REVIEW: Dairy Queen Reese’s Caramel Craze Blizzard

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Reviewing Dairy Queen Blizzards is not easy. You might think I just go down to my local DQ, order a Blizzard, snap some photos, and write up a few hundred words about said Blizzard. OK, so that’s exactly what I do, and it’s pretty easy. The hard part is coming up with a rating. Because unlike some of the wild food items we review (the Archie McPhee Lobster Candy comes to mind), any mixture of vanilla soft serve and candy, cake, brownie, or other sugar-packed ingredients is going to be good. The question is: How good? Well, the new Reese’s Caramel Craze Blizzard might be the best of the best.

Not to be confused with the Summer Blizzard menu that has two new concoctions, the new Reese’s Caramel Craze is the August Blizzard of the Month. It contains Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, along with salty caramel-filled truffles and chocolatey shavings.

I’m going to assume you know what a Reese’s PB Cup Blizzard tastes like. For me, it’s a solid 8, maybe even approaching a 9 if the DQ mixologist goes a little overboard with the PB cups. What makes the difference here is the truffles. They are truly glorious. I guess the truffles are added at the end of the mixing process, because while the PB Cups in my Blizzard were pulverized, the delicate truffles were all perfectly intact. When you bite into one, you can taste the chocolate coating and then the luscious caramel oozes out with just the right touch of saltiness. It might not look like much in the close-up photo of a single truffle, but that little thing is packed with goodness (and according to the DQ ingredient list, soy lecithin, whatever that is).

DQ has used salty caramel truffles a few times in the past, including with the Caramel Cannonball Blizzard back in 2019. I gave that one a 10, and I’m giving this one a 10 as well. Since I barely remember last week, much less six years ago, I can’t tell you which is better. But what I can tell you is that if you like peanut butter cups and caramel, then you should make a trip to DQ sometime this month. I’ll also be asking you to sign a petition I’m working on to have DQ pledge to use salty caramel truffles in more Blizzards.

Purchased Price: $4.99
Size: Small
Rating: 10 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 770 calories, 37 grams of fat, 24 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 grams of trans fat, 55 milligrams of cholesterol, 340 milligrams of sodium, 97 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 83 grams of sugar, and 16 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Baskin-Robbins M&M’s Monster Cookie Ice Cream

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Baskin-Robbins’ Flavor of the Month for August 2025 is the M&M’s Monster Cookie Ice Cream, which should not be confused with Baskin-Robbins’ blue Cookie Monster Ice Cream. The limited time only scoop features brown sugar ice cream with M&M’s Minis milk chocolate candies, cookie dough pieces, and peanut butter cookie swirls.

First off, let’s start with the brown sugar ice cream, which wasn’t as satisfying as the brown sugar base I’ve had from Ben & Jerry’s. Something was lacking from it to make the brown sugar stick out and convince my taste buds that a cookie inspired the Flavor of the Month.

What sticks out are the peanut butter cookie swirls. They were sweet, salty, and had a satisfying, gritty, and crunchy texture. Some might find them to be too salty, and that might’ve happened because of the ice cream base’s lack of flavor, but I enjoyed that salty kick, and I found these to be the highlight of the scoop.

Unfortunately, due to the luck of the scoop and that mine was the first drawn from the tub, I ended up with just four M&M’s Minis in my order. I wish there were as many of them as there were in the store window’s poster because the chocolate added a sweetness that cuts through the peanut butter cookie swirl, making things a bit more balanced between sweet and salty. But I felt like that job should’ve also been done by the base.

Finally, the cookie dough pieces were another lowlight. They added a weird, mild savoriness that reminded me of Japanese rice crackers. However, they had a chewiness that gave the scoop another textural dimension to go along with the creamy ice cream, crunchy and gritty swirls, and crunchy M&M’s.

After trying the Baskin-Robbins M&M’s Monster Cookie Ice Cream, I kind of wished I had accidentally ordered the Cookie Monster one. The new flavor isn’t awful, but parts of it were unsatisfying or weird, and I wouldn’t order it again.

Purchased Price: $3.79
Size: 2.5 oz scoop
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 200 calories, 10 grams of fat, 4.5 grams of sugar, 25 milligrams of cholesterol, 115 milligrams of sodium, 25 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 19 grams of sugar (including 16 grams of added sugar), and 3 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Ben & Jerry’s Limited Batch Fudgy Flan Ice Cream

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Full disclosure: Much like a plan, I don’t think I’ve ever had a flan in my life. Granted, my life has mostly been filled with eating establishments that feature fries and not flan. So I guess Ben & Jerry’s new Fudgy Flan Ice Cream is the closest my taste buds have ever gotten to the custard-y dessert.

The Latin American dessert amantes del chocoflan is the inspiration for the pint, and Ben & Jerry’s tries to recreate its flavor with burnt caramel ice cream, fudge brownies, and pastry cream swirls? What’s with the question mark at the end of the previous sentence? Well, I’m not entirely sure there were any pastry cream swirls because I didn’t see or feel any. It was a little annoying, like stepping in front of an unflushed urinal. Granted, my glasses prescription is -6.25 on the right and -6.50 on the left (that’s bad for our non-optometrist audience), so maybe my eyes missed them. However, the image on the front of the container shows darker brown swirls, but like vampires, they didn’t appear in the photos I took. While they eluded my eyes, my taste buds did notice them in the form of something that tasted marshmallow-ish from time to time.

The other two pint parts that I could clearly see were the fudge brownies (because there were a lot of them) and burnt caramel ice cream. This variety isn’t the first time Ben & Jerry’s has used this base in one of its flavors. It debuted with Urban Bourbon, and here’s what I wrote about it:

I have to admit I’m not sure I taste the ice cream’s burntness. Instead, it had a normal caramel flavor that was almost too mild.

