REVIEW: Milky Way Cookie Dough Bar

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What is it?

The Milky Way Cookie Dough bar consists of caramel and cookie dough-flavored nougat enrobed in milk chocolate. Look for its pink metallic wrapper beckoning to you from the candy aisle.

How is it?

The weight of my expectations fell on this Milky Way’s nougat, which is responsible for the bar’s cookie dough flavor. Cross-sectioned, the bar doesn’t look very different from a classic Milky Way. The nougat is a couple of shades darker, but it still has the fluffy texture one would expect from the brand. I thought I might find tiny chocolate chips flecked in the nougat to drive home the cookie dough theme, but no dice.

It takes a few chews for the cookie dough flavor to come through, and once it does, it is lovely. The nougat tastes buttery with hints of vanilla, a combination that definitely recalls cookie dough. Some textural element — those missing chips or a chewier nougat, maybe — could have reinforced that sensation of plucking gobs of cookie dough from the mixing bowl. But Milky Ways are all about their smooth centers, so I understand and respect the choice not to deviate too far from what is already a great thing.

Combined with the milk chocolate and caramel, this variety of Milky Way is a tempting addition to the candy aisle. I would choose Milky Way Cookie Dough over the classic Milky Way, but probably not over Milky Way Midnight (a criminally underrated bar).

Anything else you need to know?

Because one cookie is never enough, Twix has also recently released a Cookie Dough variety. Now you’ll have two metallic pink wrappers beckoning to you from the candy aisle.

Conclusion:

As any cookie dough recipe might attest, minor substitutions can yield positive changes. The Milky Way Cookie Dough bar’s flavorful nougat is simple, but it creates a delicious twist on a classic.

Purchased Price: $1.98
Size: 3.16 oz (89.6 g) – Share Size
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (per 1 serving, or 1/2 Share Size package) 210 calories, 8 grams of fat, 5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, less than 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 65 milligrams of sodium, 32 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 28 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: White Chocolate Strawberry Shake M&M’s

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I must admit that my relationship with these new White Chocolate Strawberry Shake M&M’s – whose rosy, heart-filled packaging seems tailor-made for Valentine’s Day – began with a bit of a shock. In my state of simultaneous and equally intense hunger and excitement, I may have forgotten to actually look closely at the bag, which clearly shows the three M&M colors that less impatient consumers can expect, before ripping it open. So I was baffled to see a sea of green in addition to the more strawberry-centric reds and pinks.

Of course, I’d already spent a not-insignificant portion of my own green to secure this bag (this flavor doesn’t seem to be widely available yet, so in my eagerness to review, I purchased – and, sure, overpaid for – these from a third-party seller on Walmart.com), so a little confusing coloration wasn’t going to deter me. Plus, I guess you could argue that the green represents the stem of the strawberry? Alternatively, maybe it was just an excuse to get that glamorous green M&M mascot on the packaging, and that’s fair!

Anyway, the aforementioned frenzied bag tearing released a welcome cloud of sweet smells into my room, appropriately strawberry-y but with a strongly saccharine underlying note that seemed ever so slightly artificial, a tell-tale sign of white chocolate’s presence. I reached into the generously filled bag to start my taste test and was immediately amused that the size and shape seemed to vary for each individual piece, from “normal M&M that just put on some weight during the holidays” to “Noticeably Larger and Chunkier” to “DOWNRIGHT SPHERICAL.”

So, how do these sometimes mysteriously colored, pleasantly fragrant, and appealingly rotund M&M’s actually taste? Anyone fearing that the “White Chocolate Strawberry Milkshake” name was just a ploy to re-release an old flavor under a fresher title (2016’s White Strawberry Shortcake might come to mind) can rest assured that they actually live up to the moniker quite well.

The “milkshake” element promises a creaminess that is certainly delivered, with the white chocolate providing a lovely, rich, just-short-of-being-too-sweet base for the strawberry flavor, a mellow, floral fruitiness that is identifiable but not overpowering. Sure, this means that the general taste skews a tad more milkshake than it does strawberry, but with my (some might say controversial) love of white chocolate, that wasn’t a problem for me. I can see others begging to differ, but hey, we’re here on a blog that reviews junk food, not fruit! I particularly enjoyed the texture too – you know that oddly satisfying snap when you break through an M&M’s candy shell and sink your teeth into the smooth, rich chocolate within? Since these are so hefty, that moment is gloriously amplified.

