REVIEW: Reese’s Plant Based Peanut Butter Cups

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What are they?

Vegan readers, cross this off your wish list: vegan, non-GMO Reese’s peanut butter cups are now on shelves. Available in packs of two, these cups feature Reese’s peanut butter filling surrounded by oat- and rice-based chocolate.

How are they?

When I buy Reese’s, I usually give in to an indescribably strong instinct to buy two, just in case. In case of what? Emergency? Fire? That horrible moment when a friend comments on the fact you have a sleeve of Reese’s, a not-so-subtle hint that they’d like to share HALF of your precious candy? And in this economy! No matter the scenario, I’ve never regretted succumbing to the urge to double my purchase.

That statement continues to hold true because Reese’s Plant Based Peanut Butter Cups are delicious. The chocolate is thick and yields a sharp snap when broken apart. You know how Reese’s can sometimes stick to their wrappers, peeling the chocolate coating from its filling? You’ll find none of that here.

The its solid texture makes it less creamy than Reese’s milk chocolate, but still satisfyingly smooth and rich. Its flavor favors milk chocolate, but is slightly different from your standard Reese’s. The plant-based chocolate has a cocoa powder-like taste, lending a less-sweet depth of flavor that pairs beautifully with Reese’s iconic peanut butter filling.

Here comes my only criticism. Compared to the classic version, Reese’s Plant Based Peanut Butter Cups seem to contain less peanut butter per cup. It might just be my imagination, an illusion resulting from the chocolate’s sturdiness. But between the top of the cup and the peanut butter filling is a visible gap that could definitely hold more peanut butter. On the scale of chocolate-to-peanut butter ratios, the Plant Based Peanut Butter Cups fall somewhere between a classic Reese’s and Reese’s Thins.

Anything else you need to know?

In conjunction with the Reese’s product, parent company Hershey’s has released a plant-based Extra Creamy Almond and Sea Salt chocolate bar, which will soon be available in stores. I gave that bar a good review back in 2021 when it was released as a test product under the name Oat Made. I’m looking forward to the next innovation!

Conclusion:

Reese’s first foray into plant-based confections may be a little shy on the peanut butter for some tastes, but its smooth, flavorful chocolate does the iconic brand justice. Buy two, just in case.

Purchased Price: $1.98
Size: 1.4 oz (39 g)
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 210 calories, 14 grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 75 milligrams of sodium, 21 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 15 grams of sugar, and 3 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Reese’s Dipped Animal Crackers

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I wasn’t planning on writing about these Reese’s Dipped Animal Crackers, but after getting sent some and devouring a bag about five minutes after opening it, I felt compelled to let people know how awesome they are.

These have been available for several weeks, and when I first learned about them, I rolled my eyes and said out loud to myself, “ANOTHER Reese’s product that probably doesn’t remind me of Reese’s at all.” From what I’ve noticed, when it comes to most products that are Reese’s branded, besides the actual candies, they have a more generic peanut butter and chocolate flavor. They don’t scream Reese’s. They scream an opportunity to make some money with the Reese’s name.

But after one bite of these Reese’s Dipped Animal Crackers, they made me shut my mouth because they proved me wrong, and it would be rude of me to chew these with my mouth open. I wouldn’t want any of this delectable snack to go flying out of my face.

Each animal cracker is dipped in a peanut butter-flavored candy, and then their bottom sides are dipped into milk chocolate. The peanut butter-flavored creme’s texture isn’t gritty like what’s inside a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, Egg, Pumpkin, Tree, Mystery Shape, or whatever. It’s the same as the chocolate.

As for their flavor, saying they remind me of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups would be quite right. Instead, they’re more like Reese’s Eggs and Pumpkins, which I think have a slightly better peanut butter-to-chocolate ratio than the regular cups. Just having that flavor would’ve made an excellent product, but rumbling in soon after the sweet and salty hit my taste buds is the rattling crunch from the animal crackers. It’s a better crunch than ANYTHING Reese’s has stuffed into a peanut butter cup. And that cracker’s flavor doesn’t distract from the taste of the candy coatings.

While they have great flavor and texture, even with a barely passing grade in intro college zoology, I can’t tell what animals are coated in chocolate and peanut butter-flavored candy. Is it a bear? It could also be a rock with legs. Is it a lion? It could also be a rock with legs. They’re all mystery blobs to me. But who cares about that because this is the Best Reese’s Product That Isn’t Completely A Candy I’ve ever had.

Again, these have been out for weeks, so I imagine many of you have already tried them. But if you’re like me and haven’t because you pooh-poohed them, you should give them a chance because I woo-hoo them.

DISCLOSURE: I received free product samples from Hershey’s. Doing so did not influence my review.

