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REVIEW: Haagen-Dazs Toasted Coconut Caramel

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Coconut is one of the most intensely polarizing flavors I have ever come across during my eating escapades.  Some people love it and want to bask in its nutty glory in their coffee, on their donuts, in their curry, coating their chocolate, and on their shrimp.  Others find the taste disgusting, and liken it to drinking a tub of sunscreen, with no enjoyable qualities either sweet or savory.  It is for this reason, I think, that we don’t see nearly as many coconut ice creams lining the grocery freezers as any number of chocolate, vanilla, caramel, and berry varieties.  Stepping up to the daring plate, much like they did with their intense Bourbon Praline Pecan flavor, Haagen-Dazs have delivered Toasted Coconut Caramel, which combines coconut ice cream with toasted coconut flakes and swirls of dulce de leche caramel.

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Immediately upon scooping into this pint I’m smacked over the head with big, bold coconut flavor. The one-two punch of coconut ice cream with toasted coconut flakes leaves nothing to the imagination if you’re seeking a taste of the tropics, and I’m generally impressed with how strong the flavor is. The grittiness of coconut flakes could be off putting to some but I don’t mind the added chew and it doesn’t take away from the creamy indulgence that ice cream should be.  There are so many coconut flakes that it’s nearly impossible to isolate the base and it’s unclear how much of the nutty flavor is coming from the ice cream as opposed to the flakes themselves, but it doesn’t really matter as the point is made and it is strong.

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While the dulce de leche caramel in this flavor is perfectly fine and adds some extra sweetness to the equation, I can’t help but feel as though it could have been a lot better. It doesn’t really stand out much against the other two components, and even when I isolate some pure caramel on my spoon I don’t get much toasty caramel goodness – just sort of flat sugary goo. Maybe I’ve just been spoiled by so much extraordinary Salt & Straw caramel recently but I would love a little bit of salt or toasty darkened caramel as opposed to the standard dulce de leche to help elevate this pint to another level and add some extra depth of flavor.

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The combination of the intensely toasted and textured coconut with the pure sweetness of the dulce reminds me a lot of Samoas Girl Scout cookies, and had they thrown in some chocolate chips or a fudge swirl this could have easily been branded as such.  If you’re looking for a big blast of coconut in your ice cream this will definitely leave you satisfied, but ultimately there wasn’t enough going on in this flavor to be super crave-able or warrant a repeat purchase.
Rating: 7/10
Found at: Safeway ($3.99)

REVIEW: Limited Edition Cookies & Creme Oreo Cookies

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Would you like some cheese and tomato flavored pizza? How about a beef and bread flavored hamburger? No? Well…what about an Oreo flavored Oreo? Yes, these “new” Walmart exclusive Cookies & Creme Oreo’s are indeed cookies flavored like themselves.  I’m going to keep this one brief because if you’re on this site chances are you know what an Oreo is, what it tastes like, and that it has been the grocery cookie champion for over 100 years.

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The good news is these taste pretty much exactly like an original Oreo, and Oreo’s taste fantastic, so you won’t be losing much if you spend $3 on a package of these. The bad news is, the only small difference here is not really an improvement, but potentially a downgrade, depending on your flavor preference.

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What makes this version of Nabisco’s classic afternoon treat different from the one released in 1912 is the presence of cookie bits within the creme.  The pieces of wafer cookie crushed up into the creme takes away a bit of the bright sugary pop that usually comes from the white stuff, and as a result the ultimate balance achieved by the OG is disturbed. It makes the overall experience more bitter chocolate-forward, and kind of eats like a cross between a regular (vanilla-y) and chocolate Oreo without either flavor being too dominant.

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While this limited edition is about as silly as a snowball in May, I don’t hate it, and if I was craving an Oreo and this was put in front of me it would satisfy that urge.  It isn’t a big enough of a departure to be a letdown for someone seeking some classic cookie crunch, but it is most certainly a sorry excuse for a promotional release.  Luckily we’ve got Jelly Donut, Mocha, Fireworks (pop rocks creme), Apple Pie, and Waffles with Syrup Oreo all to look forward to later this year.