The recommended serving size is 16 pieces, and if all my praise-singing thus far isn’t enough of a testament to how tasty they are, I should also let you know that in the course of reviewing I consumed significantly more than that without even realizing. Pringles talks a big game with its “Once you pop, you can’t stop,” but I think these are addictive enough to merit their own rhymey slogan too. “Once you M&M, you won’t condemn”? … Okay, it’s a work in progress. One I won’t mind brainstorming over just a few more handfuls!

Purchased Price: $6.25
Size: 7.44 oz bag
Purchased at: Walmart.com
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (16 pieces) 140 calories, 7 grams of fat, 4.5 grams of saturated fat, less than 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 25 milligrams of sodium, 19 grams of carbohydrates, 18 grams of sugar, and 1 gram of protein.

REVIEW: Espresso M&M’s

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Espresso M M s Bag

Although I’m not a big coffee drinker, I love coffee-flavored sweets. They give me the hit of the distinctive flavor I love, often with added sweetness and texture. Nor will a slice of tiramisu or a scoop of coffee ice cream force me to endure a case of the jitters or that pesky co-worker asking me, “Would you like some coffee with your milk and sugar?” for the 1,208th time. The joke wasn’t funny the first time, Brenda.

Espresso M M s Mug

New seasonal Espresso M&M’s, then, very much appeal to my caffeine-conscious ways. I picked up a bag from the holiday display at CVS, and two things surprised me. First, upon opening the bag, I did not detect a strong coffee scent. The large brown, beige, and red candies smelled like a bag of semisweet chocolate chips, not the natural flavors promised to me by the package’s list of ingredients. How could the M&M’s remind me of sipping a hot beverage in a cozy cafe without the powerful scent of roasted coffee beans? Second, I had expected the M&M’s to consist solely of dark chocolate, which lends itself well to espresso’s concentrated flavor. Instead, they contain both milk and dark chocolate.

Espresso M M s Innards

Luckily, there was a third surprise in store: the first two surprises turned out to be nothing to worry about. The M&M’s have a strong, concentrated flavor that tastes like a shot of espresso but still honors the candy’s chocolate identity. The milk chocolate center of each M&M offers sweetness, but the surrounding dark chocolate gives a satisfying bitter edge. Together, the combination is delicious.

The flavor of Espresso M&M’s reminds me of chocolate-covered espresso beans, another treat that turns coffee into intensely flavorful candy. Although I like the taste, I just can’t get past the gritty texture of the beans and their tendency to haunt my gum line with black specks. The Espresso M&M’s smooth chocolate center was a welcome departure from that texture, making them a good alternative to other coffee-inspired snacks. (No offense to the Coffee Nut Peanut or Crunchy Espresso varieties of yore.) Like a cup of espresso itself, the M&M’s allow a simple but strong flavor to shine unadulterated.

Espresso M M s Spill

I shared my M&M’s with a relative who, despite our familial sweet tooth, is the opposite of me in regards to java: she loves coffee and prefers hers as black as a panther collecting charcoal on a moonless night. However, she does not typically like coffee-flavored things. The fourth surprise of the Espresso M&M’s experience was hers: she really enjoyed them!

For lovers of coffee and chocolate of all varieties, Espresso M&M’s will be a hit this holiday season. I’ll take a double shot, please!

Purchased Price: $4.49
Size: 7.44 oz (210.9 g) bag
Purchased at: CVS
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (per 1 ounce/about 16 pieces) 140 calories, 6 grams of fat, 3.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 10 milligrams of sodium, 20 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 18 grams of sugar, and 1 gram of protein.

REVIEW: Reese’s Big Cup with Reese’s Puffs

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Reese s Big Cup with Reese s Puffs Wrapper

When I first heard about Reese’s Big Cup with Reese’s Puffs, I had to do some mental measurements. Because as someone who has stuffed his face with the popular chocolate and peanut butter-flavored cereal enough times to be familiar with its size, I wondered if several Reese’s Puffs could fit in a Reese’s Big Cup.

Well, all that mental math was for naught because what’s inside these big peanut butter cups is not the cereal we’ve been eating as part of a complete breakfast or the only thing in the house so it ended up being dinner. What’s stuffed in these cups is less puffy and more pellet-y.

