Tag: Candy

REVIEW: Reese’s Crunchy and Creamy Peanut Butter Cups (2023)

Julie 3 Comments

I – and likely you, too – have tried a lot of Reese’s products over the years. While the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup may be the perfect candy creation, its variations often taste just as delicious while keeping the spirit of the original product. Reese’s Creamy and Crunchy Peanut Butter Cups fall perfectly in line with this pattern, as both tweak the textures of their fillings just enough to generate distinctive taste experiences. Reese’s Creamy Peanut Butter Cups offer smooth peanut butter filling, while Reese’s Crunchy Peanut Butter Cups contain peanut pieces for an extra crunch.

Although both are returning products, I hadn’t previously tried either. I love peanut butter in all varieties, so I often refuse to take a side in the Team Creamy vs. Team Crunchy debate. If chocolate and peanut butter are involved, Team Me wins every time. So, upon finding both varieties in King Size packages at Sheetz, I thanked George Washington Carver for the bounty I was about to receive.

I started with the Crunchy Peanut Butter Cups, which pair Reese’s classic peanut butter filling with loads of crunchy peanut pieces. The balance of filling and peanuts is just right. The pieces are mixed well throughout the filling so that the candy holds together in one bite. They vary in size, but all are large enough to satisfy a crunch craving. They also provide an extra hit of saltiness that complements both filling and chocolate perfectly.

That’s one point for Team Crunchy.

Next were the Creamy Peanut Butter Cups, which taste almost exactly like standard Reese’s. The filling is thick and definitely smoother than the crumbly texture found in most Reese’s cups. The filling is still on the dry side, though. It cracks easily and isn’t creamy enough to spread. I can’t dock too many points from Team Creamy because the cups are obviously delicious.

But I’d hoped for a much creamier texture (in the realm of buttercream frosting), so these Creamy Peanut Butter Cups fell short of my expectations. If I had instead grabbed a package of standard Reese’s cups at the checkout, I probably wouldn’t have recognized my mistake until the creamy peanut butter lovers of the world showed up at my door chanting, “One of us! One of us!”

If this Reese’s taste test forced me to pick a side, I would choose the Reese’s Crunchy Peanut Butter Cups. Their filling reminds me of what I would scoop from a jar of chunky peanut butter. Even though the Creamy variety doesn’t spark a similar comparison, it is the yin to Crunchy’s yang. It’s fun to have a choice of textures that only enhance an already irresistible peanut butter and chocolate flavor combination.

Maybe I’m Team Harmony after all.

Purchased Price: 2 for $5.59
Size: 2.8 oz (79 g) King Size package
Purchased at: Sheetz
Rating: 7 out of 10 (Creamy), 8 out of 10 (Crunchy)
Nutrition Facts: (per 2 cups) Creamy – 200 calories, 12 grams of fat, 4.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, less than 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 120 milligrams of sodium, 22 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 20 grams of sugar, and 4 grams of protein. Crunchy – 200 calories, 12 grams of fat, 4.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, less than 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 100 milligrams of sodium, 22 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 19 grams of sugar, and 5 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Reese’s Plant Based Peanut Butter Cups

Julie 7 Comments

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: Hershey’s Milklicious Kisses

Vin 11 Comments

How would you respond if I asked, “Would you like a Milklicious Kiss?”

I imagine you’d recoil in disgust and scream, “No!”

What if I told you a “Milklicious Kiss” was the newest variety of Hershey’s Kisses? Would that change your mind?

Still “no?” For real?

I’m not gonna lie; I kinda expected you all to say “yes” to that. Why not? Is it me? Did I come across too creepy or something? Was I too… ya know what, whatever, I’m gonna review them anyway.

So, what exactly is “Milklicious,” besides something Michelangelo would refer to an extra cheesy pizza as? “Milklicious” basically means these Kisses have a “creamy chocolate milk filling.” They’re Chocolate Milk flavored Kisses.

I guess “Chocolate Milk” would get confused with “Milk Chocolate,” and thus folks would think these are just standard Kisses in a new bag. They’re not though. They’re a reinvention of Hershey’s Kisses, and they’re far superior.

These are creamier, milkier, melt-in-your-mouth Kisses. And yeah, that also sounds kinda gross out of context. I realize it’s tough to write about the milkiness of something called a “kiss.” I feel like a McPoyle sibling. There’s a reference for nobody.

Anyway, I think Hershey nails the taste of smooth chocolate milk here. They’re softer and more airy than regular Kisses. How would you like an airy kiss?! Aight, enough of that.

