Tag: Kit Kat

Have you ever designed an overly-ambitious gingerbread house, complete with stained glass sugar windows and a peppermint cobblestone walkway? Or maybe you’ve sipped a hot gingerbread latte during a break from a long day of errands? At least once you must have exclaimed “Not the gumdrop buttons!” as you plucked the candy accents from a gingerbread man!

If any of the above statements ring true to you, Kit Kat’s limited edition holiday flavor may reinforce gingerbread’s status as the season’s most beloved and nostalgic flavor. Available in miniature size to suit your candy dish, Gingerbread Cookie Kit Kats feature a gingerbread-flavored crème coating its classic crispy wafer.

To achieve their characteristic taste, gingerbread cookies usually require molasses and a mixture of ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves—among other spices, depending on the recipe. That might sound like pumpkin spice warmed over, but it’s all about the different ratios. I trust my measuring spoons and my memory of elementary school math to distinguish my pie and chai spices from my gingerbread spice, but I was curious if Kit Kat could achieve a successful flavor balance in such a small confection.

Opening the bag, I caught a soft whiff of maple. The Kit Kat itself, covered in a caramel-colored crème coating, smelled like brown sugar. At this point, my spicy sense was not tingling.

The flavor, however, is fully gingerbread. The coating has white crème sweetness at its base, which reminded me of a gingerbread house’s royal icing spackle or the wee details on a gingerbread man. The crème combines a mellow mixture of warm spices with notes of brown sugar in the background. At the very end of the bite, I tasted a slight kick of ginger that lingered for a few moments in the aftertaste.

Checking the ingredients list, I saw no hint of specific spices, just “natural and artificial flavors.” The candy’s realistic flavor — ginger hint especially — can mean only one thing: Kit Kat’s food scientists are becoming too powerful.

Kit Kat nails its limited edition flavors more often than not, but Gingerbread Cookie Kit Kats are especially hard to find fault with. The spice flavor is realistic without being overwhelming. The sweetness is multidimensional, and the crispy wafer completes the simple, delightful bite. It may be my favorite seasonal Kit Kat flavor yet.

In fact, I enjoyed this so much that its flavor actually evoked a Proustian moment, an involuntary memory triggered by a sensory experience. After my second or third, a particular iced gingerbread cookie that was once a staple of my childhood resurfaced in my memory. Even though I haven’t thought of that cookie in years, the memory inspires me to break out the recipe for the holidays this year. In case my measuring spoons or math skills fail, I’ll keep a stash of Gingerbread Cookie Kit Kats nearby.

DISCLAIMER: I received a free sample from Hershey’s, which did not influence my review.

Purchased Price: FREE
Size: 8.4 oz (238 g) bag
Purchase at: Provided by Hershey’s
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (per 4 pieces) 170 calories, 9 grams of fat, 6 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 30 milligrams of sodium, 21 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 16 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

What is Key Lime Pie Kit Kat?

Kit Kat’s latest limited edition bar features Key lime-flavored white crème.

How is it?

Kit Kat’s seasonal flavors always seem to hit the mark, so I’ve come to look forward to them. I especially appreciate Kit Kat’s dedication to a sensory and aesthetic experience, using creative colors and details to pay homage to its flavor inspiration. This year’s Key Lime Pie Kit Kat is no exception: its vibrant wrapper and pastel bar are as green as Kermit the Frog counting dollar bills in a grassy field.

Kermit should exchange one of those bills for a Key Lime Pie Kit Kat because the candy is all-around delightful.

Peeling off the wrapper yields a strong, divine aroma of vanilla and lime as a hint of what’s to come. The green white crème coating delivers on its promised flavor. A creamy vanilla taste is present in the coating, which is not too sweet, and adds flavor reminiscent of whipped topping.

However, the Key lime is still the most prominent flavor. It provides just enough zesty citrus bite, especially in the aftertaste. The standard Kit Kat wafer offers a crispy crunch that mimics pie crust texture, completing the experience of what it is like to enjoy Florida’s official state dessert.

As this flavor grows in popularity, will Key lime replace lemon foods in my citrus-loving heart? Possibly. I loved Key Lime Pie M&M’s, and these Kit Kats are even better due to that hint of sharp citrus. With more product testing, I might yet achieve my life’s dream of appearing on a Food Network show, identified by an oddly-specific job title like “Key Lime Pie Expert” or “Kit Kit Historian.”

Anything else you need to know?

It is hard to tell in photos, but embedded in the Kit Kat’s chocolate coating are flecks of what look like graham cracker crust crumbs. The crumbs don’t really carry a taste or texture. Although the bar’s ingredients list includes graham flour.

Conclusion:

Key Lime Pie Kit Kats are a subLIME experience, combining creamy and crunchy elements with a Key lime zing.

Purchased Price: 88 cents
Size: 1.5 oz (42 g)
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 220 calories, 12 grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 40 milligrams of sodium, 27 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 20 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

What is Kit Kat Duos Mocha + Chocolate?

After last year’s introduction of Mint + Dark Chocolate, Kit Kat Duos are back with a second flavor, Mocha + Chocolate. It’s described as crisp wafers in mocha crème with coffee bits and chocolate.

How is it?

A small disclaimer that I do love, love, love coffee. Like I can’t function in the morning without a large cup to get me going. Then maybe I’ll have another to counteract the mid-day slump. Sometimes one more is calling my name so I can finish out the day. A late-stage one…you get the point!

I did enjoy the first Kit Kat Duos, but I would take coffee over mint any day of the week, so I was pumped for these. That being said and with my high tolerance/love for all things coffee, holy crap, these are fantastic.

The name Mocha + Chocolate is actually doing a disservice to these because the coffee flavor is so superb and way more prevalent than you would expect from the name. Of course, the chocolate is there, but these are coffee flavored through and through, and the flavor is so intense it could probably even be called Espresso + Chocolate. The profile actually comes remarkably close to actual chocolate-covered coffee beans in all their glory. WOW.

The crisp wafers have the usual great Kit Kat crunch, and even though I was excited about the coffee bits and thought they might provide a different level of crunch or texture, that’s not really the case as they pretty much get lost among the signature wafers. However, they might be the main factor contributing to the amazing flavor, and they do give the tops of the bars a nice speckled look.

Anything else you need to know?

The ingredients list does show coffee, so heads up if you stay away from that glorious but addictive stimulant. These are also a permanent addition to the Kit Kat lineup, so you don’t have to rush out now to find them if you really want to try them.

Conclusion:

A behind the scenes secret is that I usually like to have at least two packages of something when I review it so I can take great pictures with one and thoroughly enjoy the other.

I have a confession, though.

These Kit Kat Duos were the first time I almost cleaned myself out of the product before my official reviewing even began! I had to hit up Walgreens again so I could get a few more while simultaneously praying that they were still in stock and that the masses hadn’t discovered these treasures. That’s how much I enjoyed these. They are Kit Kat’s version of chocolate-covered coffee beans and pretty much crispy chocolatey coffee heaven.

Purchased Price: $1.39
Size: 1.5 oz bar
Purchased at: Walgreens
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 Package) 210 calories, 12 grams of fat, 7g of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 20 milligrams of sodium, 27 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of dietary fiber, 19 grams of sugar, and 2 gram of protein.