Rating: 8/10
Found at: Walmart

REVIEW: Ben & Jerry’s Oat of this Swirled

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Bring on the fudge flakes. Five flavors, five flakey endeavors, welcome to the modern era of Ben & Jerry’s. Although I have a sneaking suspicion that whoever orders ingredients for B&J accidentally ordered 1,000 pounds of the flakey chocolate instead of 100, these flakes in this flavor actually have a purpose, in the form of an homage. In 2012 Ben & Jerry’s sent Oatmeal Cookie Chunk to the flavor graveyard, and although I never had it, I’ve heard of its greatness referenced more times than I can count.  Oat of This Swirled is the company’s response to the fans’ dairy-soaked tears, which combines buttery brown sugar ice cream with fudge flakes and oatmeal cinnamon cookie swirls.

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The brown sugar ice cream is more effective here than in Blondie Ambition, where the toffee flakes muddy some of the texture and take away from the subtle golden brown sugar notes. It’s not a mind blowing base by any means but it’s clearly not vanilla and has a richness to it that is very enjoyable and compliments the profile of oatmeal cookies well. Speaking of cookies, the swirl here is very tasty, with a slight grittiness and buttery cinnamon flavor that is straight oatmeal cookie without the chew. Some of the cinnamon flavor seeps into the base and the two work together to translate the creamy slightly spicy feeling of fresh baked cookies. I do wish there were some chunks to go along with the swirl though, to give some bigger bursts of the baked goods, because as it stands you’ve gotta dig deep and hope to find a decent strand of the ribbon (which is great when you do).

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The fudge flakes, as good of quality as they are and as much as I begrudge their overuse in these new flavors, actually do work here. Their sweet yet dark chocolate notes serve as a good gap between the cinnamon and brown sugar, and even though they’re strong tasting they don’t overpower the other two elements. There’s still a few too many of them in relation to the amount of swirl, but they aren’t making me angry at all.

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The more that I eat the more I realize this ice cream tastes almost identical to eating an original IT-S-IT, the Bay Area born oatmeal ice cream cookie sandwich dipped in chocolate. The flavors in this pint mimic that experience almost perfectly, even hitting the right balance of spices and sweetness to the degree that multiple times I walked away from the freezer thinking I had just finished eating a sando and not playing shovel with my spoon. This is both a blessing and a curse because A. IT’S-IT’s are freakin awesome I love them and B. They were invented in 1928 and I’ve had that experience at my disposal my entire life, so there’s nothing new or unique being brought to the table, even though it’s delicious.

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Through and through this pint comes off as a touch lazy and lacking some pizazz but I actually really enjoy a lot of what’s inside. If Ben and Jerry’s wanted to make a simple switch that could take this to another level, cut the fudge flakes by 30% and add in some cookie chunks to compliment the swirl – boom – magic would be made.

Rating: 8/10
Found at: Safeway

RANKING: ONE Brand Protein Bars

/ seansskillet / 4 Comments

ONE Brand bars might just be the most consistently delicious and nutritionally sound protein bars out there.  There are brands with more flavors (Quest), and some that achieve a bolder taste (Fit Crunch), but through and through these bars deliver great taste with only one gram of sugar and a solid dose of protein and fiber.  With many options to choose from I’ve compiled my all inclusive list of ONE bar flavors including their newest – Red Velvet and Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake.

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1. Cinnamon Bun – I love cinnamon, and this bar not only delivers a cool blast of spice but the buttery nuances of yeasty rolls. It’s delicious, just sweet enough, and proves why Oh Yeah! have completely dominated low sugar flavor emulation.

2. Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake – chocolate and peanut butter is one of the greatest combinations known to man, and this bar pays homage to that glorious marriage wonderfully. It’s more peanut butter than it is chocolate, and surprisingly less sweet than a lot of the other ONE bars, which really works for this profile. It has two layers, the top of which is smooth and creamy like peanut butter, and finished with a mellow cocoa note that I really really dig.

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3. Maple Glazed Doughnut – they completely nailed this flavor. Full of maple and raised donut yeasty-ness, it even finishes with that signature sharp sweet donut glaze taste. It’s incredible what they achieved in the maple domain, which is a flavor that doesn’t get enough love. Usually when you see maple it’s paired with pancakes or waffles, which is great, but this is a touch more unique and executed flawlessly.

4. Birthday Cake – the first bar I remember having actually covered in sprinkles and achieving the birthday cake flavor instead of some weird lemony taste. It’s sweet and vanilla-forward like a classic store bought white cake with a little bit of eggy-ness to give it that bday bounce.

5. Almond Bliss – a super unique and well executed flavor that doesn’t get enough love. This bar is basically an Almond Joy, and it nails the chocolate coconut almond balance beautifully. It’s creamy and nutty and just sweet enough, with some whole almonds that add good crunch.  No other company has tried this flavor and I can’t imagine it being done much better with this kind of macros.

6. Peanut Butter Pie – peanut butter flavored protein supplements are hard to nail but this one does a pretty convincing job of capturing the nutty nuances of the heralded buttery treat. The use of peanut flour, peanut butter, AND peanuts in the ingredients provides a deep roasted flavor complimented by just the right amount of sweetness. I haven’t had many slices of peanut butter pie but this is certainly my favorite peanut butter bar.

7. Lemon Cake – really solid zesty lemon flavor with a little bit of white cake bounce. There’s that extra essence that pushes it beyond straight lemon, but the lemon is full, bright, and dominant. If you want a lemon protein bar, this is the ‘one’.

8. Cookies and Creme – as big of a fan of Oreo’s as I am I’m not huge on C&C bars but this one is quite good. This is a very creme-heavy bar as far as the flavor goes, with the outer white coating and protein base inside both reminding me of the Oreo filling. The inside is speckled with chocolate cookie pieces for a bit of cocoa but it overall eats like a rich creamy creme bar. Yum.

9. Pumpkin Pie – this seasonal take on the autumn classic remains the best version of the pie I’ve had in bar form. The texture reminds me of pumpkin filling, and the Oh Yeah! flavor wizards were at it again nailing the flakey notes of pie crust in addition to the spices you would expect.

10. Salted Caramel – it’s exactly what the name implies. Salty, buttery, and sweet. Not too sweet in a headache-enducing way, which can sometimes be an issue with caramel, but just sweet enough to let the salt have a backdrop to flourish on. No nuts or chocolate or other bells and whistles, just straight caramel and one of the best caramel bar I’ve had. The surprise factor here is the supreme creaminess that is butter-smooth silky, but all the flavor is in the coating with the protein base falling a little flat (sometimes I suck the coating off, I’m weird, I know).

11. Blueberry Cobbler – not as sweet as you might expect, it’s got a good blueberry flavor that isn’t very artificial and pretty enjoyable to eat. Not as cobbler-y as I would like with no notable cinnamon or nutmeg to really be found. I know Oh Yeah! can do crusty bready flavors well and this one doesn’t quite nail it.

12. Red Velvet Cake – the bar has a legitimate cheesy tang on the outer coating but ultimately suffers from just not being sweet enough to deliver the right frosting kick. The inside doesn’t taste bad but it also doesn’t have any of the cocoa nuances I want from RV cake. The texture is still solid but there are 10 other ONE bars more worth your time and money.

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13. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough – there’s a touch of brown sugar flavor that reminds me of dough in the protein base, which is studded with chocolate chips and dipped in a chocolate coating. Vanilla and caramel come along for the journey in a bar that is good but not the best CCCD out here (Combat Crunch and Quest both have great versions).

