped to the forefront. I love garlic, so it worked well for me, but it may be overbearing for some people.

Beyond the garlic, the creamy cheese stuffing tasted mildly sweet. Its texture and sweetness reminded me of the ricotta that is generally featured in calzones. The Crazy Calzony’s description states that the crust is filled with “garlic white sauce, cheese and julienne pepperoni.” I imagine that if it contained actual ricotta, the description would say so. The garlic white sauce likely mixes with the cheese to create that ricotta-like texture. Either way, it’s totally tasty.

The julienne pepperoni provides a nice textural contrast. Its mild spice helps to cut the creaminess of the cheesy filling and brings balance to the overall presentation.

Little Caesars Crazy Calzony Dip

Dipping the calzone crust into the included Crazy Sauce continued to elevate the flavor. The acid from the tomato sauce helped to further tame the richness. The outside of the crust was dusted with parmesan and had a mild buttery flavor, which immediately reminded me of Crazy Bread. It was cooked to a perfect golden brown and had the slightest crunch, while remaining airy on the inside. As a whole, it was similar to many calzones that I’ve had.

Little Caesars Crazy Calzony Bite

As far as novelty pizza dishes go, the Crazy Calzony is a winner in my book. Little Caesars nailed the calzone aspect, but it makes me wish they would offer standalone calzones. If you already like Little Caesars, it’s a safe bet that you’ll enjoy it as well. If you’re not a Little Caesars devotee, then no amount of craziness in the crust will change that for you.

Purchased Price: $8.49
Size: N/A
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 pizza) 2650 calories, 123 grams of fat, 2.5 grams of trans fat, 50 grams of saturated fat, 245 milligrams of cholesterol, 6010 milligrams of sodium, 256 grams of carbohydrates, 13 grams of fiber, 15 grams of sugar, and 109 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Dairy Queen Pecan Pie Blizzard

/ / Reviews / 5 Comments

Dairy Queen Pecan Pie Blizzard Cup

What is the Dairy Queen Pecan Pie Blizzard?

It’s Thanksgiving in a cup! Actually, it’s the September Blizzard of the Month (sharing the stage with the return of the Pumpkin Pie Blizzard) and part of the fall Blizzard menu, which presumably means it will be available beyond September since most of the month is technically summer. Calendar confusion aside, this is a new offering from Dairy Queen and includes gooey brown sugar pie pieces, crunchy pecans (is there such a thing as non-crunchy pecans?), creamy caramel topping, and vanilla soft serve with whipped topping.

How is it?

Dairy Queen Pecan Pie Blizzard Pie Piece

Remember in grade school when someone would say, “If you love it so much, why don’t you marry it?” The “it” in question could be anything, from a pudding cup to an embarrassed classmate. In this case, let’s say it is the gooey brown sugar pie pieces. Yes, I would marry them, all of them. Just don’t tell my wife. Seriously though, the little square pie pieces in here alone are worth the price of this Blizzard, both monetarily and physically for the higher-than-usual calorie count of this concoction compared to most other varieties.

I had never heard of brown sugar pie prior to this, and now it’s one of my new favorite things. The ingredients are basically flour, eggs, sugar, molasses, caramel, and sugar, which is probably what a kid in grade school would use if you asked one to make a pie, and maybe that’s why it’s so good. The pieces are really more chewy than gooey with a wonderfully satisfying sweet taste and texture, just like pecan pie filling.

Dairy Queen Pecan Pie Blizzard Spoon

Now that I’m done deifying the brown sugar pie pieces, the rest of this is pretty good too. The caramel topping does a great job of adding flavor to the soft serve, and the pecans are just fine. Mine had a few big ones on top for show and a lesser amount mixed into the Blizzard. The pecan flavor was there, but perhaps pushed aside a bit by the pie pieces and caramel. It would have been nice to have a few more pecans in there, but overall it’s hard for me to find much fault with this Blizzard.

Anything else you need to know?

Even if you are not a fan of pecans, I would encourage you to give this a shot, and why wouldn’t you follow the advice of some random guy on the internet? Even if you can’t stand pecans, maybe try getting this without them. It will be worth the strange look you get for ordering a Pecan Pie Blizzard with no pecans.

Conclusion:

Dairy Queen Pecan Pie Blizzard Full

Anything with the words pie and Blizzard in it is likely going to be good, but this was a surprisingly special treat. I hope this one sticks around for a while.

Purchased Price: $4.29
Size: Small
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (Small) 750 calories, 35 grams of fat, 17 grams of saturated fat, 1 gram of trans fat, 65 milligrams of cholesterol, 350 milligrams of sodium, 97 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of dietary fiber, 76 grams of sugar, and 15 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Taco Bell Crispy Chicken Sandwich Taco

/ / Reviews / 9 Comments

Taco Bell Crispy Chicken Sandwich Taco Both

What are the Taco Bell Crispy Chicken Sandwich Tacos?

The new “sandwiches” with flatbread that wraps around the chicken like a taco are available in two varieties — regular and spicy. Both come with creamy chipotle sauce and crispy, white-meat chicken that’s marinated in jalapeño buttermilk, seasoned with Mexican spices, and have a tortilla chip coating. The spicy one also comes with pickled jalapeño peppers.

How are they?

