Tag: Hershey’s

REVIEW: Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Pretzel Bites, Cookies ‘N’ Crème Cookie Bites, and Milk Chocolate Cookie Bites

Rachel 4 Comments

Hershey s Bites 1

What are Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Pretzel Bites, Cookies’ N’ Crème Cookie Bites, and Milk Chocolate Cookie Bites?

Hershey’s latest innovations are a group of familiar flavors in tiny ball format. Why? Because you just vacuumed up the last batch of small, round snacks that rolled into the deep recesses of your home in 2019.

There are two varieties of cookie bites – one vanilla cookie with milk chocolate coating, one chocolate cookie with white crème coating – and pretzel bites with a milk chocolate coating.

How are they?

I really wanted to try these because I am both a choco-pretzel fiend and a cookies & cream fanatic of the highest order. I was less interested in the vanilla cookie/chocolate combo.

Hershey s Bites 2

First thing, I was surprised at the size of them. I saw that the main photo on the package was enlarged, but I figured they’d be Whoppers-sized, like the rest of the images on the bag. Nope – teensy. The cookie bites were 1/2″ wide and the pretzel bites slightly larger. The bag was only half-full. Disappointing, but not a deal-breaker.

Hershey s Bites 3

The chocolate and white crème coatings were exactly what I’d expect from Hershey’s – delicious, but in this case, not ground-breaking. The texture was good – crunchy, but not too hard. I wished the pretzel balls were a tad saltier, though (if I’m doing sweet/salty, I’m going hard). I prefer Pretzel M&M’s to these.

Funny enough, the Milk Chocolate Cookie Bites – that I didn’t care much about at first – were the standouts here. Maybe because the vanilla cookie/chocolate coating combo isn’t as popular right now, so it’s not a well-worn flavor. When I bit into them, they tasted exactly like those not-Oreo vanilla cookies that I ate in my youth. It felt surprisingly nostalgic.

Hershey s Bites 4

I think there’s something of interest in the Milk Chocolate Cookie Bites because of the generally neglected vanilla cookie flavor profile, and would buy them again. The other two, however, seem like duplicates of existing products, just in a smaller, slightly different shape that I don’t think anyone was clamoring for. Maybe they should’ve marketed them as a mix of all three bites in one bag – like a flavor roulette – which one will you get?

Hershey s Bites 5

Is there anything else you need to know?

These things are HIGHLY mobile and slippery. I dropped at least five that I had to hunt for after they promptly rolled away.

Conclusion:

If you’re looking for something new, try the Milk Chocolate Cookies Bites. If you’re looking for solid, good old-fashioned Hershey flavor, try any of them. I’m not completely sure why they exist, but here they are!

Purchased Price: 3 for $12 (on sale)
Size: 7.5 oz. bags
Purchased at: Hershey’s Chocolate World
Rating: 7 out of 10 (Pretzel Bites), 7 out of 10 (Cookies ‘N’ Creme Bites), 8 out of 10 (Chocolate Cookie Bites)
Nutrition Facts: – Milk Chocolate Pretzel Bites: (30g – 17 pieces) 140 calories, 6 grams of fat, 3.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, less than 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 135 milligrams of sodium, 21 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 13 grams of total sugars, 12 grams of added sugar and 2 grams of protein. Cookies ‘N’ Crème Cookie Bites: (30g – 21 pieces) 150 calories, 7 grams of fat, 4 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 100 milligrams of sodium, 20 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 13 grams of total sugars, 11 grams of added sugar, and 2 grams of protein. Milk Chocolate Cookie Bites: (30g – 26 pieces) 150 calories, 7 grams of fat, 4.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, less than 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 60 milligrams of sodium, 20 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 14 grams of total sugars, 13 grams of added sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: White Reese’s Stuffed with Pieces

Julie 2 Comments

Reese s White Creme Peanut Butter Cups Stuffed with Reese s Pieces

What is the White Reese’s Stuffed with Pieces?

Exclusive to Dollar General stores, Reese’s newest product is a white crème cup filled with Reese’s Pieces bits and the brand’s signature peanut butter filling.

How is it?

With each new addition to its line of products, Reese’s takes more of a “choose your own adventure” approach to offering the perfect peanut butter cup to meet individual tastes. Navigating among coating types, sizes and shapes, and filling add-ins, Reese’s fans get to try out new combinations more often than new flavors, and as a result, strong personal preferences form and comparisons are inevitable.

