Tag: Cookie Dough

REVIEW: Pillsbury Snackable Cookie Dough Bites

Tiffany 1 Comment

Pillsbury Snackable Cookie Dough Bites Pouches

Update: So Pillsbury has changed the name of this product to Cookie Dough Poppins, which is a name that must make Poppin Fresh happy.

I thought Pillsbury was leapfrogging this edible cookie dough trend when it upgraded its existing Ready to Bake refrigerated cookie dough packs with a “safe to eat raw” seal and instructions to either eat OR bake them. It was pretty clever, but I guess even the Pillsbury Dough Boy couldn’t resist something in bite-form! So, three Snackable Cookie Dough Bites flavors rolled out: Birthday Cake, Chocolate Chip, and Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip.

He may just be dipping his toe in the water as it doesn’t seem like they’re available nationally yet. Interwebz intel says it’s only at Meijer stores, a regional Midwest grocer, for now.

I hope all of these make it, but with some changes, though. These are overall enjoyable. They’re at the same price point and package size as Ben & Jerry’s Cookie Dough Chunks. But, with each piece at almost twice the size of Ben & Jerry’s offering, it somehow seems like a better value to me. The mind (and stomach) works in mysterious ways. Their texture is perfect right out of the bag – just like a freshly mixed batch ready to go into the oven. Another plus is that this form doesn’t require any utensils. That’s a win-win-win in my book.

In regards to specific tasting notes, I would rank the flavors from “STEAL IT FROM THE DOUGH BOY NOW – GO GO GO!” to just kindly ask him for a sample as follows: Birthday Cake, Chocolate Chip, and Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip.

Pillsbury Snackable Cookie Dough Bites Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Pouch

The “some changes” mentioned above mainly falls on the peanut butter one. I love all things peanut butter, so I had high hopes. But it fell flat on the rich nuttiness I expected. I could tell it was different from the chocolate chip one, though. But it was mostly visual.

Pillsbury Snackable Cookie Dough Bites vs Ben Jerrys

It looked like a brown paper bag saturated in grease, which I’m assuming was caused by the extra oils in the peanut butter. I mentioned these bites were larger, but size didn’t make up for flavor as Ben & Jerry’s packed more peanut taste in a smaller form.

Pillsbury Snackable Cookie Dough Bites Chocolate Chip Pouch

The Chocolate Chip one is in the middle of the pack. While the size and texture were just right, it tasted a bit bland to me. Some additional chocolate bits would have definitely helped, but the dough wasn’t as flavorful, which may be a harder fix. I could clearly taste the vanilla, but it was missing another flavor note.

Pillsbury Snackable Cookie Dough Bites Pouches Comparison

Determined to figure it out, I sat in my kitchen eating one Pillsbury bite, one Ben & Jerry’s Dough Chunk, and a spoonful of Nestle Toll House edible cookie dough in rapid succession. It validated the lack of that je ne sais quoi, so I read the ingredients and noticed that the Dough Boy omitted a critical component present in the other doughs: BUTTER. I gasped audibly at the cardinal sin. Regardless of whether you agree if cookie dough can be considered cookie dough sans butter, it was a satisfying lightbulb moment as it also explained why the peanut butter one didn’t taste as flavorful either.

Pillsbury Snackable Cookie Dough Bites Birthday Cake Pouch

Birthday Cake ranked at the top because it was wonderfully vanilla-forward, AND the confetti colors didn’t bleed into the surrounding dough, unlike others. The lack of butter in this one didn’t bother me as I wanted that pure sugary vanilla-y taste. I did find myself wondering why I wouldn’t just buy and eat Ready to Bake Confetti Cookie Dough, though. So, I did and found out that we don’t do that unless we want a mouthful of sugary grit. Well, that’s one way to ensure a shopper buys both. Tricky, tricky!

While there are other edible cookie dough bite options, Pillsbury is currently the only brand that offers a birthday cake flavor, which also happens to be the tastiest and most exciting of the Dough Boy’s offerings. The other flavors are truly not bad at all, but they could use some improvement.