Taco Bell Crispy Chicken Sandwich Taco Size

Well, they’re fit-in-the-palm-of-my-hand small. They’re also very, um, well, let’s just say I don’t need a manual to make one if I got thrown into a Taco Bell prep line. With the regular one, it’s just flatbread, sauce, and chicken.

But while they’re small and simple, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed them.

With the Flatbread Tacos on the menu a few months ago, I complained about how the flatbread can mute the other ingredients, but that wasn’t the case with these. The ample amount of smoky and peppery chipotle sauce provides a lot of flavor and, in doing so, makes sure the flatbread knows its role as a vessel and not much else.

Taco Bell Crispy Chicken Sandwich Taco Regular

But the chicken strips really surprised me. They had a decent thickness to them, the meat wasn’t too dry, the exterior was surprisingly crunchy, and what was even more of a surprise, they were seasoned enough that they taste good on their own. If Taco Bell ever wants to get into the chicken strips game, it could do so with these.

Taco Bell Crispy Chicken Sandwich Taco Spicy

As for heat, the chipotle sauce brings some lower-level spiciness, while the jalapeño peppers in the spicy one takes things up a notch or two. Also, the brine-y flavors from the peppers add a vinegary bite, which I enjoyed.

Anything else you need to know?

There’s a conversation about whether a taco is a sandwich. It’s like how some folks ask whether a hot dog is a sandwich. I’m not going to share my opinion here because it would add 1,000+ words to this review. I’m just satisfied these are tasty.

These have an “online exclusive price” of $1.49 in most regions, which I think is worth it. But here on this rock in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, it’s $2.59, which is a bit too much for something so small.

Conclusion:

The flavors of Taco Bell’s Crispy Chicken Sandwich Tacos delight me, and because of that, I want to give them a higher rating, but their size makes it hard for me to do so. Definitely worth a try at their online exclusive price.

Purchased Price: $2.59 each*
Size: N/A
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: Regular – 280 calories, 11 grams of fat, 2 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 20 milligrams of cholesterol, 650 milligrams of sodium, 33 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 5 grams of sugar, and 13 grams of protein. Spicy – 290 calories, 11 grams of fat, 2 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 20 milligrams of cholesterol, 710 milligrams of sodium, 33 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 5 grams of sugar, and 13 grams of protein.

*Because I live on a rock in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, things are a bit pricier here. You’ll probably pay less than I did.

REVIEW: Dunkin’ Apple Cranberry Coconut Refresher

/ / Reviews / 5 Comments

Dunkin Apple Cranberry Coconut Refresher Tall

While pumpkin is the unmatched king of fall food, this year we’re seeing a push to bring an old favorite fall flavor back in the spotlight: apple. Dunkin’s Apple Cranberry Refresher is a very unique offering for those who seek a fall themed beverage, but don’t necessarily want coffee or pumpkin flavor.

The Dunkin’ Refreshers all start off with a green tea base mixed with a fruit concentrate and served over ice. While it has experimented with different Refresher flavors, this is the first seasonal/holiday version we’ve gotten.

When ordering the Apple Cranberry Refresher, you are given the option to add coconut milk. Normally, I aim to try everything “plain” first, but I had a suspicion the flavors would be strong and need the coconut milk to mellow them a bit. I am very glad I did this as I think the drink would have been nearly undrinkable for me without it. As the name would suggest, the predominant flavors should be apple (Honeycrisp according to Dunkin’) and cranberry with “notes of fall spices.”

Dunkin Apple Cranberry Coconut Refresher Top

The drink comes with a purple-ish tone when you opt for the coconut milk, but mine wasn’t nearly as purple as the advertised products. I noticed the bottom of the cup had almost a pulp-like look, and I guessed it was just the concentrate settling from its journey home. After a good stir, I took the first sip. The layers of flavors that I tasted were a little overwhelming at first. The apple and cranberry were very present but quickly overshadowed by the “fall spices.”

I am not sure if the recipe has those fall spices (cinnamon, nutmeg were the flavors I mostly tasted) as a separate part from the apple cranberry concentrate, but they were borderline overpowering. Especially so towards the end of the drink where the bottom seemed to be almost entirely made of those dang spices. Despite my best attempts to keep swirling, the cinnamon flavor took over about halfway through and wouldn’t relent.

The coconut milk added no perceivable flavor but helped to dull the very sharp spices. The green tea was undetectable. What was frustrating was that every few sips the drink would be palatable and then I’d hit this pocket of cinnamon that tasted what those horrible cinnamon brooms smell like. I also got a large (remember: I bought a 12pk of a mystery flavor soda, so I am kind of a risk-taker), and I almost tossed the last 1/4th. As the ice melted, however, it mellowed the drink to a point where I could finish it.

Dunkin Apple Cranberry Coconut Refresher Napkin

While it was a noble effort to try and offer a fall item not pumpkin-centric, the unevenly strong cinnamon flavor made it hard to love from beginning to end. If the fall spices are a separate thing, I would absolutely order it again with WAY less of whatever the recipe asks for. Otherwise, this drink treads too close to tasting like what an apple cinnamon candle smells like.

Purchased Price: $3.59
Size: Large
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 230 calories, 6 grams of fat, 4.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 90 milligrams of sodium, 44 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 40 grams of sugar, and 1 grams of protein.

Scroll to Top