Reese s White Creme Peanut Butter Cups Stuffed with Reese s Pieces Outside

Personally, I swear that Reese’s Trees and Eggs are superior to your average cup. Milk chocolate ranks first, followed by white crème and dark chocolate, respectively. In 2016, when Reese’s introduced Reese’s Stuffed with Pieces in the milk chocolate variety, the addition of crunchy candy shells didn’t wow me enough to make my list of favorites.

Setting aside my biases, I was drawn to White Reese’s Stuffed with Pieces for its novelty, exclusive status, and charming polka dot wrapper. The white crème delivers in both flavor and texture, as the sturdy shell easily melts into a creamy bite with a subtle white chocolate taste. The crème’s flavor allows the peanut butter filling to shine.

Reese s White Creme Peanut Butter Cups Stuffed with Reese s Pieces Inside

The Reese’s Pieces bits add an enjoyable element of texture, but still feel scarce in number. In my pack of two, each cup contained at least one whole candy piece, which doesn’t quite meet the expectation that the word “stuffed” implies, but was still an improvement over my experience with the barely-there candy shells in the milk chocolate variety.

When I encountered a whole candy, I could taste its peanut butter flavor even against the powerful peanut butter filling. While Reese’s Pieces are not enough to make the milk chocolate variety special for me, they are enough to make the white crème variety more interesting.

Is there anything else you need to know?

The product wrapper specifies white crème because it contains no cocoa butter and so technically cannot be classified as chocolate.

Conclusion:

Having already dabbled in both white crème and Reese’s Pieces, Reese’s is not exploring uncharted territory with White Reese’s Stuffed with Pieces, but all of the elements work together well in this peanut butter-and-texture-forward candy. If you are a Reese’s aficionado who likes having options, try out this variety and share where it falls in your peanut butter power ranking.

Purchased Price: 95 cents
Size: 1.4 oz. (2 cups)
Purchased at: Dollar General
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 200 calories, 12 grams of fat, 5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 125 milligrams of sodium, 22 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 19 grams of sugar, and 4 grams of protein

REVIEW: General Mills Hershey’s Kisses Cereal

Julie 14 Comments

Hershey s Kisses Cereal

What is Hershey’s Kisses Cereal?

General Mills and Hershey’s have joined forces to bring the Hershey’s Kiss to your breakfast table with Hershey’s Kisses Cereal: chocolate-flavored corn puff pieces shaped like the classic candy.

How is it?

Half of the fun of candy- or dessert-inspired cereals is discovering how closely the it physically resembles the original product. While Hershey’s Kisses Cereal does not precisely replicate its namesake, its appearance is clearly inspired by Hershey’s Kisses: its dime-sized pieces are shaped like triangles with flat sides and smoothed edges.

Hershey s Kisses Cereal Comparison

Most of the pieces boast a droopy, rounded stem in place of the candy’s signature pointed tip, so whether you perceive the cereal as tiny Hershey’s Kisses or something else is a matter for Rorschach. (To me, they resemble the poop emoji. I’m sorry, but it had to be said, and I promise not to bring it up again.)

Hershey s Kisses Cereal Pieces

Anyway, a chocolate cereal by any other shape would be just as sweet, which Hershey’s Kisses Cereal definitely is. It tastes very similar to Cocoa Puffs, with its cocoa powder sweetness and crunchy texture. It took a few bites to discern a difference, but I tasted just a hint more richness with this.

Hershey s Kisses Cereal Milk

Adding milk enhances the dry cocoa flavor to something closer to milk chocolate. With only one or two stirs, the milk begins to turn brown, and with more time (or if you are like me, impatient agitation), a rich, thick chocolate milk appears.

Although I haven’t broken out my crazy straw in a couple of decades, the cereal milk did remind me of using Hershey’s syrup to make chocolate milk, as visible chocolate swirls move throughout the milk and streak the sides and bottom of the bowl. As this transformation occurs, the cereal retains its taste and texture. Although this is a solid chocolate cereal when eaten dry, I highly recommend adding milk for the full chocolate-y effect.

Is there anything else you need to know?

Hershey s Kisses Cereal Bowl

In a blind taste test, I could not have pinpointed the Hershey’s association, but the list of ingredients does include Hershey’s Cocoa Processed with Alkali as the brand’s contribution.

Conclusion:

Although comparable to many chocolate cereals on the shelves, Hershey’s Kisses Cereal is enjoyable and, with milk, will give you two chocolate treats for the price of one.

Purchased Price: $3.64
Size: 19.8 oz. box
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 cup) 140 calories, 1.5 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 150 milligrams of sodium, 31 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 12 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Hershey’s White with Whole Almonds

Denis 11 Comments

Hershey s White with Whole Almonds

What is Hershey’s White with Whole Almonds?

