QUICK REVIEW: Dove Milk Chocolate Hot Cocoa with Marshmallow Creme Promises

Dove Milk Chocolate Hot Cocoa Promises

What are Dove Milk Chocolate Hot Cocoa with Marshmallow Creme Promises?

A mouthful to say.

Joking aside, it’s Dove getting in on the hot cocoa flavor trend. It’s the squircle-shaped candy that we know and love from Dove, but with milk chocolate hot cocoa and a marshmallow crème flavored center (note that it’s not phrased as “hot cocoa-flavored milk chocolate”). It’s a limited time only candy and is available exclusively at Target.

How are they?

It had the silky smoothness of typical Dove Promises, but any hot cocoa-ness was really subtle (also see: non-existent). I kept eating piece after piece, and each time I thought I was starting to get a hint of marshmallow or rich cocoa, it would quickly dissipate into a one-note milk chocolate flavor.

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I expected it to be more marshmallow-forward because the majority of the interior was crème colored. But, once I picked off some of the crème to try on its own, I discovered that it was like white chocolate. One could argue that a marshmallow doesn’t taste like anything, but whatever it is, it’s overpowered entirely by milk chocolate.

Is there anything else you need to know?

I think the recently released Hot Cocoa M&M’s have more of a hot cocoa flavor than this. At least, I could tell they didn’t taste like regular M&M’s.

Conclusion:

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Dove Milk Chocolate Hot Cocoa Promises 4

Dove’s Milk Chocolate Hot Cocoa with Marshmallow Creme Promises are good, but they don’t quite deliver on the flavor profile. But, I do appreciate that the foil wrappers and the Promises written on the inside have a holiday theme.

Purchased Price: $3.99
Size: 7.94 oz.
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 4 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (4 pieces) 180 calories, 11 grams of fat, 8 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, less than 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 25 milligrams of sodium, 17 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 17 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

QUICK REVIEW: Hot Cocoa Hershey’s Kisses

Hot Cocoa Hershey's Kisses

What are Hot Cocoa Hershey’s Kisses?

Since real kisses are so hard to come by these days, I figured I’d continue my hot cocoa kick with Hot Cocoa Hershey’s Kisses that feature milk chocolate with marshmallow creme.

How is it?

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I’m gonna start with a bit of a prediction – I think most people will enjoy these more than I do. That being said, I do like them. I just thought I’d love them.

The Kiss casing is standard Hershey’s fare – or “fair” depending on your thoughts of Hershey’s chocolate.

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The marshmallow crème center is the star of the show, but like Hot Cocoa M&M’s, it doesn’t necessarily scream “marshmallow!”

The first taste of marshmallow that hits reminded me of a standard cereal marbit, but that quickly got lost in the chocolate.

I kept being reminded of a “brownie batter” flavor as I was eating them, but I’m confused as to why a regular Kiss and marshmallow flavored crème would give me that impression. Nevertheless, that’s what I kept tasting.

Is there anything else I need to know?

I dug the texture of these Kisses.

The crème is softer than usual and quickly melts in your mouth, almost giving you a hot cocoa marshmallow sensation. I’d say the texture is somewhere between the outer chocolate, and the type of marshmallow you’d get in a Russell Stover chocolate marshmallow Santa.

I still couldn’t get past that brownie batter taste. To borrow a poker term, these were a “little too rich for my blood.” I let three melt in my mouth and wanted to chug a bottle of water.

Conclusion:

Like I said, you’re gonna like these more than I did. Still, the center and the texture make Hot Cocoa Hershey’s Kisses worth picking up.

Actually, as I was eating these, I kept thinking of one thing – Hershey’s Hugs. These were kinda like inferior Hugs. Do Hugs still exist? I miss Hugs – both the candy and the warm embrace.

I’m very lonely.

Purchased Price: $3.33
Size: 10 oz. package
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (7 Kisses) 160 calories, 10 grams of fat, 6 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 40 milligrams of sodium, 19 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 18 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

QUICK REVIEW: Hot Cocoa M&M’s

Hot Cocoa M&M's

What are Hot Cocoa M&M’s?

Unlike the Hot Chocolate flavor from a few years ago made with dark chocolate, Hot Cocoa M&M’s are standard milk chocolate with a white chocolate marshmallow center.

How are they?

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Have you ever had a regular M&M? How ’bout a White Chocolate M&M? Well, imagine tossing one of each in your mouth at the same time. There ya go. That’s a Hot Cocoa M&M.

Is that a bad thing? Not necessarily. These are still decent, but they’re also very reminiscent of flavors you’ve probably already had.

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The idea of a marshmallow-flavored center got me pumped, but it just tasted like white chocolate. Whatever. I like white chocolate. I guess you could convince me it tasted like the fake marshmallow crème you’d get in a s’mores-flavored sandwich cookie, but barely.

I guess I should have tempered my excitement, because about 75 percent of the marshmallow experience is the texture, and you’re obviously not getting a gooey, stretchy marshmallow in the middle of M&M’s.

Is there anything else I need to know?

Hot cocoa is the type of treat that’s very reliant on factors you can’t mimic in a piece of candy. There’s a (sometimes horrible) experience when it comes to drinking a piping hot mug of hot cocoa, and these M&M’s don’t really conjure that.

Conclusion:

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The center was still satisfying and I’ll eat the entire bag, but Hot Cocoa M&M’s were a bit of a miss for me. I was hoping they’d be more of a Swiss Miss.

Yeah, that was corny, but I stand by it. If you pick these up, go in expecting a milk chocolate/white chocolate hybrid and enjoy.

As always, I appreciate M&M’s living up to their name, and releasing “More & More” flavors to the public. That’s what “M&M” stands for by the way.

Don’t fact check that.

Purchased Price: $3.19
Size: 8 oz. bag
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 oz.) 140 calories, 6 grams of fat, 4 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, less than 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 25 milligrams of sodium, 20 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 18 grams of sugar, and 1 gram of protein.