REVIEW: Cinnamon Toast Crunch Ice Cream

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Cinnamon Toast Crunch Ice Cream

At the beginning of the year, Nestlé’s Coffee-mate released a Cinnamon Toast Crunch coffee creamer, and I was heartbroken by its underwhelming execution.

When I saw Nestlé’s Dreyer’s was introducing a Cinnamon Toast Crunch ice cream, I knew I had to set my expectations appropriately before trying it. I kept reminding myself that there was a distinct possibility it was going to be another dud.

When I finally found it in the store, my realistic expectations were overcome by giddy excitement. There’s something about that colorful font in the Cinnamon Toast Crunch logo that makes my heart tingle with nostalgia. I was powerless.

Thankfully, Nestlé did not fail me this time.

The carton states that the ice cream is “cinnamon light ice cream with a cinnamon graham swirl and cereal pieces.” The “light ice cream” portion of the description reminded me to tone down my expectations, but everything else had me salivating.

Cinnamon Toast Crunch Ice Cream 2

Peeling the lid off the carton, I could immediately smell cinnamon. There were generous flecks of the spice throughout the ice cream and hints of the “cinnamon graham swirl” eagerly greeting me. One corner of a lone cereal piece peeked out of the top.

Cinnamon Toast Crunch Ice Cream 4

Each splendid bite was absolutely full of cinnamon. It was superbly sweet, but not so much that the warm spice was subdued. It instantly reminded me of the cereal I’ve been eating for as long as I can remember. Every single spoonful screamed, “Cinnamon Toast Crunch.” The swirl infused an extra shot of the sublime spice and some pleasant grit. It was the surprising star of the show. If presented with a bucket of the swirl, I would eat it by itself until I became sick.

Cinnamon Toast Crunch Ice Cream 3

The cereal pieces, although sparse, added a nice crunch to the occasional spoonful. A few more would have been wonderful, but the swirl made up for their small numbers.

The ice cream itself is what one would expect from a light offering by Dreyer’s. It’s a tad thin and airy, but the abundance of flavor makes me not even care. Had this been made with a more premium, full-fat ice cream, it would have been close to a perfect 10 for me.

This ice cream perfectly captures the essence of Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Nestlé, I forgive you.

Purchased Price: $4.99
Size: 1.5 Quarts
Purchased at: Safeway
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2/3 cup) 170 calories, 6 grams of fat, 3.5 grams of saturated fat, 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 85 milligrams of sodium, 26 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 17 grams of sugar and 3 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Ben & Jerry’s Exclusive Flavor Chocolate Peanut Butter Split Ice Cream

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Ben Jerry s Exclusive Flavor Chocolate Peanut Butter Split Ice Cream

What is Ben & Jerry’s Exclusive Flavor Chocolate Peanut Butter Split Ice Cream?

This exclusive flavor that can only be purchased from the Albertsons family of grocery stores features chocolate and banana ice creams with mini peanut butter cups.

How is it?

Ben Jerry s Exclusive Flavor Chocolate Peanut Butter Split Ice Cream Top

It has the creaminess that should be expected with any Ben & Jerry’s ice cream product. True to the name, all three flavors make an appearance but don’t share the stage equally. When I first opened the lid, I noticed the predominant brown (i.e., chocolate) ice cream. I love chocolate, but I’m also a banana fan, so I definitely wanted the “split” represented.

Thankfully, the ice cream distribution quickly evens itself out as you dig in, and you taste both chocolate and banana. Chocolate is, in general, a stronger flavor and was also more present with the peanut butter cups, so I would have been open to slightly more banana ice cream.

Ben Jerry s Exclusive Flavor Chocolate Peanut Butter Split Ice Cream PB Cups

Now you might be wondering about the peanut butter part – don’t worry, there’s an ample supply of mini peanut butter cups! Unlike other ice creams where you have to dig around for the mix-ins, that’s thankfully not the case here.

Is there anything else you need to know?

The description on the pint is pretty accurate: “We’ve loaded our banana and chocolate ice creams with a chocolatey lot of bite-size PB surprises, so if you find your chocolate-covered, peanut-buttered banana fantasies aren’t fulfilled in every spoonful, we suggest a bigger spoon.”

Ben Jerry s Exclusive Flavor Chocolate Peanut Butter Split Ice Cream Spoon

Nearly every spoonful (or maybe it was every spoonful) did have peanut butter cups. But, my fantasy may have a little more banana in it.

Conclusion:

Overall, it’s worth a try if you like chocolate, peanut butter, and banana…which I do!

Purchased Price: $3.50
Size: 1 pint
Purchased at: Albertsons (Exclusive)
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2/3 cup) 390 calories, 24 grams of fat, 15 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 grams of trans fat, 75 milligrams of cholesterol, 85 milligrams of sodium, 38 grams of total carbohydrates, 2 grams of dietary fiber, 35 grams of total sugars, 29 grams of added sugars, 7 grams of protein

REVIEW: Haagen-Dazs Trio Limited Edition Ruby Cacao Crackle Ice Cream

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Haagen Dazs Trio Limited Edition Ruby Cacao Crackle Ice Cream

I have enjoyed the few varieties of Haagen-Dazs Trio Crispy Layers that I have tried so far. Texturally, they are a pleasure to devour. They also scratch a chocolate itch, that’s for sure. Each one has a variation of ice creams with oodles of chocolate layers throughout the container.

