QUICK REVIEW: Dove Milk Chocolate Hot Cocoa with Marshmallow Creme Promises

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Dove Milk Chocolate Hot Cocoa Promises

What are Dove Milk Chocolate Hot Cocoa with Marshmallow Creme Promises?

A mouthful to say.

Joking aside, it’s Dove getting in on the hot cocoa flavor trend. It’s the squircle-shaped candy that we know and love from Dove, but with milk chocolate hot cocoa and a marshmallow crème flavored center (note that it’s not phrased as “hot cocoa-flavored milk chocolate”). It’s a limited time only candy and is available exclusively at Target.

How are they?

It had the silky smoothness of typical Dove Promises, but any hot cocoa-ness was really subtle (also see: non-existent). I kept eating piece after piece, and each time I thought I was starting to get a hint of marshmallow or rich cocoa, it would quickly dissipate into a one-note milk chocolate flavor.

Dove Milk Chocolate Hot Cocoa Promises 3

I expected it to be more marshmallow-forward because the majority of the interior was crème colored. But, once I picked off some of the crème to try on its own, I discovered that it was like white chocolate. One could argue that a marshmallow doesn’t taste like anything, but whatever it is, it’s overpowered entirely by milk chocolate.

Is there anything else you need to know?

I think the recently released Hot Cocoa M&M’s have more of a hot cocoa flavor than this. At least, I could tell they didn’t taste like regular M&M’s.

Conclusion:

Dove Milk Chocolate Hot Cocoa Promises 2

Dove Milk Chocolate Hot Cocoa Promises 4

Dove’s Milk Chocolate Hot Cocoa with Marshmallow Creme Promises are good, but they don’t quite deliver on the flavor profile. But, I do appreciate that the foil wrappers and the Promises written on the inside have a holiday theme.

Purchased Price: $3.99
Size: 7.94 oz.
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 4 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (4 pieces) 180 calories, 11 grams of fat, 8 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, less than 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 25 milligrams of sodium, 17 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 17 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

QUICK REVIEW: Sugar Cookie PEZ Candy

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Sugar Cookie PEZ

What are Sugar Cookie PEZ?

Pressed dextrose hyperrectangles promising to taste like sweet, crisp sugar cookies. They are predominantly made of corn syrup and natural flavors and very well might steal a spot on your Santa cookie plate.

Sugar Cookie PEZ crunchies of sorrow

How are they?

Munching in, I’m… well, disheartened. It’s got the classic crunchy sweetness of PEZ, but tastes of very little. It’s not a sugar cookie flavor so much as it is a really crunchy Smartie. Not a fruity Smartie. The little taste-free white ones. Yes, it is very, very sugary (like a sugar cookie), but it comes without the key buttery nuttiness found in the aforementioned baked good.

I was hoping for something distinguishable, perhaps even a sweeter version of Popcorn Jelly Bellies, but these are just corn syrup with a bit of crunch and humbuggery.

Is there anything else you need to know?

These are admirably crunchy, yielding a chomp louder than four bowls of Cap’n Crunch. The dispenser also came with two other flavors so, if one doesn’t strike your fancy, you’ll still have a solid variety of others to give you a sugar burst throughout the day.

Sugar Cookie PEZ humbuggery

Conclusion:

If you like to munch on unflavored, cavity-threatening sugar cubes straight from the bag, let it be known! PEZ has a flavor for you!

Yet, should you be hoping for a little more zing to your sugar cookie-inspired candy, these shall disappoint – they taste of very little aside from the corn syrup and don’t echo the buttery, nutty, sweet-and-salty majesty of sugar cookies enough to warrant them credit.

Moreover, if you leave Sugar Cookie PEZ out on your Christmas cookie plate, they’d make Santa sad. Don’t make Santa sad! Go getcha some Lofthouse cookies and don’t fret if you pass on these.

Sugar Cookie PEZ Pong

Purchased Price: $1.99
Size: 1 Dispenser with 6 Candy Packets
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 4 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 roll) 35 calories, 0 calories from fat, 0 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 0 milligrams of sodium, 9 grams of carbohydrates, 0 gram of dietary fiber, 9 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of protein.

QUICK REVIEW: Hot Cocoa Hershey’s Kisses

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Hot Cocoa Hershey's Kisses

What are Hot Cocoa Hershey’s Kisses?

Since real kisses are so hard to come by these days, I figured I’d continue my hot cocoa kick with Hot Cocoa Hershey’s Kisses that feature milk chocolate with marshmallow creme.

How is it?

Hot Cocoa Hershey's Kisses 2

I’m gonna start with a bit of a prediction – I think most people will enjoy these more than I do. That being said, I do like them. I just thought I’d love them.

The Kiss casing is standard Hershey’s fare – or “fair” depending on your thoughts of Hershey’s chocolate.

Hot Cocoa Hershey's Kisses 3

The marshmallow crème center is the star of the show, but like

The first taste of marshmallow that hits reminded me of a standard cereal marbit, but that quickly got lost in the chocolate.

I kept being reminded of a “brownie batter” flavor as I was eating them, but I’m confused as to why a regular Kiss and marshmallow flavored crème would give me that impression. Nevertheless, that’s what I kept tasting.