Let’s start with what it’s not -— white chocolate.

That caught me off guard a little, especially with this being from Hershey’s, but this candy bar contains no chocolate at all and instead is white creme with whole almonds.

How is it?

Hershey s White with Whole Almonds Front

It’s just OK. Maybe my expectations were too high because this product kind of gives off the aura of being a high-end candy bar, but I wasn’t impressed. The white creme reminded me of hardened cupcake frosting, and I’m not talking the decadent type like you get at those fancy $5-a-cupcake places. I’m talking overly sweet frosting on a cupcake you get a superstore that rhymes with Malwart. As for the almonds, they were fine and whole, as promised. They were also lined up nicely down the center of the bar.

Hershey s White with Whole Almonds Back

Is there anything else you need to know?

No, you don’t need to know the following information, but I’m going to give it to you anyway. I spent nearly two minutes researching what creme was, and I learned it could be a sweet liqueur or a type of cream.

But, of course, I got distracted during my extensive inquisition and focused on the accent in crème, and more specifically, why the Hershey’s wrapper didn’t have said accent. I found no answer to that question, and I didn’t really care that much to begin with, so I gave up.

But I learned that the particular accent mark in crème is called a grave accent. That sent me down a rabbit hole of punctuation names that are just fun to say and even sound a little dirty, like rough breathing (look it up, I’m not lying), retroflex hook, inverted breve, and perispomene. So have fun with those.

Conclusion:

Hershey s White with Whole Almonds Side

This is certainly worth a try if you like almonds; it is a candy bar after all, and it will definitely hit the spot if you have a hankering for something sweet. But if you are looking for an indulgent treat that will give you the weird, pleasure-filled expression you see on commercials when people are trying some fancy candy, then this one misses the mark.

Purchased Price: 99 cents
Size: 1.45 oz. bar
Purchased at: H-E-B
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 bar) 220 calories, 14 grams of fat, 6 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 35 milligrams of sodium, 22 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of dietary fiber, 18 grams of sugar, and 4 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Raspberry + Creme Kit Kat

Julie 2 Comments

Kit Kat Raspberry + Creme

What are Raspberry + Crème Kit Kat bars?

In time for Valentine’s Day, Kit Kat hopes to woo you with its newest limited edition flavor, featuring a festive pink-tinted raspberry crème enrobing its signature crisp wafers.

How are they?

Kit Kat Raspberry + Creme Unwrapped

Have you ever ventured into a circumstance thinking only of all of the things that could go wrong – only to be pleasantly surprised when all of your fears are unfounded? This describes my experience trying Raspberry + Crème Kit Kats, which, with their coating as pink as Cupid’s blushing cheeks, I worried would be a case of style over substance.

Upon opening the bag, I was greeted by a strong, worrying artificial scent — think fruit-scented lip balm — that I do not normally associate with edible things. Luckily, however, the scent was not an accurate predictor of the tastes to come.

Kit Kat Raspberry + Creme Cross Section

Upon first bite, I tasted a pleasant fruity sweetness that mimicked raspberry flavor well, without any of the acid or tartness. As I chewed, the coating’s crème component worked to mellow the bar’s sweetness rather than add to it. While crème or white chocolate can often be cloying, this Kit Kat’s coating was smooth and creamy in both flavor and texture, which paired well with the light, crispy wafers we all know and love. The result was a surprisingly subtle and wholly satisfying balance of flavors.

Is there anything else you need to know?

“Once bitten, twice shy” doesn’t just apply to bad relationships. My last encounter with fruit-flavored Kit Kats was with its Strawberry flavor in crème coating, which to me tasted too artificial, somehow both too sweet and too sour.

When I chanced upon Raspberry + Crème Kit Kats, I remembered the Strawberry variety and wished Hershey’s had paired raspberry with milk or dark chocolate instead. While I still think raspberry and traditional chocolate would be a delicious pairing appropriate for a Valentine’s Day-inspired flavor, I was not disappointed with this year’s offering. Kit Kat got berries and cream right this time.

If you disliked the Strawberry Crème product or, like many junk food aficionados, are lamenting the loss of seasonal Red Velvet Kit Kats, Raspberry + Crème Kit Kats may be the rebound you need.

Conclusion:

Pretty in pink and tasty too, Raspberry + Crème Kit Kats are worth trying, whether you choose to share with someone special or keep them all to yourself.

Purchased Price: $2.98
Size: 9 oz. bag
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (4 pieces) 170 calories, 9 grams of fat, 6 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 30 milligrams of sodium, 22 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 15 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.