REVIEW: Dunkin’ Sabrina’s Brown Sugar Shakin’ Espresso

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Dunkin’ is bringing some exciting espresso energy into the new year. On December 31st, it announced the limited time “Sabrina’s Brown Sugar Shakin’ Espresso” beverage in partnership with pop singer Sabrina Carpenter.

If you don’t know who that is, her hit song “Espresso” single-handedly helped Americans pronounce espresso correctly. Hint: it’s not ex-presso!

Because Starbucks popularized the iced shaken espresso, I had to compare the OG (Starbucks’ Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso) to this Dunkin’ offering.

Starting with beverage build: While the beverage may seem simple – espresso, brown sugar, and oatmilk – there are differences in how each is made.

First, the espresso itself: Dunkin’ uses what it calls “bold espresso,” which I assume is a standard dark roast. Starbucks uses blonde espresso, a lighter roast with a higher caffeine content. Second, the brown sugar: Dunkin’ calls it “brown sugar notes,” whereas Starbucks specifies “brown sugar and cinnamon together.” Lastly, I will quickly note that both list “oatmilk,” but spoiler alert: this ingredient makes a huge difference in taste.

Now, onto the actual beverage experience and taste test: The first thing I noticed was size (insert one of Sabrina Carpenter’s dirty jokes here, as she often makes them). I usually don’t order Dunkin’ and Starbucks simultaneously, but the value comparison was striking when compared side-by-side. A small iced at Dunkin’ is 16 ounces, whereas a small at Starbucks is 12 ounces. The latter is 15% more expensive and 4oz less! +1 to Dunkin’.

However, I’d rather have less of a good thing than more of a “just okay” thing. Flavor-wise, Starbucks’ version just tasted better. It had more depth – the brown sugar tasted less corn syrup-like and more deep and developed with the cinnamon as the final note.

Dunkin’s version, on the other hand, started strong. It was more espresso-forward, but I couldn’t get over the aftertaste. It wasn’t overpowering but faintly artificial and what I can only describe as “eggy” or yolk-like tasting, which I attributed to the oatmilk. Dunkin’ typically uses Planet Oat oatmilk, while Starbucks uses Oatly.

Ultimately, Dunkin’s drink reminded me more of a “regular” Starbucks Iced Shaken Espresso—not quite delivering on the promise of a Brown Sugar Oatmilk Espresso.

Sabrina made me do it, but I’m sticking to Starbucks for this shaken espresso rendition!

Purchased Price: $4.89
Size: Small (16 oz)
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 120 calories, 1.5 grams of fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 70 milligrams of sodium, 26 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 18 grams of sugar (including 18 grams of added sugar), and 1 gram of protein.

REVIEW: Frosted Apple Turnover Pop-Tarts (Walmart Exclusive)

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I never thought I’d say this, but I may have Pop-Tarts nightmares now – specifically from the new Pop-Tarts Frosted Apple Turnover flavor.

There have been various iterations of apple-flavored Pop-Tarts, including the Frosted Crisp Apple Pop-Tarts back in 2019 – which were also a Walmart exclusive.

But, this new exclusive iteration is different because:

  1. It’s an apple turnover – so now there’s a specific pastry called out
  2. Most notably, they’re printed with the Pop-Tarts football mascot.

I got a serious jump scare the moment I opened the foil package. I saw the mascot’s eyes and immediately recoiled with an audible “Eughhhhh!”

The print job of the mascot was… not great. It was off-center and just not as high-fidelity as the graphics on the outside of the box. I shuddered thinking that there were five more designs to discover—seven total. No, thank you.

On the bright side, once I toasted it, the dreaded mascot didn’t become the dripping horror show I was imagining. It stayed intact, though it did form a little bubble right between its eyes. Spooky. It felt like Halloween all over again—-Pop-Tarts edition.

While my eyeballs did not enjoy the visual unhingedness, my tastebuds enjoyed the flavor of these. It was very classic tasting – balanced, not too tart and not overly sweet. There was a distinct and good contrast between the icing and the slightly gooey interior of the apple filling. Would I have liked more apple goo? Apple-solutely. But at $3 a box, I get it—they had to cut costs somewhere, and it was in the goo department.

Honestly, Pop-Tarts could’ve called these Frosted Apple [Insert Any Pastry Name Here]—strudel, hand pie, whatever—and I still would’ve been just as happy.