Reese s Big Cup with Reese s Puffs Top

The Reese’s cereal pieces suspended in the peanut butter are a tiny 3/16ths of an inch in diameter, and although it may not look like it in the photo below, they are plentiful. They seem to be primarily concentrated in the middle of the cup, hence the bulges in the center. But a few cereal pieces have found their way to the edges.

Reese s Big Cup with Reese s Puffs Split

Reese s Big Cup with Reese s Puffs Mini Cereal

But after eating several of these, I can’t say the mini cereal pieces enhance the flavor of the Big Cup. I’m not surprised because I assumed chocolate and peanut butter-flavored cereal would get lost in actual peanut butter and chocolate. But I’m okay with that because the mini cereal pieces provide a satisfying crunch to go along with the irresistible Reese’s flavor.

Think of that texture as what you’d get with a Crun…oh wait, this is a Hershey product, and the fine folks there sent me samples, so I mean, think of that texture as what you’d get with a Krackle bar but with a Reese’s Cup. As someone who steals is lucky enough to end up with all the Krackle miniature bars from a mini bar assortment, I love the crispy cereal pieces within the gritty, salty peanut butter.

Reese’s Big Cup with Reese’s Puffs isn’t as earth-shattering as the peanut butter cup being stuffed with Reese’s Pieces or potato chips (or maybe someday with bacon bits…just an idea, Hershey’s). Also, I can understand how this might be ho-hum to some, but I find it delightful.

DISCLOSURE: I received free product samples from Hershey’s. Doing so did not influence my review.

Purchased Price: FREE
Size: 1.2 oz bar
Purchased at: Received from Hershey’s
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 package) 170 calories, 9 grams of fat, 3.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, less than 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 115 milligrams of sodium, 20 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 17 grams of sugar (including 16 grams of added sugar), and 4 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Snickers Shakers Seasoning Blend

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Snickers Shakers Seasoning Blend Bottle

The new Snickers Shakers Seasoning Blend has taught me that my eating habits are quite dull outside of what I taste for the site. Because after trying the sweet seasoning on a variety of foods, I later realized those foods also ended up being what I shook the Twix Shakers Seasoning Blend on when I reviewed it —- overnight oats, vanilla ice cream, popcorn, smoothies, etc.

I hate to say this, especially because the fine folks at B&G Foods sent me a bottle of its Snickers Shakers Seasoning Blend, but my diet of the same foods over and over again made me realize that the two sweet seasonings could easily be confused for each other.

Snickers Shakers Seasoning Blend Closeup

Let’s break it down. As we ALL know, Snickers is made with peanuts, caramel, and nougat in milk chocolate and is a vastly superior candy bar to Milky Way (Nah, just messin’ with you, Milky Way-ers). But after trying it with all the things I tried it with, my taste buds could only notice the chocolate and caramel, which was also the case with the Twix version. And much like the Twix Shakers, it has a weird flavor that’s nothing like the iconic candy bar when tasted on its own.

Snickers Shakers Seasoning Blend Popcorn

I can understand the lack of nougat flavor because, let’s face it, it might be the fourth most crucial component in a Snickers. But I’m surprised the peanuts aren’t noticeable even though it’s listed high up in the ingredients list.

Snickers Shakers Seasoning Blend Cheerios

Also, much like the Twix version, while the serving size is a teaspoon, I had to add a lot more to my popcorn and Cheerios to get a noticeable flavor. So I recommend, if possible, getting the 9.5-ounce bottle currently available at Sam’s Club instead of the 6.8-ounce one at Walmart.

Snickers Shakers Seasoning Blend Ice Cream

As you can probably tell, I’m a bit disillusioned with this Snickers Shakers Seasoning Blend, although I did enjoy it with vanilla ice cream. If I could’ve tasted the peanuts, I probably would’ve liked it more. But with mostly chocolate and caramel flavors, it bothers me that it doesn’t differ much from the previous Twix version.

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary product sample from B&G Foods. Doing so did not influence my review.

Purchased Price: FREE
Size: 9.5 oz bottle
Purchased at: Received from B&G Foods
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 tsp) 15 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 4 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of sugar (including 3 grams of added sugar), and 0 grams of protein.

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