In the shift from spooky season to holiday cheer that happens overnight, the junk food subculture marks the equally important transition from pumpkin spice season to the winter of merri-mint. While I stock my candy cupboard with mint chocolate like Andes or York Peppermint Patties year-round, the white chocolate (or, more often, white crème) and peppermint concoctions of the winter season represent a flavor pairing as timeless as milk and holiday cookies.

Kit Kat Peppermint Stick makes me wish these flavors were more accessible throughout the year, but if wishes were horses, we’d all enjoy free sleigh rides.

The Kit Kat’s white crème base is a sweet combination of creamy vanilla and peppermint flavors. The peppermint is refreshing and noticeable, but not overwhelming. On the scale of pastel dessert mints to Life Savers Pep-O-Mint (which I cannot taste for more than three seconds without spitting them out and re-pledging my allegiance to Wint-O-Green), the minty strength lies slightly above an Andes mint. Anyone who likes mint but is wary of a toothpaste quality will welcome these Kit Kats to their holiday candy dish.

The Kit Kat’s pleasant creaminess does temper what could be a sharp peppermint flavor. The combination reminds me of peppermint ice cream, a milder version of the seasonal Hershey’s Candy Cane Kisses, or Russell Stover’s long-gone Rosebud Mints. If you still remember the latter, you may need to ask Santa for an anti-wrinkle cream this year.

Like many peppermint candies, Kit Kat Peppermint Stick contains an extra flourish in the form of “crunchy candy bits,” which are essentially crunchy red and green nonpareils. They add a light crunch and visual interest, but no additional flavor. I like them as an alternative to candy cane pieces; they don’t detract from the light crunch of the wafers.

In addition to the single-size bar, Kit Kat Peppermint Stick is available in a bag of individually wrapped snack-size pieces. Whether you are adding a festive flair to your holiday celebrations or hoarding candy under the justification that it contains peppermint oil and is therefore a useful digestive (Who would do that? Not me!), add Kit Kat to the top of your Nice List.

Purchased Price: $1.24
Size: 1.5 oz (42 g) bar
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 220 calories, 11 grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 30 milligrams of sodium, 28 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 21 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.