REVIEW: Papa Johns Cheddar Crust Pizza

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Pizza chains have attempted to make the pizza’s end crust as delightful as the rest of the pizza. However, while they have done things like stuffing it with cheese and meats, brushing it with garlic butter, and dusting it with seasonings, it usually never ends up being as satisfying as the rest of the pizza. However, Papa Johns Cheddar Crust Pizza might be the best tasting end crust I’ve ever stuffed into my pie hole, and I hope it never goes away.

The crust features a blend of aged cheddar cheese with a garlic and herb seasoning baked onto the edge of Papa Johns’ Original Crust. All that aged cheesiness and seasonings helped create an orangey crust that made my taste buds think they were eating elongated, doughy Cheez-It Crackers, but saltier. With the first slice, I ended up finishing the rounded end before I even took a bite of the sauce, cheese, and pepperoni side. I can’t say I’ve ever done that with any stuffed crust.

While enjoying that first slice, I wondered if the cheese extended to the bottom crust because I believe Papa Johns did that with another cheese. It doesn’t; it’s just the ends. But after taking bites from both ends of my second slice to get the whole pizza experience, I think having the cheddar on the bottom would be a waste of cheese because the toppings, especially the sweet marinara sauce, overwhelm any cheddar flavor.

However, not only do the cheddar and seasonings give the end crust a Cheez-It-like flavor, but they also provide a pleasant toasted cheese crispiness, along with the crust’s usual chewiness. The one-two punch of taste and texture makes this one unlike any other crust I’ve had. Also, you know how sometimes a pizza has a large bubble in the end crust that’s all dough and no show? Well, there was one with this pizza, and I didn’t mind it at all because I knew the cheddar baked into it would provide a good amount of cheesiness.

I loved the ends of Papa Johns’ Cheddar Crust Pizza enough that I may or may not have cut off the crust from a third slice and then put the rest of the slice back into the box so that I could eat that cheddar-y pizza butt on its own. SHHHH! Don’t tell anyone in the house that it was me. But I’m going to tell you that you should give this cheddar-encrusted crust a try.

Purchased Price: $16.99*
Size: Large
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: Not available on Papa Johns website at the time of publication.

*Because I live on a rock in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, things are a bit pricier here. You’ll probably pay less than I did. It’s being advertised for $11.99 in other areas.

REVIEW: McDonald’s Hershey’s S’mores McFlurry

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Just in time for the hot summer months and to join the annual deluge of s’mores-flavored products, McDonald’s has rolled out its new Hershey’s S’mores McFlurry. It combines McDonald’s ice cream with Hershey’s chocolate bits, graham crumbs, and white marshmallows.

While my photos make my McFlurry look like it’s been hanging out in a woodworker’s shop, talking about joinery techniques and snickering every time the butt joint is mentioned, I assure you that this dessert has all the flavors of the classic campfire treat.

The mix-ins give varying textures that contrast the creamy nature of the sweet ice cream. While I described them as “marshmallows” above, they’re similar to the crunchy marbits you’d find in a cereal, and they’re a little bigger than the marshmallows you’d see in an instant hot cocoa packet. They may be small, but they do pack a sweet punch. And with their crunchiness, they are an excellent addition to the dessert.

Bringing all the chocolate flavor are small dark pieces floating in the white frozen dairy. Even though Hershey’s has partnered with McDonald’s on the dessert, the bits didn’t instantly evoke thoughts of Hershey’s milk chocolate and its distinctive flavor. It tasted a little darker to me. Nevertheless, they added a choco flavor that was as sweet and tasty as the marshmallows. They also had a nice candy bar snap to them that complemented the crunchy marshmallows and creamy ice cream.