Recently, Haagen-Dazs launched a new flavor for the Trio Crispy Layers line: Ruby Cacao Crackle with Pistachio and Sweet Cream Ice Cream. I had heard of ruby chocolate before this, but have never gotten the chance to try it, so I was very excited to snag this.

The concept with the Ruby Cacao Crackle is similar to the rest of the Trio Crispy Layers line. Pistachio and sweet cream ice creams are stacked on top of each other with shards of ruby cacao in between every two layers.

Haagen Dazs Trio Limited Edition Ruby Cacao Crackle Ice Cream Swirl

The top of the pint has the sweet cream and pistachio ice creams swirled together for a nice aesthetic effect. Once you get past the top, it’s alternating layers of the two.

Haagen Dazs Trio Limited Edition Ruby Cacao Crackle Ice Cream Layers

Upon digging in, the first thing that hits me is the pistachio ice cream. It’s rich and earthy, but still very sweet. Unfortunately, it overpowers the sweet cream ice cream. There was not a single bite throughout the container that didn’t taste like pistachio. It’s not bad at all, but it’s uneven. Both are decadent without being too heavy and are a tad icy. It’s the typical Haagen-Dazs formula.

Haagen Dazs Trio Limited Edition Ruby Cacao Crackle Ice Cream Spoon

The supposed star of the show, the ruby cacao, is certainly interesting. The pistachio kept masking its flavor, so I had to isolate some pieces to really analyze it. It has more of a delicate flavor than I was expecting. It reminds me of white chocolate, but with some berry undertones coming through. There is a touch of tartness to its mild sweetness. Frankly, it’s just not that special. Texturally, the ruby cacao adds the satisfying crunch to the mix that I was hoping for.

All in all, this was a decent near-pint, but I don’t know if I’ll ever purchase it again. The pistachio ice cream completely dominated everything else. I would have preferred a little bit more balance between the flavors. If you like pistachio ice cream, you should definitely try this, though. Personally, I’ll probably stick with any of the other Trio Crispy Layers flavors available.

Purchased Price: $5.49
Size: 14 oz. container
Purchased at: Safeway
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2/3 cup) 340 calories, 23 grams of fat, 14 grams of saturated fat, 80 milligrams of cholesterol, 65 milligrams of sodium, 28 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 27 grams of sugar, and 5 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Ben & Jerry’s Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert made with Sunflower Butter

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Ben Jerry s Non Dairy Frozen Dessert made with Sunflower Butter

When I look back at the 2010s, I think of the abundance of two food products — Oreo cookie varieties and products made with nuts, seeds, and grains that I didn’t know could be made with nuts, seeds, and grains.

I’m talking about milks made with almonds, cashews, macadamia nuts, peanuts, oats, hemp, peas, flax, and walnuts. I’m also talking about butters made with almonds, cashews, macadamia nuts, pecans, pistachios, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds.

Perhaps the most popular has been almond milk, which Ben & Jerry’s has been using it in its non-dairy varieties so far. But the company’s newest line of non-dairy pints uses the seldom seen sunflower butter, making Ben & Jerry’s the first national brand to offer frozen dessert made with the seed butter.

There are three flavors available: “Milk” & Cookies (vanilla non-dairy frozen dessert with chocolate chip cookies, chocolate sandwich cookies, and chocolate cookie swirls), Mint Chocolate Cookie (mint non-diary frozen dessert with chocolate sandwich cookies), and Creme Brûlée Cookie (burnt caramel non-dairy frozen dessert with brown sugar cookies, and salted caramel swirls).

If you’re a regular peruser of the Ben & Jerry’s section at your local grocery, you’d know two of these are non-dairy versions of standard flavors — Milk & Cookies and Mint Chocolate Cookie. As for Creme Brûlée Cookie, sadly, it isn’t a vegan version of the flavor that sits in Ben & Jerry’s Flavor Graveyard.

With “Milk” & Cookies and Creme Brûlée Cookie, I got a hint that I was eating something created with sunflower seeds. But if I told you these were made with almond milk, you might believe me because they have the same not-quite-as-creamy-as-ice-cream texture, and the flavor from the seeds could be confused for almond milk’s nuttiness.

“Milk” & Cookies and Mint Chocolate Cookie are great non-dairy versions of the popular varieties. Both are loaded with mix-ins. Mint Chocolate Cookie tastes like Thin Mints, but less chocolatey and minty, and only if your spoonful has a nice chunk of the soft cookies.

Ben Jerry s Milk Cookies Non Dairy Frozen Dessert made with Sunflower Butter

The photo above of “Milk” & Cookies doesn’t show the mix-in riches I discovered as I excavated more from the container, which I forgot to take a picture of because as soon as I saw it, I was like a gold rush prospector and dug up everything. The sunflower butter is most noticeable in this, which I’m okay with, but most of the time it gets overwhelmed by the chocolate from all the cookies and/or the brown sugar flavor from the chocolate chip cookies.