Purchased Price: $4.49 each
Size: 8 oz pouches
Purchased at: Meijer
Rating: 7 out of 10 (Birthday Cake), 6 out of 10 (Chocolate Chip), 4 out of 10 (Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip)
Nutrition Facts: (about 5 pieces) Birthday Cake – 120 calories, 4.5 grams of fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 0g of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 55 milligrams of sodium, 19 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 10 grams of sugar, and 1 gram of protein. Chocolate Chip – 120 calories, 5 grams of fat, 2 grams of saturated fat, 0g of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 65 milligrams of sodium, 18 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 9 grams of sugar, and 1 gram of protein. Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip – 120 calories, 5 grams of fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 0g of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 65 milligrams of sodium, 17 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 10 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip Bite-Sized Edible Cookie Dough

Marvo 3 Comments

Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip Bite Sized Edible Cookie Dough Pouch

What is Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip Bite-Sized Edible Cookie Dough?

It’s Nestle Toll House edible cookie dough covered in a rich chocolatey shell that doesn’t require utensils like the brand’s original edible cookie dough offering in tubs. Okay, technically, you could scoop it out with your fingers like it’s peanut butter or poi.

How is it?

Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip Bite Sized Edible Cookie Dough Coating

Let me put it this way. I’ve been eating my way through the bag at a pace that makes me wonder if I should be concerned if the product has an amount of time it needs to be consumed by before it needs to be thrown away. It’s been over three weeks already.

Yes, it’s a Sam’s Club-sized pouch with around 150 bites, so there are many of them. But despite eating some every day, it’s taking me a while to get through the bag because I haven’t been mindlessly eating them like any snack that tickles my taste buds.

It’s not a bad product, but I have yet to close this pouch with regret like I’ve done with numerous ice cream containers and cookie sleeves when I look down and realize I’ve eaten way beyond the serving size.

Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip Bite Sized Edible Cookie Dough Innards

The serving size for these cookie dough bites is eight pieces, but I’ve found myself satisfied with four or less because the “rich chocolatey shell” makes them a bit too rich for my tastes. Beyond the coating, I’m able to somewhat taste the buttery and brown sugary cookie dough innards.

But, for the most part, the exterior dominates every bite’s flavor. So much so that if I was given these without being told what they were, I’d think they were chocolate candy with a nondescript center, but not chocolate-coated cookie dough. Maybe a thinner coating might’ve helped with that.

Anything else you need to know?

As I mentioned at the beginning, Nestle Toll House’s original edible cookie dough came in containers that require a spoon (or fingers) to eat. Because they’re spoonable and pliable, I imagine bite-sized edible cookie dough made out of it without a coating and put into this pouch would’ve turned into a pouch-sized edible cookie dough bite over time.

Also, this is currently a Sam’s Club exclusive.

Conclusion:

Again, Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip Bite-Sized Edible Cookie Dough isn’t a bad tasting product. But the ingredient I thought would make it better than regular cookie dough doesn’t accomplish that.

DISCLOSURE: I received a free sample of this product. (Thanks, Nestle Toll House!) Doing so did not influence my review. Also, I suspect this review might prevent me from getting any more free samples. We shall see.

Purchased Price: FREE
Size: 20 oz pouch
Purchased at: Received from Nestle Toll House
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (8 bites) 150 calories, 7 grams of fat, 6 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 5 milligrams of sodium, 35 milligrams of sodium, 21 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 15 grams of sugar, and less than 1 gram of protein.

REVIEW: Betty Crocker Dunkaroos Cookie Dough

Leonard 5 Comments

Betty Crocker Dunkaroos Cookie Dough Package

What is Betty Crocker Dunkaroos Cookie Dough

Ready-to-bake sugar cookie dough paired with Dunkaroos classic frosting for a 90s DIY snack fresh from the oven!

How is it?

Betty Crocker Dunkaroos Cookie Dough with Frosting

Dunkaroos, at its core, is a playful sugary concept that boils down to cookies that you dip into rainbow speckled frosting. This refrigerated version offers up a fresher take, and for the most part, it is pretty successful. The cookies are nothing special as they seem to be just any regular old sugar cookie dough. The magic here is that it comes with vanilla frosting with rainbow sprinkles.