14. Key Lime Pie – I’m a big fan of lime, and anything with graham crackers in it for that matter, and while both of those flavors are represented in this bar it suffers from being not nearly sweet enough.  While Oh Yeah! usually delivers heartily on great sugary profiles with only one gram of sugar, this bar overall falls flat with very little pop, despite its creamy whipped topping-esque coating.  Even though the lime is pretty authentic, its tartness isn’t enough to save it from being a flavor I don’t really want to toss into my regular rotation.

15. Chocolate Brownie – light milk chocolate flavor that reminds me a lot more of Hershey’s Kisses than a brownie with occasional crunchy chocolate chips. Not an awful bar but not my favorite chocolate bar by a long shot.

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White Chocolate Raspberry – very sweet, almost moist with a floral and tart raspberry finish. Surprisingly doesn’t taste artificial at all, which is a big problem with berry flavored bars. Ties with the Quest version for best take on the flavor, although the only texture is little crisps and no white chocolate chunks.

Chocolate Birthday Cake – another bar bursting with sprinkles, this one has that soft cocoa flavor like a cake you would buy from Safeway. It’s a unique flavor, since most companies go for chocolate brownie, and is pretty well executed, although I have had some that had a strange sour aftertaste.

Mint Chocolate Chip – the first ice cream themed protein bar I’ve had and I’m a fan. The mint is present but much more mellow than a super intense Peppermint extract would provide, and instead, bringing the smooth creaminess you would find in a scoop of mint chip. It’s not my favorite mint bar but it’s a good one, although it has a kind of odd lingering aftertaste that feels a little soapy, probably trying to emulate the cold creaminess.

REVIEW: Salt & Straw Roasted Strawberry Tres Leches (San Francisco Exclusive)

/ seansskillet / 2 Comments

The time has finally come and on this Friday, April 14, the bay area will get its first Salt & Straw scoop shop.  The stellar Portland-based ice cream company will be taking a similar approach to their stores in Los Angeles and will offer some SF scoop shop only flavors that you have to be present for to actually experience and taste that will be unique not only in their exclusivity but in their profile to represent the bay area.  I was fortunate enough to get to try a couple of these flavors before they hit the public, and like everything S&S does, they are impressively great.  Salt and Straw’s San Francisco exclusive flavor Roasted Strawberry Tres Leches combines a roasted strawberry ice cream with chunks of tres leches cake and a vanilla strawberry jam swirl.

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The strawberry ice cream is perfect.  Bursting with authentic slightly tart strawberry flavor there’s a touch of saltiness to the base that is simply delectable and tempers the aggressive sweetness of the jam to create a full bodied multi-layered berry flavor.  The roasted element of the strawberries gives a true-to-taste fruit experience that shares absolutely nothing in common with lower quality, artificial tasting “strawberry” ice creams.  I’m not as well versed on berry bases as I am with sweet cream, caramel, or chocolate, but this is without a doubt my favorite strawberry I have ever had.

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The tres leches cake is dense and chewy in a way that resembles cake batter with a beautiful cinnamon flavor that melds harmoniously with the two fruity components.  There’s a touch of golden sheen to the cake that reminds me of graham crackers in the best way – channeling honey and spice and childhood nostalgia.  A little bit of the cinnamon seeps into the strawberry, so even when you get a bite without cake there’s an added touch of spicy depth that elevates the ice cream beyond your basic berry and into something transcendent.

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What makes Salt and Straw so incredible is their precise attention to detail, and everything about that precision is represented in this pint.  From the use of vanilla strawberry jam instead of just strawberry, which adds a round fullness to the flavor, to the subtle use of salt to balance everything out, Salt & Straw truly craft the scoops of ice cream lovers’ dreams.