All in all, if you spot them at your local Walmart, they’re worth a try. But be prepared to be startled… and maybe have a few nightmares.

Purchased Price: $2.62
Size: 13.5 oz/8 count
Purchased at: Walmart (Exclusive)
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2 pastries – 96g) – 370 calories, 9 grams of fat, 3 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 3.5g of polyunsaturated fat, 2g of monounsaturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 330 milligrams of sodium, 70 grams of total carbohydrates, 1 gram of dietary fiber, 28 grams of sugar (includes 27 grams of added sugar), and 4 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Starbucks Iced Honey Apple Almondmilk Flat White

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Starbucks Iced Honey Apple Almondmilk Flat White 1.

As part of the fall launch lineup, Starbucks added two additional non-pumpkin flavored beverages to the mix. These are app exclusives: the and the Iced Honey Apple Almondmilk Flat White.

Let me start by saying that I am all about fall, y’all. I celebrate the PSL season like it’s an official holiday. This year’s celebration included driving about 500 miles round trip on launch day to experience the Ultimate Pumpkin Spice Experience at a Starbucks Roastery.

That aside, I don’t discriminate when it comes to fall delights. While I revel in pumpkin spice, I equally love apple cider, apple cider slushies, apple cider donuts, and apple picking. But I’m adding Starbucks’ new Iced Honey Apple Almondmilk Flat White to my fall delights list.

Coffee snobbery aside about the merits of Starbucks making a “real flat white” or that flat whites can’t be iced, it’s a perfect fall beverage to sip on.

Starbucks Iced Honey Apple Almondmilk Flat White 2.

Per the coffee chain, it features “almondmilk and Starbucks Blonde Espresso Roast, poured over ice with a hint of honey – topped with silky, nondairy cold foam infused with apple brown sugar-flavored syrup.”

This drink works beautifully to create a perfect fall experience. The apple brown sugar syrup is a thing of beauty. Though it’s only in the nondairy cold foam, apple dominates the flavor, followed by the floral notes of sweet honey. The cold foam adds an incredibly creamy texture. I was amazed by the silky texture of the nondairy cold foam. I couldn’t believe it wasn’t dairy! Incredible.

Starbucks Iced Honey Apple Almondmilk Flat White 3.

Blonde espresso is the perfect choice, offering a mildness – compared to the regular dark roast – that lets all the flavors shine and ties everything together with that distinct espresso finish.

If you’re torn between this and the new , they’re both really tasty beverages and actually tastes fairly similar except for the end note (apple pie from the chai vs. espresso), so it really is up to whether you feel like drinking coffee or tea!

Purchased Price: $5.95
Size: Tall
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 180 calories, 7 grams of total fat, 0.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 105 milligrams of sodium, 29 grams of total carbohydrates, 1 gram of dietary fiber, 24 grams of total sugars, 3 grams of protein and 150 milligrams of caffeine.

REVIEW: Fanta Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Haunted Apple and Haunted Spritz

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Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetl—SHHH!

While he’ll eat anything we want him to eat, swallow anything we want him to swallow, let’s not summon him to try any of the new Fanta and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice movie collaboration beverages.

In anticipation of the upcoming sequel, Fanta created four specially marked packages featuring the actors’ faces. There’s only one new limited edition flavor – Haunted Apple – on shelves, which features the bio-exorcist himself!

I specify on-shelf because there’s another new collaboration flavor on Coca-Cola Freestyle machines only: Haunted Spritz.

I will also say that Betelgeuse’s Haunted Apple flavor has pretty sweet packaging with the iconic black and white pinstripes of his suit. It looks even better on the can versus the 20-ounce bottle, which is clear with the label featuring the pinstripes.

The rest of the packaging doesn’t really stand out as much; it looks best all stitched together on the movie theater fountain cup. The special Beetlejuice cup was only available in the medium size at my local theater.

Both Haunted Apple and Haunted Spritz are delightfully hued. The former is a neon green, and the latter is a deep, haunting purple – both apropos of the spooky season and movie.

I also enjoyed watching the blending colors pour from the Coca-Cola Freestyle for the Haunted Spritz. My human eyes could only see purple and then red syrup. Maybe ghosts, like The Maitlands, can see more spectral colors in this.