I feel like American chocolatiers don’t really provide many smooth and airy products, so I found that to be a pleasant surprise. Actually, I think the texture and mouthfeel of these lean towards European chocolate more than anything Hershey puts out. I could have been convinced this was Milka or even a non-Hershey-owned Cadbury if not for the shape.

That being said, the brand I landed on after popping a dozen or so was Dove. Dove is an American brand, but they make a much silkier chocolate than Hershey’s.

The package makes it seem like the middle is similar to a Lindt truffle ball, but it’s just a lighter hunk of tan chocolate. It might as well be soft though, because these melt like those little Dove squares and don’t last very long in your mouth.

Look, if someone from Switzerland tried these, I’m sure they’d laugh at my review, but for a dumb American such as myself, I think this is quality chocolate. The cow on the package tells us these are “Yummm,” and who could argue with that?

Like I said, these are a complete reinvention of the Hershey Kiss. I think Milklicious should be the standard and then sell the regular ones as “Classic” or something because these are just flat-out better. I’d love to somehow try this type of Hershey’s chocolate in bar form.

These are winners. In fact, I think Milklicious Kisses should win the prestigious “Best Kiss” Moonman at the MTV Whatever They Call Them These Days Awards. Tough break, The Kissing Booth 7, but there’s a new champion in town.

Purchased Price: $4.34
Size: 9 oz
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (7 pieces) 160 calories, 10 grams of fat, 6 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 45 milligrams of sodium, 18 grams of carbohydrates, <1 gram of fiber, 17 grams of sugar, and 3 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Caramel Cold Brew M&M’s

Julie 10 Comments

Can you ever have too much coffee and chocolate? M&M’s doesn’t think so, and the brand rarely steers me wrong. I recently reviewed and loved Espresso M&M’s, so another coffee-flavored variety came as a welcome surprise to this candy fiend. This time, the flavor inspiration is Caramel Cold Brew, represented in the milk chocolate M&M’s through coffee flavor and a chewy caramel center.

(For coffee novices, cold brew is made by steeping coarse ground coffee beans in cool water for long periods of time. The resulting concentrate is diluted with water or milk and can be served cool or hot with various flavorings. For coffee aficionados, the ingredients list includes natural and artificial flavoring, so I can’t speak to what extent the cold brewing process was honored during the production of these M&M’s. Rage as you must.)

Even though caramel filling is not new to M&M’s, I was surprised to find the chewy center rather than a caramel-flavored chocolate core. I do not think of texture when I think of cold brew. If you are chewing your cold brew, you might want to double check the expiration date of the milk you added to it.

Luckily, chewy caramel centers are delicious, so I couldn’t hold the choice against the M&M’s. Also, the caramel appears to be doing double duty here by holding the coffee flavor. The milk chocolate tastes like the standard chocolate component of a Plain or Peanut M&M, while the caramel has a robust, bitter-edged coffee flavor. I determined this after several rounds of carefully nibbling the chocolate off one M&M, then tasting its center separately. This process made me look like a hamster cracking apart a sunflower seed with its wee teeth, but that’s showbiz, baby.

However you eat Caramel Cold Brew M&M’s, the experience is interesting. There is an initial strong burst of coffee flavor that pairs beautifully with the chocolate and caramel. As you work the caramel center, the coffee taste fades, and the buttery glory of the caramel takes over, retaining a hint of coffee flavor. If you asked me to guess, I would have wondered if the world had been granted Kettle Corn M&M’s. The hint of coffee deeply flavors the caramel and gives it a brown butter or toffee vibe that lasts for most of the eating experience. The caramel paradoxically provides and dilutes the coffee flavor, but I guess I’d rather have my coffee diluted by caramel than by an ice cube that could sink the Titanic.

That initial coffee burst, though, removes all doubt of the product’s intention. The coffee aftertaste is also really strong, as though I spent all day drowning my sorrows in my favorite cafe, which I’m not scheduled to do until later in the week.

Like Caramel M&M’s, these candies are on the larger side and come in a rainbow of colors (no coffee-colored shells here). If you love that product, the enhanced flavor of Caramel Cold Brew M&M’s will pep you up come snack time or coffee break.

Purchased Price: $4.69
Size: 9.05 oz (256.6 g) stand up pouch
Purchased at: Target.com
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (per 1 oz serving, or about 11 candies) 130 calories, 5 grams of fat, 3.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, less than 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 45 milligrams of sodium, 20 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 18 grams of sugar, and 1 gram of protein.

REVIEW: Reese’s Dipped Animal Crackers

Marvo 26 Comments

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.