Purchased Price: FREE
Size: 4.25 oz bag
Purchased at: N/A
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (4 pieces) 150 calories, 7 grams of fat, 5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 70 milligrams of sodium, 20 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 11 grams of sugar (including 10 grams of added sugar), and 3 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Reese’s Peanut Butter Sandwich and Reese’s Peanut Butter Light Ice Cream

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Reese's Peanut Butter Sandwich Box

Let me start this review by saying I absolutely love Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. Has been, and always will be my favorite candy. I just can’t get enough of that amazing chocolate and peanut butter combo. I’m usually shocked when I find out someone doesn’t like them. Case in point: I joke that the only flaw of my boss is she doesn’t love Reese’s. All this said, I was super excited to find out Reese’s is releasing a new line of frozen treats.

Reese' Peanut Butter Sandwich Wafer Top

The first item I tried was the Reese’s Peanut Butter Sandwich. It’s described as “peanut butter frozen dairy dessert filling with a signature Reese’s peanut butter swirl packed between two chocolate wafers.” Upon opening, the sandwich was about the size of my palm – enough to be satisfying without overdoing it. The chocolate wafer portion was thinner than I expected.

Middle of the Reese's Peanut Butter Sandwich showing side view of wafers and ice cream

Interestingly, on first bite, it actually had a hint of coffee flavor, which I think came from the chocolate. Further tasting brought no more coffee, just chocolate. The sandwich does have more of a peanut butter taste, though. To me, that’s the main reason this does not taste exactly like a Reese’s – the candy gives a pretty even chocolate-to-peanut butter ratio. Here, the focus is on the peanut butter. If you want a Reese’s, this isn’t quite it, but it still proves to be a delicious treat.

The peanut butter swirls in the ice cream were amazing, but I just wish there were more of them. They added a nice texture, especially since the wafers were so thin. And the ice cream itself felt light and sweet.

All in all, I thought this was good and something I’d eat again. Here’s a quote from my three-year-old, a budding opinionated reviewer himself: “It’s good, like Reese’s peanut butter.” Ah, the wise words of the young!

Reese's Light Ice Cream Tub

The next treat we tried was the Reese’s Peanut Butter Light Ice Cream. This one is “light peanut butter ice cream with chunks of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and a Reese’s peanut butter swirl.” Now THIS is what we’re talking about if you want a dessert that tastes more like the candy. I was thrilled to see this one had pieces of the cups loaded inside. (Although I did get worried when I first took off the lid – the ice cream was so smooth at the top with no chunks in sight. Alas, they were there when I dug in. Phew!)

Top of Reese's Light Ice Cream tub. Digging in reveals the Reese's cup chunks and peanut butter swirls

Once again, the peanut butter swirls were a big positive and an excellent addition to the peanut butter ice cream. I would think both the sandwiches and the ice cream use the same ice cream base, but for some reason this one had a stronger peanut butter taste AND smell. Not complaining! The amount of candy chunks per spoonful was definitely acceptable. I’d happily eat this ice cream all year round, even in the chilly winter of the Midwest where I live.

Reese's Light Ice Cream in a bowl

If you’re a Reese’s fan, I recommend you give these a try. They are nice additions to the Reese’s product lineup!

DISCLOSURE: I received free product samples from Reese’s. Doing so did not influence my review.

Purchased Price: FREE
Size: Four sandwiches (Sandwich) and 1.5 quart (Light Ice Cream)
Rating: 7 out of 10 (Sandwich), 9 out of 10 (Light Ice Cream)
Nutrition Facts: Reese’s Peanut Butter Sandwich (One sandwich, 81 grams) 240 calories, 9 grams of fat, 4 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 180 milligrams of sodium, 36 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 20 grams of total sugars, and 4 grams of protein. Reese’s Peanut Butter Light Ice Cream (2/3 cup) 230 calories, 12 grams of fat, 4 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 10 milligrams of cholesterol, 180 milligrams of sodium, 29 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 24 grams of total sugars, and 5 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Reese’s Big Cup with Reese’s Puffs

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Reese s Big Cup with Reese s Puffs Wrapper

When I first heard about Reese’s Big Cup with Reese’s Puffs, I had to do some mental measurements. Because as someone who has stuffed his face with the popular chocolate and peanut butter-flavored cereal enough times to be familiar with its size, I wondered if several Reese’s Puffs could fit in a Reese’s Big Cup.

Well, all that mental math was for naught because what’s inside these big peanut butter cups is not the cereal we’ve been eating as part of a complete breakfast or the only thing in the house so it ended up being dinner. What’s stuffed in these cups is less puffy and more pellet-y.

Reese s Big Cup with Reese s Puffs Top

The Reese’s cereal pieces suspended in the peanut butter are a tiny 3/16ths of an inch in diameter, and although it may not look like it in the photo below, they are plentiful. They seem to be primarily concentrated in the middle of the cup, hence the bulges in the center. But a few cereal pieces have found their way to the edges.