However, neither is “spine-tingling,” as stated. It’s not even the slightest bit stimulating as this is caffeine-free, like most Fanta flavors.

Haunted Apple reminded me of drinking a caramel apple pop and a fall candle in that overly fragrant artificial way. There was a distinct crisp apple flavor, but it was quickly taken over by caramel and a hefty dose of cinnamon. It’s not a red-hot cinnamon but more of a fall spice, like in apple cider. It was unexpected and a bit jarring, so I petition to rename this to Haunted Spiced Apple or Haunted Fall Apple to help better explain what to expect. Also, I don’t know about you, but I don’t love drinking the smell of air fresheners or candles. Lastly, it’s really just not as good as other apple sodas out there.

As for Haunted Spritz, it’s always fun to guess a mystery flavor, and this one was no exception. The purple was unmistakably a candy-like grape, but I couldn’t identify the red syrup being mixed with it. Grape and cherry do NOT create what I was tasting. But what I tasted was Fruity Pebbles. Trippy. While it was a fun couple of sips, there was no way I could consume a whole cup of it as it was incredibly sweet. However, I may consider siping this again when I watch Beetlejuice Beetlejuice in the theater.

The new flavors are great for the novelty and got me to buy lots of Fanta, but I wouldn’t rank these as favorites. So, I won’t be sad when these limited edition items float away in the Lost Souls room.

Purchased Price: $7.99 (Haunted Apple), $6.25 (Haunted Spirtz)
Size: 12 fl oz cans/12 pack (Haunted Apple), Medium (Haunted Spritz
Purchased at: Meijer (Haunted Apple), Emagine Theatres (Haunted Spritz)
Rating: 5 out of 10 (Haunted Apple), 6 out of 10 (Haunted Spritz)
Nutrition Facts: Haunted Apple (1 can) – 160 calories, 0 grams of fat, 50 milligrams of sodium, 42 grams of carbohydrates, 42 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of protein. Haunted Spritz – 400 calories.

REVIEW: Domino’s New York Style Pizza

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Where can you find Domino’s hometown, Joe’s Pizza’s first non-NYC location, the OGs of Detroit-Style pizza, AND Little Caesars’ hometown within a 30-mile radius?

The lower “thumb*” area of Michigan, of course! And I just happen to reside in this microcosm of pizza. So when Domino’s introduced its New York Style Pizza, I felt particularly compelled to try it because of Domino’s hometown roots AND because there’s a legit NYC institution (Joe’s Pizza) down the street.

Domino’s offers five types of pizza crusts: pan, hand tossed, crunchy thin, gluten free, and now New York Style.

Ordered as-is, the New York-style pie was an X-large 16″ pizza with the standard “Robust Inspired Tomato Sauce” and a cheese blend of cheddar, mozzarella, and provolone. It was also cut into six slices, rather than eight, to enable folding.

Compared to the regular hand tossed, it was noticeably flatter and less seasoned looking. This wasn’t surprising as the hand tossed crust includes a garlic-oil seasoning blend. Unfortunately, this visual translated to a lack of flavor. It was rather bland and cardboard-like, especially with the thinner nature of it. Also, despite the robust tomato sauce (rather than the hearty marinara sauce), it didn’t impart any robust flavor.

Domino’s achieved the texture, though! It folded nicely, stayed firm, and wasn’t super greasy. I must mention that I clearly did not test it with any other toppings except for cheese, so the foldability was not rigorously tested. While I would test this further, none of the other toppings really interested or screamed NYC to me. Like, where’s the white pizza at?!

However, if we’re really nitpicking here, while the texture was foldable and structurally sound, it lacked that slight chewiness and springiness in the classic NYC crust.

If you want to switch up crusts, why not try the New York Style? I won’t stop ya. But if you’re on the fence, I don’t really find it worthy of replacing your go-to order.

*Because the physical state of Michigan is shaped somewhat like a mitten (Mitten State!), Michiganders use their hands to show where they generally reside – e.g., the thumb area, the palm area, the fingertips, etc.)

Purchased Price: $13.99
Size: XL (16”)
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (199g) 510 calories, 24 grams of fat, 13 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 grams of trans fat, 70 milligrams of cholesterol, 1050 milligrams of sodium, 48 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 5 grams of total sugar, and 23 grams of protein.

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