Finally, we have the mostly crunchy graham crumbs, which I was concerned wouldn’t be noticeable, as many s’mores-flavored products struggle to convey the graham flavor effectively. But my first spoonful from the McFlurry allayed my fears. As Yoda once said, “The graham is strong with this one.” There were moments when I got more of a waffle cone flavor, but that is definitely not a complaint. Hey! I just came up with a brilliant idea. How about a s’mores treat that involves toasting marshmallows and dumping them into a waffle cone with some chocolate in it? Did I just invent something? (Searches internet) Nope. It’s been done many, many, many, many times.

All together, the mix-ins and ice cream create a delicious treat that evokes the sweet campfire delicacy. The next time I indulge in the McDonald’s Hershey’s S’mores McFlurry—and trust me, there will definitely be a next time—I think I’ll enhance it with some hot fudge to give it the feeling of melted chocolate.

Purchased Price: $4.99*
Size: Regular
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 460 calories, 15 grams of fat, 9 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 35 milligrams of cholesterol, 240 milligrams of sodium, 70 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 57 grams of sugar (including 47 grams of added sugar), and 10 grams of protein.

*Because I live on a rock in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, things are a bit pricier here. You’ll probably pay less than I did.

REVIEW: Crumbl Cookies & Cream Pie

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Crumbl’s Dessert of the Month for June 2025 is the Cookies & Cream Pie. The returning product is a chilled pie with a cookies and cream crust, smooth cookies and cream filling, and topped with whipped cream and crunchy cookie crumbs.

Despite the amount of whipped cream, I assure you there is a pie under all that, and it is not a whipped cream pie that will be flung into the face of an unsuspecting victim as a prank while they give an interview on television. I also assure you that this pie has all the flavor and some of the crunch you’d expect from something with “cookies & cream” in its name.

Although the word “cookie” is in the description of this dessert three times, only one of those ingredients provides any cookie crunch — the dark cookie crumbs on top. Sadly, the cookies and cream crust, although firm, doesn’t give a satisfying crunch. Instead, it’s what you’d expect from a pie crust. But that’s okay because it amps the pie’s chocolate flavor considerably. Although there appear to be cookie crumbs in the pie’s filling, they are so soft that they don’t even add any grittiness, and when mixed with the white cream, they make the filling look grey in some places.

While being black, white, and grey sounds like the beginning of a riddle, this pie’s flavor is ridiculously good. The cookies and cream balance is perfect, with neither the chocolate nor the cream overwhelming each other. Not even the overabundant whipped cream affects the balance. I’m not sure if Oreo cookies are being used, but it tastes like they are. It’s so good that I’d eat the whole thing in one sitting if I didn’t know its nutrition facts.

Crumbl’s Cookies & Cream Pie is worthy of the Dessert of the Month title. If you’re a fan of cookies and cream-flavored products, this is worth ordering even if there’s a 99-cent premium over Crumbl’s usual offerings.

Purchased Price: $5.98
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 930 calories, 63 grams of fat, 34 grams of saturated fat, 2 grams of trans fat, 133 milligrams of cholesterol, 564 milligrams of sodium, 88 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 59 grams of sugar, and 9 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Popeyes Classic Chicken Wraps

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Popeyes is back in the wrap game, and it’s not the only non-Taco Bell fast food chain that has recently made a massive order for flour tortillas. So it appears 2025 might be the Return of the Wrap… the Chicken Wrap. Besides these new Popeyes Chicken Wraps, McDonald’s will soon be re-releasing its Snack Wraps featuring its McCrispy Strips, but that’s another review for another day.

Let’s focus on these menu additions from the chicken chain, which feature Popeyes’ hand-breaded and battered Cajun-marinated chicken tender, topped with crisp lettuce, shredded cheese, and two barrel-cured pickle slices, all wrapped in a soft flour tortilla with your choice of mayo, spicy mayo, or honey mustard spread. You can also get the wraps with blackened chicken tenders if your heart so desires and you order them online.

