Biscuits might be the unsung hero of the fast food world. Sure, they’re empty calories, they’re excessively buttery while somehow still being dry as a bone, and oftentimes they’re as stale as the “jokes” I’m assuredly gonna attempt in this review… but I don’t care because I’m a fan of everyone’s.
While biscuits have thrived as breakfast breads and chicken sides, I can’t recall many instances of them being utilized in a fast food dessert. That is until now with Popeyes’ new Chocolate Chip Biscuits.
This is big news, because I love those biscuits from Popeyes!
When I saw that these new biscuits were about to drop, I was burning with anticipation. Unfortunately, so was my local Popeyes, because it literally burned down. Yeah. It’s gone. Kinda felt like a bad omen.
Thankfully, it happened overnight, and there were no injuries, but driving by the charred husk of the restaurant really made me lose my appetite.
… for a couple days. I found the next closest Popeyes and snagged one. The dough must go on.
Chocolate Chip Biscuits are basically what you think they are. Well, not what our British readers think they are. They’re thinking of cookies, and these aren’t cookies. Popeyes’ Chocolate Chip Biscuits are standard biscuits dotted with chocolate chips and topped with sweet icing. I think our friends in England might call these “scones?”
It’s funny because I was fully expecting this to taste like a scone. An American scone, I guess? Ya know, those hard, misshapen muffin… things. They’re fine. I would’ve been ok with that, but Popeyes did something pretty unique here by just plussing up its standard biscuits.
Mine was warm, sweet, and salty. Incredibly salty. I think it may have been pulled from the saltiest bin in the joint, and as a sodium addict, I kinda loved that. It tasted like a mistake, if I’m being honest.
The crispy salted base of the biscuit was counterbalanced by the sweet generic icing on top almost perfectly. “Salty-sweet” fans should definitely be satisfied, even if theirs isn’t as seasoned as mine.
Now, I say that, but you’ll notice how I didn’t highlight the chocolate. The chips are supposed to be the stars of the show, and they kinda get lost. These aren’t bursting with chocolate flavor. It’s there, but I think the dry biscuit batter dehydrated the chocolate, and the icing was so sweet it didn’t give the chips room to really shine.
I guess I was ultimately disappointed in how light the chocolate was. Honestly, it wasn’t premium chocolate anyway, so maybe it was for the best. I kinda wish mine was a bit softer as well, but it probably worked out better structurally. A softer biscuit would’ve been a crumbly, sticky mess.
Popeyes’ Chocolate Chip Biscuit is imperfect, but I still enjoyed the balance, and I think it’s unique and tasty enough to chase your chicken dinner with. It’s too bad they aren’t open early because these would probably make a great breakfast.
I say give ’em a try, but just make sure your local Popeyes is still standing first.
Purchased Price: $2.19
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 310 calories, 14 grams of fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 6 grams of saturated fat, 340 milligrams of sodium, 44 grams of total carbohydrates, 24 grams of total sugars, 1 gram of fiber, and 3 grams of protein.
I don’t think any food should be described as empty calories. You eat food for more than the nutritional benefits. Some foods are meant for enjoyment; that doesn’t make them “empty” in any way.
I might be in the minority here, but I’ve never thought of empty calories as being a negative thing. To me, it’s sort of a synonym for junk food. They’re both things that have no significant nutritional value, but probably taste damn tasty.
Interesting. I probably have a different view with my history of an ED and being so steeped in and attuned to diet culture. I wonder what the prevailing viewpoint is on this. I usually see it in reference to food being “unhealthy” and something you shouldn’t eat, but I guess I can see how not everyone sees it that way.