Author: Heather

REVIEW: Kellogg’s Little Debbie Cosmic Brownie Cereal

Heather 3 Comments

Kellogg s Little Debbie Cosmic Brownie Cereal Box

What is Kellogg’s Little Debbie Cosmic Brownie Cereal?

It seems like everything is getting a reboot these days. Maybe it’s your favorite old movie, maybe it’s a nostalgic toy… or maybe, just maybe, it’s a beloved childhood treat. If you’re excited for option three, then we have news for you. Little Debbie, maker of the classic Cosmic Brownies, is teaming up with Kellogg’s on a new Little Debbie Cosmic Brownies cereal. It’s mini brownie squares complete with rainbow pieces to look like the original.

How is it?

Kellogg s Little Debbie Cosmic Brownie Cereal Brownie

As I opened the bag, I first noted this: If you were conducting a blind sniff test, I’d think this was a bag of Cocoa Puffs. It’s a strong whiff of chocolate. Now, obviously, I had to buy a box of the original Cosmic Brownies for true comparison. (I was surprised to find out that my husband had NEVER tried the brownies, which makes me wonder how sad his sack lunches were growing up…) I tried the brownie and immediately followed it with the cereal.

While the texture of the actual brownie is very fudgy and soft, what you’re getting here is a standard, crunchy cereal that feels like anything else you find on grocery shelves. You might as well close your eyes and play eeny, meeny, miny, mo with a handful of chocolate-based cereals, and you wouldn’t know this was supposed to mimic the brownie.

Kellogg s Little Debbie Cosmic Brownie Cereal Closeup

I noticed a strong cocoa taste that is sweet without being TOO sweet, which I liked. The nutrition facts back it up – only 14 grams of sugar in a serving. Sadly, the rainbow pieces are so small that they added no impact or flavor to the cereal.

In terms of rating – while it doesn’t taste exactly like the original brownie, it still tasted pretty good for a fun cereal. I knocked points off for the comparison, but not for the taste alone when you separate that concept.

Anything else you need to know?

Kellogg s Little Debbie Cosmic Brownie Cereal Spoon

Definitely add milk if you do want it to have any semblance to the brownie. A splash of milk helps soften the cereal and bring out the fudgier taste I was desiring. Unfortunately, the flavor stayed mostly with the cereal, so the milk at the bottom of the bowl ended up being not very chocolatey.

Conclusion:

If you like chocolate cereal, Kellogg’s Little Debbie Cosmic Brownies is worth a try. But if you’re coming for a replica of the original, you might be disappointed.

DISCLOSURE: I received a free product sample from Kellogg’s. Doing so did not influence my review.

Purchased Price: FREE
Size: 8.2 oz box
Purchased at: Received from Kellogg’s
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (per 1 1/3 cup) 150 calories, 2 grams of total fat, 0.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 140 milligrams of sodium, 31 grams of total carbohydrates, 1 gram of dietary fiber, 14 grams of total sugars, and 3 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Starbucks Honey Oatmilk Latte

Heather 6 Comments

Starbucks Honey Oatmilk Latte Cup

What is the Starbucks Honey Oatmilk Latte?

Now that Starbucks recently introduced oatmilk, I have a sneaking suspicion we’ll see a lot more featured drinks with it added to the menu. The new Honey Oatmilk Latte is blonde espresso, oatmilk, and honey with a toasted honey topping.

How is it?

Honey lovers, run to your nearest Starbucks – you won’t be disappointed. The honey flavor is super prevalent here, something I didn’t find with the Almondmilk Honey Flat White from early 2020. You’ll taste it at first sip, but it was the aftertaste that really knocked my socks off. Smooth, sweet, and comforting – and most important, a very natural taste since it’s real honey and not a flavored syrup or sauce.

Starbucks Honey Oatmilk Latte Top

I think the oatmilk adds a nice thickness to the latte that I don’t always feel with dairy milk. I’ll waver between talls and grandes for hot drinks, and I was very satisfied with a tall here. And with 85 milligrams of caffeine in the tall, I’d recommend it as an afternoon treat to power you through.

Lastly, as I typically note with hot drinks and toppings – the toasted honey topping melts in too quick with the drink and doesn’t provide the added taste it truly could.

Anything else you need to know?

This really felt like a cool weather beverage for me – perfect for sitting around the fire in the fall. I’ll definitely be remembering that in the future… but hey, I’m not wishing away the summer!

Conclusion:

If your go-to Starbucks beverage is a latte and/or you really like honey, add this to your rotation for a delightful flavor profile.

Purchased Price: $4.95
Size: Tall
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 200 calories, 7 grams of total fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 120 milligrams of sodium, 32 grams of total carbohydrates, 2 grams of dietary fiber, 21 grams of total sugars, 3 grams of protein and 85 milligrams of caffeine.

REVIEW: Starbucks Iced Chocolate Almondmilk Shaken Espresso

Heather 5 Comments

Starbucks Iced Chocolate Almondmilk Shaken Espresso Full

What is the Starbucks Iced Chocolate Almondmilk Shaken Espresso?

Starbucks recently released new shaken espresso beverages, and the Iced Chocolate Almondmilk Shaken Espresso is one of the two. (Here’s the review of the Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso.) This one pairs Starbucks Blonde espresso with almondmilk and chocolate malt powder.

How is it?

Um, yum.

I was pleasantly surprised with how tasty it is. This thing tasted like a melted candy bar – and I loved it. The most notable thing with this drink compared to its Brown Sugar cousin is the espresso was more muted, perhaps masked by the chocolate malt powder. With a smooth finish, this is a delightful dose of caffeine if you like your morning java to have some flavor.