Ben Jerry s Mint Chocolate Cookie Non Dairy Frozen Dessert made with Sunflower Butter

While both are good and I have no problems recommending them, I’m partial to “Milk” & Cookies because the original version is one of my top 10 favorite Ben & Jerry’s flavors.

Ben Jerry s Creme Brulee Cookie Non Dairy Frozen Dessert made with Sunflower Butter

Creme Brûlée Cookie was the one I was most excited about, but it’s also the one I ended up have the most concerns about. It tastes more like a blondie brownie than a creme brûlée, which, I’ll be honest, might be a delicious nonissue to many. But with all the components’ flavors being from the same sweet family tree, this pint is a bit one-note to me. Also, I wish there was something in it to replicate the crunch of hardened caramelized sugar, which is THE BEST thing about creme brûlée. Actually, I wish all three pints has something to add some texture.

I’m a fan of most Ben & Jerry’s non-dairy almond milk frozen desserts. Heck, I even wrote that I preferred the non-dairy version over the dairy version of one of its recent flavors. So it’s not surprising to me that I found these pints to be enjoyable.

DISCLOSURE: I received a free samples from Ben & Jerry’s (Thanks, you awesome Vermonters). Getting them did not influence my review.

Purchased Price: FREE
Size: 1 pint
Purchased at: Received from Ben & Jerry’s
Rating: 8 out of 10 (“Milk” & Cookies), 7 out of 10 (Mint Chocolate Cookie), 6 out of 10 (Creme Brulee)
Nutrition Facts: (2/3 cup) “Milk” & Cookies – 350 calories, 18 grams of fat, 10 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 125 milligrams of sodium, 44 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 29 grams of sugar, and 3 grams of protein. Mint Chocolate Cookie – 300 calories, 14 grams of fat, 11 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 120 milligrams of sodium, 40 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 27 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein. Creme Brûlée Cookie – 310 calories 14 grams of fat, 10 grams of saturated fat, 0 mg 160 milligrams of sodium, 46 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 28 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Magnum Mini Ruby Ice Cream Bars

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Magnum Mini Ruby Ice Cream Bars

You could give the person you love a rose. Or give them something much better — a Magnum Mini Ruby Ice Cream Bar.

I mean, look at that bar below. It screams ROMANTIC. Although “romantic” shouldn’t be screamed, it should be said in a seductive tone, preferable with an accent, with double come hither finger pulls and maybe some lip-licking after saying it.

Magnum Mini Ruby Ice Cream Bars Coating

Also, you can’t eat a rose. Well, actually, the flower is edible, but eating roses off of their stems or the petals like a salad is not an appealing look. Go ahead and imagine it yourself. Close your eyes and visualize your significant other or your one celebrity hall pass chewing on rose petals. Not a good look and probably doesn’t taste good.

But these Magnum Mini Ruby Ice Cream Bars, made with ruby chocolate, taste a hundred times better than roses.

If you’re not familiar with the pink chocolate, it’s the first new chocolate in 80 years and is considered the fourth variety (along with milk, dark, and white). It made its debut a few years ago and has been featured with a smattering of products. Now I’m going to type verbatim what it says on the info card Magnum sent to me so that I can make this review look more substantial:

Ruby Cacao beans are found in Ecuador, Brazil and the Ivory Coast. They add a unique berry fruitiness, luscious smoothness, and striking pink color to our new, mini bar offering. Like grapes for fine wines, cocoa beans are influenced by the terroir in which they grow. Only under unique climate conditions, will cocoa trees produce Ruby cocoa beans.

Magnum Mini Ruby Ice Cream Bars Innards

Of course, these small bars aren’t just ruby chocolate; there’s also sweet cream ice cream that’s so white it’s blinding when under photo studio lights. It looks like Casper the Friendly Ghost squeezed himself into the pink shell, or a Casper mattress squeezed into its box. As for its flavor, it has a nondescript sweetness. It’s a little disappointing, but understandable because it needs to be a little plain to showcase the ruby cocoa. But I wouldn’t want to eat a pint of it unless I have some sweet toppings and sunglasses.

The pink coating has a slight tanginess with an equally light berry flavor. I’m tickled pink about the color (sorry), and I find its flavor to be pleasing and I’d eat fun-sized versions of the chocolate. Still, at the same time, I’m not super impressed with the way it tastes because for something that’s promoted as the “fourth chocolate,” it sure tastes a lot like the third chocolate (white) with a berry finish.

Overall, Magnum Mini Ruby Ice Cream Bars are a nice sweet treat that’s tastier than roses. Eat a few yourself, and then gift one to your lover, Billie Jean, or someone who has never experienced ruby chocolate.

DISCLOSURE: I received a free sample of the product (Thanks Magnum!). Doing so did not influence my review in any way.

Purchased Price: FREE
Size: 6 bars
Purchased at: Received from Magnum
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 bar) 130 calories, 8 grams of fat, 5 grams of saturated fat, 15 milligrams of cholesterol, 20 milligrams of sodium, 12 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 10 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

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