Betty Crocker Dunkaroos Cookie Dough Dunk

Betty Crocker is no stingy gal. There are two packets included when I was most definitely expecting only one, and the sprinkles themselves are big and plentiful. I decided to use the frosting in its proper form as a dip, and I really did feel like I was a kid again eating my Dunkaroos straight out of my lunch box in the cafeteria! (Tradesies, anybody?)

Anything else you need to know?

Betty Crocker Dunkaroos Cookie Dough Raw

This is not just a nostalgia trip as it is also very much a trendy DIY dessert. You can use the frosting to make little sandwiches or just drizzle it over them right after baking. You can also play with the sizing to make either six big cookies (although they look regular size to me) or 24 mini ones.

I’m lazy, so I went with the six since the 24 requires slicing and rolling. I also did it this way because I like my cookies to be a little chewier in the center, and you can only do that with bigger ones. However, I must caution that I followed the baking time in the directions, but the centers did not seem done. So I let it go a little longer, but that caused the bottoms to be a little burnt. So make sure you pull out right when the edges are a VERY light brown.

Conclusion:

Betty Crocker Dunkaroos Cookie Dough Frosting

These are not revolutionary by any means. It is just prepared sugar cookie dough with the added bonus of colorful frosting. Give them a try if the 90s was your favorite decade or if you love pre-made cookie dough cookies and want to be a little bit more creative. However, most of all, give these a try if you want to experience a fun take on the break-and-bake segment where the end result is a fun and colorful but sugary dessert.

Purchased Price: $2.50
Size: 8.6 oz
Purchased at: Giant
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 big cookie with frosting) 170 calories, 7 grams of fat, 3 grams of saturated fat, 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 100 milligrams of sodium, 26 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of dietary fiber, 17 grams of sugar, and less than 1 gram of protein.

REVIEW: Nestle Toll House Funfetti Edible Cookie Dough and Edible Fudge Brownie Batter

Tiffany 1 Comment

Nestle Toll House Funfetti Edible Cookie Dough and Edible Fudge Brownie Batter

Friends, edible cookie dough is so 2019.

It’s 2020, and it marks the brave new world of EDIBLE BATTER. Nestle Toll House has one foot in the past and one foot in the future with its launch of Funfetti Edible Cookie Dough and Edible Fudge Brownie Batter.

I thought the first two flavors were outstanding. And even though I didn’t need another flavor, I’m never going to say no to colorful candy sprinkles!

Nestle Toll House Funfetti Edible Cookie Dough

Upon opening, the color and smell reinforced birthday cake. Like with the other flavors, I marveled at how easy it was to scoop as it wasn’t goopy or too hard. I was also happy to see that the color of the sprinkles didn’t bleed the way the M&M’s did in the Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Monster flavor.

The taste delivered Funfetti, which is like sugar cookies. As expected, the sprinkles didn’t add much except a little color.

What caught me off guard was the texture. There was a distinct grittiness that I didn’t notice in the other flavors. I mean, one could argue there’s more realism with it – like you’re getting the granulated sugar that you mixed into your real dough! Or maybe it was the texture from the sprinkles that created this experience. Either way, it read as extra gritty to me.

One last gripe about this flavor, the “Made with 100% Real Fun” claim on the container made me roll my eyes. I have a personal vendetta against useless claims like this because it cheapens us all!!

Nestle Toll House Edible Fudge Brownie Batter

As for the edible batter – two words: HECK YES!

The smell immediately reminded me of Duncan Hines or Betty Crocker chocolate cake mix, and it took me back to elementary school with me in my parents’ kitchen mixing away. The ability for this new flavor to conjure up intense nostalgia, just from its smell, is part of its magic.

The batter itself was dense, rich, and delicious – quite cocoa forward and chocolate-intense, so calling it Devil’s Food Cake wouldn’t be off!

So, which is it, Tiffany, cake or brownie?!

This could easily be a base batter for making Devil’s Food Cake OR fudge brownies! BUT, I find brownie more fitting because the firmer texture of cookie dough translated into this new batter reminds me of eating the ooey-gooey core of a slightly underbaked fudge brownie.