Rating: 10/10

REVIEW: Baskin Robbins Caramel Macchiato

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Sometime in the early 2000’s Starbucks invented the Caramel Macchiato, confusing coffee consumers and soiling the term macchiato forever.  A word that was once associated with a small espresso drink dotted by freshly steamed foam was transformed into a big cup full of milk caramel, vanilla, and less than 10% actual coffee.  This turn of events in coffee culture made caffeine aficionados angry and baristas of all levels perplexed on what the hell people were trying to order, and as such, everything has been ruined forever.  Arriving approximately 15-20 years late to the trendy party, Baskin Robbins are putting their own spin on the teeny-boppers gateway drug with their flavor of the month for April 2017.  Caramel Macchiato combines coffee ice cream with a salted caramel swirl and real espresso flakes for a flavor that will hopefully leave me sugar AND caffeine high.

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The coffee base is exactly what I look for in this kind of ice cream – smooth and sweet with vanilla undertones and a present but not too intensely bitter coffee flavor.  The taste is very similar to a heavily milked and sugared cup of coffee, which should come as no surprise considering the ingredients used to make ice cream.  It’s mellow enough that it doesn’t smack you in the face but big enough that the flavor doesn’t fade after repeated bites into creamy obscurity.

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The salted caramel swirl seems much less salted than would be ideal, but its signature sweetness stands out against the coffee backdrop and adds some silky texture that is enjoyable and true to the caramel macchiato beverage.  While I do think Baskin Robbins makes a good caramel, especially evident in flavors like Gold Medal Ribbon, I have yet to have a good salted caramel from BR and this scoop isn’t changing that perception.  I also wish there was more of the caramel, because without it in the bites the flavor is much more latte than it is “macchiato”.

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As for the third component of this flavor, the “real espresso flakes” are actually coffee studded chocolate flakes, and don’t lean too heavily on coffee or chocolate flavor with just a touch of bitter cocoa that elevates the espresso vibes without pushing it over the edge.  I was excited when the description said “espresso flakes”, and while these chocolate chips are fine, they don’t really fit the flavor profile, and may have been better replaced by caramel covered espresso beans or something more inventive to capture the caramel macchiato essence more effectively, since this isn’t a mocha flavor.  Despite the unnecessary presence of chocolate this is a pretty tasty cup, and one I might even re-scoop if I find myself near a Baskin later this month.

Rating: 7.5/10
Found at: Baskin Robbins

REVIEW: Trader Joe’s Mocha Joe Joe’s

/ seansskillet / 5 Comments

The world has never seen a coffee Oreo…until later this year. That’s right, in 2017, thanks to a collaboration with Dunkin Donuts, Nabisco will finally release a coffee flavored Oreo.  Bad news for them, Trader Joe’s has beaten them to the punch via the release of the brand new for this year Mocha Joe Joe’s. With two chocolate wafer cookies sandwiching a vanilla creme studded with ground coffee, Oreo has some heavy competition on their hands.

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Coffee is one of my most cherished and nostalgic smells, and busting into these Joe Joe’s is like unearthing a fresh bag of whole bean espresso.  There’s a full, dark, dominant coffee aroma that will be no stranger to anyone who grinds coffee beans at home, and is a surprising coming so intensely from a $3 box of cookies. The creme filling is smooth, soft, and almost runny with a much softer texture than its Oreo idol. The creme is studded with coffee bean bits that add a little extra crunch but primarily bring a bold coffee flavor that is sharp, bitter, and genuine. The taste is very similar to that of chocolate covered espresso beans and that’s a huge boost over a lot of coffee flavored products I’ve had before.

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As powerful as the coffee flavor is, the cookies do still overall register sweet, with the wafer cookie being a little less dark and bitter than the standard Oreo. There’s enough sugary sweetness in the melty creme and wafer to balance the coffee intensity and I think this cookie will be loved not only by caffeine junkies, but those who appreciate the other element of a mocha – good chocolate. The finish is sweet and smooth enough to accompany a good cup of coffee, tea, or espresso, but dynamic enough that it isn’t just another average tasting Oreo copy cat.