I ended up getting the classic version with mayo and honey mustard. However, after trying both, I wish I had gotten the spicy version because perhaps the sauce’s heat would’ve excited my taste buds as they didn’t come away impressed with these flour tortilla-cloaked offerings. I’m not sure if I’ve had too many Popeyes’ Chicken Sandwiches or if I expected a euphoria similar to what I experience every time I eat the chain’s classic sandwich, but these wraps tasted ho-hum to me, which I find odd because I do enjoy the chain’s tenders.

I wonder if it’s the warm tortilla that makes all the other ingredients taste a bit flat. Because despite being applied liberally, the condiments were barely noticeable, especially the honey mustard, and the cheese’s flavor was nonexistent. With the chicken sandwich, the bun does add a bit of sweetness and is part of the taste experience, but the flour tortilla here may mute the flavors.

Although, now that I think about it, I’m not sure about that because the crunchy pickles do come through with the bites that have them. I also noticed the lettuce’s wilted flavor after it sat in a tortilla sauna for several minutes.

Finally, there’s the chicken tender, which had that familiar Popeyes taste but was overly salty. Yes, you can’t spell “you’re a fast fool for eating fast food” without “salty.” However, it was particularly noticeable with these wraps because the condiments were unable to counteract the saltiness.

While I’m not sure whether it was the flour tortilla that made these wraps taste the way they did, nothing about their flavor encouraged me to finish either one. Of course, your experience may vary. And if it does, please share your thoughts in the comments.

While they’re not very flavorful, I did find these new chicken wraps to be substantial with their long, meaty chicken strips. And, of course, Popeyes’ signature crunch is there. There’s enough to them that they could be a snack or a light meal. However, I’m not sure I want to eat them again as a snack or a light meal.

Purchased Price: $4.49*
Rating: 6 out of 10 (both)
Nutrition Facts: Honey Mustard – 661 calories, 31 grams of fat, 13 grams of sugar, 1 gram of trans fat, 64 milligrams of cholesterol, 2203 milligrams of sodium, 71 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of fiber, 7 grams of sugar, and 26 grams of protein.

*Because I live on a rock in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, things are a bit pricier here. You’ll probably pay less than I did.

REVIEW: Baskin-Robbins Trolli Sour Blast

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After reading the description of Baskin-Robbins’ June 2025 Flavor of the Month, Trolli Sour Blast, my mouth blasted a “blasphemous.”

Although inspired by Trolli Sour Brite Crawlers, and features Trolli lime-flavored ice cream and Trolli orange-flavored sherbet with Trolli lime-flavored swirls, it didn’t contain bits of actual Trolli gummy candy. How could a Trolli-inspired ice cream not have Trolli candy in it? That would be like having an Oreo shake without cookie pieces.

But after spewing disbelief, I spooned the colorful ice cream and sherbet and discovered that the swirls were not sticky or gooey, unlike many ice cream varieties. Instead, they were firm enough to create a texture that’s almost like gummy candy. It’s definitely a noticeable contrast to the ice cream, but not quite the same as having actual Trolli candy. I suppose having Trolli bits might be an issue, as the freezing process could make them too gummy. What also helps the swirl is that it has a sugar crystal texture, similar to sour gummies.

Those green swirls give an extra burst of lime and a pleasant sour punch that you’d expect from sour gummy candy. And that citrus lime burst is on top of the already delicious citrus and sour tastes from the lime ice cream and orange sherbet. However, while the swirls add a bit more sourness, the scoop as a whole does taste like Rainbow Sherbet.

Baskin-Robbins’ Trolli Sour Blast no doubt provides a couple of blasts. It offers a sour blast from the ice cream, sherbet, and swirl. It’s also a blast from the past, with it tasting like a Rainbow Sherbet. I guess if you’re looking for an updated take on the classic flavor, the gummy-like swirl does enough to make it a little different and worthy of a try.

Purchased Price: $3.79
Size: 2.5 oz scoop
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 170 calories, 7 grams of fat, 3 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 15 milligrams of cholesterol, 35 milligrams of sodium, 24 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 19 grams of sugar (including 17 grams of added sugar), and 2 grams of protein.

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