I did notice there were white unmixed bits that were a stark contrast to the deep chocolate brown. OK, Nestle, that’s a bit TOO MUCH realism. I know I was a terrible cake mixer as a kid, but no need to remind me. But jokes aside, I have no idea what these bits were, and I could see how they could be off-putting.

Nestle Toll House Funfetti Edible Cookie Dough and Edible Fudge Brownie Batter 2

All in all, these edible goodies were executed quite well. Yes, there were small issues, but I didn’t find them egregious. However, what could be a deal-breaker is the new price! I was a bit taken aback by the price increase from $4.49 to $6 on all flavors. The food is good, but dang that is premium!

Purchased Price: $5.99 each
?Size: 15 oz. container
?Purchased at: Meijer
?Rating: 7 out of 10 (Funfetti), 9 out of 10 (Fudge)
?Nutrition Facts: (2 Tbsp) Funfetti – 140 calories, 4 grams of total fat, 2.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 9 milligrams of cholesterol, 110 milligrams of sodium, 25 grams of total carbohydrates, 0 grams of dietary fiber, 14 grams of total sugars, 14 grams of added sugars, and 1 grams of protein. Fudge Brownie Batter – 140 calories, 4.5 grams of total fat, 3 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 10 milligrams of cholesterol, 70 milligrams of sodium, 24 grams of total carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of dietary fiber, 14 grams of total sugars, 14 grams of added sugars, and 1 gram of protein.

REVIEW: Pillsbury Limited Edition Lucky Charms Cookie Dough

Elaine 5 Comments

Pillsbury Limited Edition Lucky Charms Cookie Dough

What is Pillsbury Limited Edition Lucky Charms Cookie Dough?

It’s a ready-to-bake cookie dough inspired by Lucky Charms, one of your favorite childhood cereals. The result of this inspiration is “magically delicious” sugar cookie dough with small, but colorful marshmallow pieces. Unfortunately, the mallow bits are just tiny color blobs, so the hearts, stars, horseshoes, clovers, and blue moons (sing along here) are not identifiable.

How is it?

Pillsbury Limited Edition Lucky Charms Cookie Dough Raw

I’ll start with the raw dough, which I have to try despite the polite ask on the packaging to not eat it. No surprises here. The texture is granular and it tastes like sugar cookie dough with a small bit of added softness from the marshmallow pieces.

Pillsbury Limited Edition Lucky Charms Cookie Dough Baked

Pillsbury Limited Edition Lucky Charms Cookie Dough Split

The baked cookie is thin and one that I wouldn’t describe as “big” as the packaging claims. The smell of the finished product is reminiscent of Lucky Charms cereal and spreads throughout the kitchen, so you know the end product will be sugary and sweet.

My first batch (baked for 16 minutes) wasn’t very pretty with a crunchy brown rim. However, they still tasted great with a gooey center made a little extra chewy by the colorful additions. The overall product is more sugar cookie than Lucky Charms marshmallow, but they are present enough to add texture (increased softness and chewiness) and taste (sugary sweetness). It’s important to note that the marshmallow isn’t a true marshmallow taste, it’s more like the cereal.

Is there anything else you need to know?

Pillsbury Limited Edition Lucky Charms Cookie Dough Baked Closeup

I followed the baking instructions, and my first batch wasn’t very aesthetic with crispy brown edges, but still tasted sugary and sweet. I experimented a little more with my second batch and baked them for 12 minutes, and those were much prettier without the brown edges. My best looking cookie was the one that I actually balled up and squished down a little. Despite appearances, they all tasted great!

Conclusion:

Pillsbury Limited Edition Lucky Charms Cookie Dough Thin

It’s a pleasant, but thin, sugar cookie. Despite the lack of distinguishable Lucky Charms shapes, the colors are just enough to remind you of the cereal, but if the hearts, stars, horseshoes, clovers, and blue moons are missing, does it mean the magic is too?

Purchased Price: $2.50
Size: 14 oz. (12 cookies)
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 cookie) 140 calories, 7 grams of fat, 2.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 85 milligrams of sodium, 20 grams of total carbohydrates, 0 grams of dietary fiber, 12 grams of total sugars, 12 grams of added sugars, and 1 gram of protein.