Starbucks Iced Chocolate Almondmilk Shaken Espresso Top

Now let’s talk about that chocolate. I was super intrigued to see the drink used malt powder as opposed to a sauce or syrup. But I am here for it! The malt powder made it sweet, but not too sweet, and reminded me of a milkshake you might have gotten with your grandpa when you were a kid. Since the baristas shake these ingredients in a shaker like you would a cocktail, I’m thinking the malt powder mixes more evenly.

The other thing I really enjoyed is how “shaking” the beverage really mixed the almondmilk with the espresso. Sometimes I find almondmilk and coffee can separate easily, but that was not the case here.

Anything else you need to know?

Is the chocolate malt a little strong for you? Or just want a hint? As with most other ingredients, you can request different levels of the powder – extra or light powder are also options.

Conclusion:

Cannot wait to have this one again. If I’m feeling fancy, I might even add some whipped cream on top to take it to the next level.

Purchased Price: $5.45
Size: Grande
Purchased at: Starbucks
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 110 calories, 3 grams of total fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 80 milligrams of sodium, 20 grams of total carbohydrates, 1 grams of dietary fiber, 16 grams of total sugars, 2 grams of protein, and 255 milligrams of caffeine.

REVIEW: Starbucks Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso

Heather 5 Comments

Starbucks Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso Cup

What is the Starbucks Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso?

Non-dairy friends, rejoice! Starbucks now has oatmilk! The chain is using it in the new Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso. This drink takes shots of espresso – Starbucks Blonde espresso, specifically – and shakes it up with brown sugar and cinnamon. Baristas top it off with oatmilk and you’re good to go!

(Editor’s Note: We also reviewed Starbuck’s Iced Chocolate Almondmilk Shaken Espress.)

How is it?

On first sip, I noted a strong espresso taste with a tiny hint of sweet – almost like a burnt sugar. I definitely got more of a cinnamon flavor coming through over the brown sugar, especially in the aftertaste. Side note: I’m interested in trying the Brown Sugar Syrup used in this drink in a latte or cappuccino, to really see what that tastes like on its own, too!

I described the shaken espresso to a co-worker as being rather mellow, since it didn’t taste like a sugar bomb. It’s smooth with an oat-y foam on top from the oatmilk. Unless you’re used to a lot of espresso at once, I’d recommend sipping this one slowly to really enjoy the flavor.

Starbucks Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso Foam

The oatmilk paired with the syrup flavor and cinnamon very well in my opinion, and I’m wondering if it will do the same with other combinations. Now off to conduct that research!

Anything else you need to know?

This drink is not for the caffeine faint of heart. A grande packs a punch of 255 milligrams, and let me tell you, I felt it the entire day (I had mine first thing in the morning). If that’s too much for you, I’d advise lowering the total number of espresso shots, or simply sizing down. A tall has two shots, a grande has three, and a venti has four.

I also thought the price was a little steep for this drink – one my usuals at Starbucks is a venti iced latte with various syrups, and it costs roughly the same even though it’s one size up. The new oatmilk is likely driving the price up on this one.

Conclusion:

While this isn’t my most favorite Starbucks drink, I enjoyed it enough to add it into my regular rotation, especially as the weather gets warmer (I’m in the Midwest and we’re patiently – or not so patiently! – waiting for spring!)

Purchased Price: $5.45
Size: Grande
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 120 calories, 3 grams of total fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 20 milligrams of cholesterol, 120 milligrams of sodium, 20 grams of total carbohydrates, 0 grams of dietary fiber, 13 grams of total sugars, 2 grams of protein, and 255 milligrams of caffeine.

Click here to read our previous Starbucks reviews.

REVIEW: Starbucks Pistachio Latte

Heather 9 Comments

Starbucks Pistachio Latte Cup

What is the Starbucks Pistachio Latte?

The new Starbucks Pistachio Latte has a typical latte base – steamed milk and espresso – with pistachio sauce and a salted brown butter topping.

How is it?

2021, you are off to an amazing start on the coffee front. I don’t think I could love the Pistachio Latte any more!

At first sip, there was a mellow, not overly sweet nuttiness, thanks to the pistachio sauce, which I’m looking forward to trying in some of my other favorite beverages. (Hint, Starbucks: Please keep this sauce forever!) While in reality I was about to go to work, I would have preferred to drink it during a cozy afternoon reading by the fire.

Starbucks Pistachio Latte Top

I’m really impressed with the pistachio sauce – I think Starbucks hit the nail on the head with a flavor that pairs nicely with the milk in the latte. It’s warm, filling, and has just the right amount of flavor. It reminded me slightly of a flat white. Even though traditional flat whites don’t have a sauce or syrup, the Pistachio Latte was reminiscent of the warm, just a tiny bit creaminess of a flat white.

Lastly, I found the flavor to be apparent down to the last drop.

Anything else you need to know?

The *only* thing that fell a bit flat for me and why I gave the rating I did was the salted brown butter topping. I typically find that these toppings sink right into the hot drinks and you can’t really taste it. This was the case with the Pistachio Latte.

Conclusion:

Go. Try. This. Latte. I can’t wait to get it again! Here’s to hoping it sticks around beyond winter.

Purchased Price: $4.65
Size: Grande
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 230 calories, 6 grams of total fat, 3.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 20 milligrams of cholesterol, 230 milligrams of sodium, 35 grams of total carbohydrates, 0 grams of dietary fiber, 33 grams of total sugars, 9 grams of protein, and 75 milligrams of caffeine.