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This is the most excited I’ve been by a cookie so far this year, and it caught me by total surprise.  I love drinking coffee daily but am not as hyped on coffee flavored treats, and these cookies may have converted me.  I’ve always thought Joe Joe’s were of high quality but with this Mocha flavor Trader Joe’s have taken them to another level, achieving the perfect snack-able balance of coffee, chocolate, and delicious that has me excited for other new limited releases in the future.

Rating: 9/10
Found at: Trader Joe’s
Quick Nutrition: 2 cookies – 7g fat – 95mg sodium – 23g carbs – 14g sugar – 1g protein

REVIEW: Haagen-Dazs Peanut Butter Salted Fudge

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Peanut butter and chocolate.  One of the greatest flavor combinations known to man and no stranger to the magical melty world of ice cream.  It’s that hard to top yin and yang of sweet and salty and creamy and fatty that ultimately just equates to yummy and delicious.  As many times as companies have put their own stamp on the classic team up, we’re seventeen years into the 21st century and STILL getting new takes.  Brand new for this year, Haagen-Dazs try another spin on the sweet treat all star with Peanut Butter Salted Fudge, which combines peanut butter ice cream with chocolate covered peanuts and a salted fudge swirl.

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The peanut butter ice cream is smooth and sweet with a notable salty shine that immediately reminds me of biting into the iconic Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup.  Despite trying to emulate peanut butter, the base itself isn’t too heavy or dense and has a very nice light and creamy mouthfeel that is neither too soft or dense.

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The salted fudge ribbons help aid in the execution of the light yet decadent experience in that they start with a sweet cocoa flavor and finish with a strong saltiness that lingers with a little dance on my tongue.  The ribbon is mostly integrated throughout in thin sheets which gives most bites a much more chocolate peanut butter flavor than pure peanut butter, with neither flavor becoming too dominant over the other.  There are occasional larger chunks of the salted chocolate that deliver a quick burst of sweetness before melting away and beg me to keep on digging.

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As good as the other two components are, the real star of the show here is the chocolate covered peanuts.  I don’t think I’ve ever had chocolate covered peanuts in ice cream before and I’ll be damned if I don’t feel like I’ve been robbed of an incredible mix in for nearly 30 years of my life.  The peanuts have kept all the snap and crunch that makes them such an undeniable snack and work in perfect harmony with the ribbons and cream to emulate the frozen experience of eating the world’s best chocolate cup.  The flavor and texture immediately reminds me of Hershey’s Mr. Goodbar and all the elements combined taste exactly like Mr. Goodbar seduced a fine young Mrs. Reese’s and spawned the baby that is Peanut Butter Salted Fudge.

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This new release from Haagen-Dazs isn’t reinventing the wheel by any means but it delivers a fantastic take on chocolate peanut butter that is a welcome addition to a freezer aisle with many variations on the classic combo.

Rating: 8/10
Found at: Safeway

REVIEW: Little G Snack Attack

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I’m a snacker. I fancy me a good breakfast and dinner but throughout the day I would much rather have a series of smaller snacks than a sit down lunch to constantly keep my food-buzz rollin. I would also rather eat ice cream than lunch, and usually at least once a week I do that, and say I ‘eff the yogurt and salad I’m gettin’ me a double dip. Understanding my heart and soul greatly, one of Little G’s signature ice cream flavors is Snack Attack, which combines vanilla bean ice cream with a crispy caramelized snack mix of pretzels, potato chips, butter crackers, peanut butter cups, and candy coated chocolate. Perfect for a snack addicts meal replacement plan. Spoons up!

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This pint is dense.  Snack Attack is a wall to wall mix in assault of candy that looks unlike any other ice cream container you will ever open. It’s colorful and chunky and downright wild. Dipping my spoon in it’s almost impossible to isolate the base but I get a little bit of it and it is a very sweet but tasty vanilla. There’s a hint of saltiness to it, not like the aggressive sea salt used by Salt and Straw, but like some of the salt from the pretzels and chips have soaked into the base, which balances out some of the sweetness.