Reese s Big Cup with Reese s Puffs Split

Reese s Big Cup with Reese s Puffs Mini Cereal

But after eating several of these, I can’t say the mini cereal pieces enhance the flavor of the Big Cup. I’m not surprised because I assumed chocolate and peanut butter-flavored cereal would get lost in actual peanut butter and chocolate. But I’m okay with that because the mini cereal pieces provide a satisfying crunch to go along with the irresistible Reese’s flavor.

Think of that texture as what you’d get with a Crun…oh wait, this is a Hershey product, and the fine folks there sent me samples, so I mean, think of that texture as what you’d get with a Krackle bar but with a Reese’s Cup. As someone who steals is lucky enough to end up with all the Krackle miniature bars from a mini bar assortment, I love the crispy cereal pieces within the gritty, salty peanut butter.

Reese’s Big Cup with Reese’s Puffs isn’t as earth-shattering as the peanut butter cup being stuffed with Reese’s Pieces or potato chips (or maybe someday with bacon bits…just an idea, Hershey’s). Also, I can understand how this might be ho-hum to some, but I find it delightful.

DISCLOSURE: I received free product samples from Hershey’s. Doing so did not influence my review.

Purchased Price: FREE
Size: 1.2 oz bar
Purchased at: Received from Hershey’s
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 package) 170 calories, 9 grams of fat, 3.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, less than 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 115 milligrams of sodium, 20 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 17 grams of sugar (including 16 grams of added sugar), and 4 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Reese’s Puffs Cluster Crunch Cereal

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Reese s Puffs Cluster Crunch Cereal Box

Hmm. Where do I start? I want to be excited about a new Reese’s Puffs cereal, especially one that switches up the shape and doesn’t just supersize it for reasons I don’t fully understand (Big Puffs) or have box art featuring a musician I’ve only vaguely heard of (no offense, Lil Yachty, that remote control cereal boat was pretty cool). I like when the spheres are seasonally swapped for bunny and bat shapes. Those both take a classically good cereal like Puffs and change it up in a fun way.

When I first saw the box of Reese’s Puffs Cluster Crunch, I couldn’t help but approach it with a bit of trepidation. The shapes looked familiar like the berry pieces in Trix or, more inauspiciously, the “clusters” in the largely disappointing Lucky Charms Marshmallow Clusters. I think I see where you’re going with this one, General Mills. We’re looking at Clusters Plan B, and it’s still not exactly working.

There’s definitely nothing wrong with this cereal in terms of taste. It’s actually quite good, assuming you’re a fan of Reese’s Puffs to begin with. The same strong Reese’s peanut butter smell is present when you open the bag, and as usual, there isn’t as much of a chocolate component as you might hope for, but I’d be lying if I said I’d ever really docked Puffs for lacking this. The peanut butter-colored and chocolate-colored pieces are interchangeably flavored as usual. The issue here is the wording.

Reese s Puffs Cluster Crunch Cereal Bowl

Picture this. You’re at the breakfast table with your cereal bowl in front of you, spoon in hand (or if you’re me, at your desk at four p.m. with no spoon and your hand just shoved inside the box. Kidding, I don’t have a desk). You’re about to go fishing in your bowl for a nice crunchy cluster, something that stands out from the other bites. I bet you’re envisioning something like a gob of flakes and oats and maybe pieces of nuts, all different textures and clumped together with the power of something sugary. Instead, you get…a few little rafts of aerated puffs that seem kind of like Rice Krispies but aren’t?

Reese s Puffs Cluster Crunch Cereal Puffs

I can’t even tell if these are more aerated than usual, and I cut several pieces in half to check. Even if they were, this would be more of an “extra puffed” and not exactly my definition of crunchy. In milk, they fare the same as the regular ones do, and I know this because I ate them both side by side on a fruitless quest to discover the difference.

Reese s Puffs Cluster Crunch Cereal Spoon

Reese s Puffs Cluster Crunch Cereal Split

This cereal is identical to Reese’s Puffs in every way, except instead of regular round pieces, there are “clusters” of smaller balls. But they’re stuck together from the get-go, and this doesn’t produce any significant difference in crunch. They do have more flavor powder on them, thanks to the little bumps and crevices, and eating them feels a little different because they aren’t a shape that my tongue is totally used to when it thinks it’s getting Reese’s Puffs.

I consider the original Puffs to be an 8 out of 10, and it seems unfair to rank this any lower because it’s exactly the same, but I think the name Cluster Crunch evokes an idea that the product doesn’t deliver on. If you like Reese’s Puffs, you should be happy with this cereal. If you’re hoping for a new and crunchy twist, this underwhelms.

Purchased Price: $2.50
Size: 11.9 oz box
Purchased at: Jewel-Osco
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 cup without milk) 160 calories, 4.5 grams of fat, 0.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 210 milligrams of sodium, 30 grams of total carbohydrates, 2 grams of dietary fiber, 12 grams of total sugars including 12 grams of added sugars), and 3 grams of protein.

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