Is there anything else I need to know?

I dug the texture of these Kisses.

The crème is softer than usual and quickly melts in your mouth, almost giving you a hot cocoa marshmallow sensation. I’d say the texture is somewhere between the outer chocolate, and the type of marshmallow you’d get in a Russell Stover chocolate marshmallow Santa.

I still couldn’t get past that brownie batter taste. To borrow a poker term, these were a “little too rich for my blood.” I let three melt in my mouth and wanted to chug a bottle of water.

Conclusion:

Like I said, you’re gonna like these more than I did. Still, the center and the texture make Hot Cocoa Hershey’s Kisses worth picking up.

Actually, as I was eating these, I kept thinking of one thing – Hershey’s Hugs. These were kinda like inferior Hugs. Do Hugs still exist? I miss Hugs – both the candy and the warm embrace.

I’m very lonely.

Purchased Price: $3.33
Size: 10 oz. package
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (7 Kisses) 160 calories, 10 grams of fat, 6 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 40 milligrams of sodium, 19 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 18 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

QUICK REVIEW: Hot Cocoa M&M’s

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Hot Cocoa M&M's

What are Hot Cocoa M&M’s?

Unlike the

How are they?

Hot Cocoa M&M's 2

Have you ever had a regular M&M? How ’bout a White Chocolate M&M? Well, imagine tossing one of each in your mouth at the same time. There ya go. That’s a Hot Cocoa M&M.

Is that a bad thing? Not necessarily. These are still decent, but they’re also very reminiscent of flavors you’ve probably already had.

Hot Cocoa M&M's 3

The idea of a marshmallow-flavored center got me pumped, but it just tasted like white chocolate. Whatever. I like white chocolate. I guess you could convince me it tasted like the fake marshmallow crème you’d get in

I guess I should have tempered my excitement, because about 75 percent of the marshmallow experience is the texture, and you’re obviously not getting a gooey, stretchy marshmallow in the middle of M&M’s.

Is there anything else I need to know?

Hot cocoa is the type of treat that’s very reliant on factors you can’t mimic in a piece of candy. There’s a (sometimes horrible) experience when it comes to drinking a piping hot mug of hot cocoa, and these M&M’s don’t really conjure that.

Conclusion:

Hot Cocoa M&M's 4

The center was still satisfying and I’ll eat the entire bag, but Hot Cocoa M&M’s were a bit of a miss for me. I was hoping they’d be more of a Swiss Miss.

Yeah, that was corny, but I stand by it. If you pick these up, go in expecting a milk chocolate/white chocolate hybrid and enjoy.

As always, I appreciate M&M’s living up to their name, and releasing “More & More” flavors to the public. That’s what “M&M” stands for by the way.

Don’t fact check that.

Purchased Price: $3.19
Size: 8 oz. bag
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 oz.) 140 calories, 6 grams of fat, 4 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, less than 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 25 milligrams of sodium, 20 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 18 grams of sugar, and 1 gram of protein.

QUICK REVIEW: 3 Musketeers Birthday Cake

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3 Musketeers Birthday Cake

What is 3 Musketeers Birthday Cake?

It’s the first new 3 Musketeers in, get this, SIX YEARS! A birthday cake variation that doesn’t include chocolate innards but instead it’s packed with vanilla nougat speckled with colorful sprinkles. It’s still all enrobed in rich milk chocolate.

How is it?

3 Musketeers Birthday Cake 2

You know how chocolate is kind of an overpowering flavor when paired with most things? That’s no more evident than here as the chocolate outside very much takes control of this candy bar. The inside is very nice texturally, but tastes somewhat too milky milk chocolate with an incredibly sweet aftertaste. Birthday cake? Hardly so.

3 Musketeers Birthday Cake 4

I decided to remove the culprit and try the white speckled interior on its own. By the way, the so-called sprinkles, while fun and a nice touch, are more like small colored flakes that don’t add any new texture. I was hoping for big honking sprinkles.

Now without the chocolate, I did get an intense sweet vanilla flavor that comes through in the nougat, and it is more akin to what I associate with a birthday cake flavor. To be honest, though, I felt like I was using a ladle to transfer the contents of a canned jar of vanilla frosting to my mouth and had to pace myself to finish both bars.

Is there anything else I need to know?

3 Musketeers Birthday Cake 3

This bar is exclusive to Walmart at the moment and will be available in minis soon as well along with more retailers in early 2019. Fun history fact: 3 Musketeers got its name because the original candy bar had 3 bars with different flavors – Chocolate, Vanilla, and Strawberry.

Conclusion:

If you love eating frosting from a jar or have a fancy for super sweet milk chocolate, then make sure you pick up 3 Musketeers Birthday Cake as you will likely enjoy it. Otherwise, buy yourself Funfetti cake mix with vanilla frosting and dip the finished product into some melted milk chocolate. It will save you a lot of time by not having to track down this flavor and you’ll get a much better end result.

Purchased Price: $1.34
Size: 2.14 oz./2 bars
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 4 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (one 30 gram bar) – 130 calories, 4 grams of fat, 3 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 60 milligrams of sodium, 23 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of dietary fiber, 20 grams of sugar, and less than 1 gram of protein.

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