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The predominant flavor here is candy.  M&M’s and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups take center stage as the ice cream is merely a backdrop to the junk aisle staples that make up most of the containers’ contents. It’s hard to go wrong with chocolate and peanut butter and milky creamy goodness and on those points this pint definitely delivers.

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As much fun as this flavor is to eat I do have some issues with it. I really wanted big satisfying hits of salt to counter all of the sweet, and unfortunately my pint was dangerously low, almost devoid, of crackers, chips, and pretzels. Again, there was a bit of salty presence in the ice cream itself but I never got a single chip or cracker and the only pretzel piece I got was soggy and softer than any of the candy pieces. While it is insanely fun to be eating ice cream and pull out half of a peanut butter cup, which I did, twice, I couldn’t help but feel like to be paying such a premium price I want more of what the description promises.

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Even though this flavor didn’t completely hit the mark for me I have to admit that I was left thinking about the eating experience right after it was gone. While it doesn’t satisfy the same part of my tongue and brain that a big creamy scoop of ice cream does, it is an incredibly unique, crunchy, and fun eating experience that every ice cream lover ought to try at least once, and very well could fall in love with.

Rating: 8/10

HOSTESS ROUNDUP: Chocolate Cake Twinkies, White Fudge Ding Dongs, Peanut Butter Ho Ho’s

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Earlier this year Hostess released three new spins on some of their established cakes, which, unlike most new/limited flavor varieties were available in the gas-station-classic single serve size instead of a big ole box of 8 or 10.  This got me excited, since I love trying new products but rarely need that many – it was a golden opportunity to taste without commitment.  The hunt was real for these bad boys, as it took me nearly two months and three different locations to track them all down.  Conveniently, all three of these cakes are being released in big box grocery format this week, so if any of these treats sound too tantalizing to deny, you can get em in a ten pack.  Alright Hostess, let’s round em up!

Chocolate Cake Twinkies

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A very basic but surprisingly interesting and successful twist to the golden sponge cake classic. It’s less greasy than yellow Twinkies but more moist than a Suzy Q, which are notoriously dry with an odd stiffness. The cake itself has a moderate chocolate flavor that reminds me of Cocoa Puffs with a light sweet profile that steers clear of any bitterness.

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The cream filling is same as any hostess product, and works well in tandem with the chocolate sponge, which overall tempers the sweetness compared to a normal Twinkies.  I enjoyed eating this a lot more than I anticipated and I would probably even buy them again!

Rating: 7.5/10

White Fudge Ding Dongs

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A fluffy, fairly one-noted sweet vanilla cake. Surprisingly less sweet than its closest competitor, Little Debbie’s Zebra Cakes, it has a noticeably rich almost buttery flavor to it.  The white fudge coating is soft and does have a slightly smoother less waxy coating than your typical Hostess outer layer. It feels a bit thicker, which is maybe the desired effect of “fudge”.

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The cream filling pops a lot less than a regular Ding Dong because of the already vanilla-sweet cake and coating. It’s more moist than the original Dong with a greater/equal distribution of cream filling that leads to an overall creamy bite. It’s not bad but it isn’t really all that great either; and I’m generally a fan of white cake with white frosting.

Rating: 6/10

Peanut Butter Ho Hos

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I’ve never had a Hostess product with peanut butter in it and I am now a happy boy.  The overall flavor is still very sweet with the dominant taste being the light chocolate of the Ho Ho cake and outer coating.  It would be nice if there was a big authentic salty PB presence to offset the sweet, but it comes off more like a sweet peanut butter frosting than true butter (which isn’t much of a surprise).

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Still, it’s peanut butter and the nuttiness is a welcome addition to the Ho Ho’s inner swirl which makes the cake overall more dynamic and interesting. That being said, it doesn’t deliver the same PB satisfaction as a Reese’s or Little Debbie’s PB creme pie so I’m not sure this would be my go to in the future if I was having a cake-y peanut butter craving.

Rating: 7/10