Autumn is my favorite time of year, and thank goodness it is officially HERE! Not just for the more relaxed weather, longer periods of darkness, and constant swirl of spices in the air, but the landscape simply looks prettier. There’s something stunningly gorgeous about the environment dying and evolving everywhere you turn, and I’ve got to imagine there would be no more shockingly gorgeous transformation than in the mystical land of Hollow Tree. Yes, rumor has it, the small, incredibly dangerous tree-kitchen where the Keebler Elves do all of their baking, is quite the site to be seen come October, evolving from bright greens and yellows to a wash of orange, red, and brown. It is with this spectacular autumnal view that for the last few years Ernie and his clan of miniature baking enthusiasts have rolled out Limited Batch Pumpkin Spice Fudge Stripes, and this year they’ve arrived well before the leaves have fallen.

The cookies carry a soft, creamy, vanilla, and spicy smell that doesn’t immediately register “pumpkin” in my mind but definitely conjures up “spice”. It’s funny how such an odd squash can have a particular smell and taste, but it does, and I don’t get any of that here. The deep brown-orange color is pleasant on the eye and the drizzle/pattern work is par the course for all Fudge Stripes.

The flavor is a little bit different than I anticipated and surprisingly ginger-forward, followed by nutmeg, and then least represented is the cinnamon and a touch of cloves. This is pretty refreshing as many companies will label something “pumpkin spice” and just toss cinnamon into the mix, but Keebler went with the less common fall components to be the star of this stripe show. Even though ginger is unmistakably the lead flavor, it doesn’t have the usual accompanying tongue sizzle, as the taste is mellowed out by the creamy vanilla-y sweet stripe and slightly tamer nutmeg. Texturally they’re exactly the same as other Stripes – soft and crumbly with a gentle snap that falls somewhere in between your average grocery cookie and real deal shortbread.

As is the case with all Limited Batch Fudge Stripes aside from Cinnamon Roll (which were decently cinnamon spicy), these cookies offer a full but subdued take on the flavor they’re aiming for. Even though they’re labeled as being a pumpkin cookie, I get more of a mellow gingersnap vibe from them, which is delicious and a very snack-able gateway into the seasons more intensely spiced options.

Rating: 8.5/10
Found at: Target ($2.99)
Quick Nutrition: 2 cookies – 140 cal – 7g fat – 4.5g sat fat – 85mg sodium – 18g carbs – 10g sugar