With this pint, the base, again, tastes like a regular caramel-flavored ice cream. However, it pairs well with the chewy brownies, which are a delightful addition. When combined, there’s a tasty one-two punch of caramel and fudge that ends with an aftertaste reminiscent of coffee ice cream. Along with the rich brownie flavor, they also provide a wonderful chewiness that I love sinking my teeth into. These brownie pieces are pliable enough that you can scrape some off from the large chunks without having to excavate the whole piece.

However, again, I’ve never had flan in my life, so I can’t compare this to it. However, from what I’ve tasted, this is a glorious treat with a magnificent combination of caramel flavor and chewy brownies with occasional hints of marshmallow. It’s superb enough that I’m sad it’s a limited batch. I might be a Fudgy Flan stan.

Purchased Price: $8.99*
Size: 1 pint
Purchased at: Safeway
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2/3 cup – 139 g) 340 calories, 18 grams of fat, 11 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 grams of trans fat, 80 milligrams of cholesterol, 120 milligrams of sodium, 40 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 35 grams of sugar (including 28 grams of added sugar), and 6 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. Also, Safeway is so expensive.

REVIEW: McDonald’s Hershey’s S’mores McFlurry

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Just in time for the hot summer months and to join the annual deluge of s’mores-flavored products, McDonald’s has rolled out its new Hershey’s S’mores McFlurry. It combines McDonald’s ice cream with Hershey’s chocolate bits, graham crumbs, and white marshmallows.

While my photos make my McFlurry look like it’s been hanging out in a woodworker’s shop, talking about joinery techniques and snickering every time the butt joint is mentioned, I assure you that this dessert has all the flavors of the classic campfire treat.

The mix-ins give varying textures that contrast the creamy nature of the sweet ice cream. While I described them as “marshmallows” above, they’re similar to the crunchy marbits you’d find in a cereal, and they’re a little bigger than the marshmallows you’d see in an instant hot cocoa packet. They may be small, but they do pack a sweet punch. And with their crunchiness, they are an excellent addition to the dessert.

Bringing all the chocolate flavor are small dark pieces floating in the white frozen dairy. Even though Hershey’s has partnered with McDonald’s on the dessert, the bits didn’t instantly evoke thoughts of Hershey’s milk chocolate and its distinctive flavor. It tasted a little darker to me. Nevertheless, they added a choco flavor that was as sweet and tasty as the marshmallows. They also had a nice candy bar snap to them that complemented the crunchy marshmallows and creamy ice cream.

Finally, we have the mostly crunchy graham crumbs, which I was concerned wouldn’t be noticeable, as many s’mores-flavored products struggle to convey the graham flavor effectively. But my first spoonful from the McFlurry allayed my fears. As Yoda once said, “The graham is strong with this one.” There were moments when I got more of a waffle cone flavor, but that is definitely not a complaint. Hey! I just came up with a brilliant idea. How about a s’mores treat that involves toasting marshmallows and dumping them into a waffle cone with some chocolate in it? Did I just invent something? (Searches internet) Nope. It’s been done many, many, many, many times.

All together, the mix-ins and ice cream create a delicious treat that evokes the sweet campfire delicacy. The next time I indulge in the McDonald’s Hershey’s S’mores McFlurry—and trust me, there will definitely be a next time—I think I’ll enhance it with some hot fudge to give it the feeling of melted chocolate.

Purchased Price: $4.99*
Size: Regular
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 460 calories, 15 grams of fat, 9 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 35 milligrams of cholesterol, 240 milligrams of sodium, 70 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 57 grams of sugar (including 47 grams of added sugar), and 10 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: Baskin-Robbins Trolli Sour Blast

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After reading the description of Baskin-Robbins’ June 2025 Flavor of the Month, Trolli Sour Blast, my mouth blasted a “blasphemous.”

Although inspired by Trolli Sour Brite Crawlers, and features Trolli lime-flavored ice cream and Trolli orange-flavored sherbet with Trolli lime-flavored swirls, it didn’t contain bits of actual Trolli gummy candy. How could a Trolli-inspired ice cream not have Trolli candy in it? That would be like having an Oreo shake without cookie pieces.

But after spewing disbelief, I spooned the colorful ice cream and sherbet and discovered that the swirls were not sticky or gooey, unlike many ice cream varieties. Instead, they were firm enough to create a texture that’s almost like gummy candy. It’s definitely a noticeable contrast to the ice cream, but not quite the same as having actual Trolli candy. I suppose having Trolli bits might be an issue, as the freezing process could make them too gummy. What also helps the swirl is that it has a sugar crystal texture, similar to sour gummies.

Those green swirls give an extra burst of lime and a pleasant sour punch that you’d expect from sour gummy candy. And that citrus lime burst is on top of the already delicious citrus and sour tastes from the lime ice cream and orange sherbet. However, while the swirls add a bit more sourness, the scoop as a whole does taste like Rainbow Sherbet.

Baskin-Robbins’ Trolli Sour Blast no doubt provides a couple of blasts. It offers a sour blast from the ice cream, sherbet, and swirl. It’s also a blast from the past, with it tasting like a Rainbow Sherbet. I guess if you’re looking for an updated take on the classic flavor, the gummy-like swirl does enough to make it a little different and worthy of a try.

Purchased Price: $3.79
Size: 2.5 oz scoop
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 170 calories, 7 grams of fat, 3 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 15 milligrams of cholesterol, 35 milligrams of sodium, 24 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 19 grams of sugar (including 17 grams of added sugar), and 2 grams of protein.

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