REVIEW: Zapp’s Voodoo and Jazzy Honey Mustard Pretzel Stix

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It’s hard to stand out in the chip aisle. There are so many brands, flavors, and formats, and the most popular are repeated between competitors — sour cream & onion, something cheesy, something spicy, something cheesy AND spicy, etc.

So I have to give some kudos to Zapp’s for the sacred space they’ve carved out for themselves with the “Voodoo” flavor. The brand recently expanded its snack offerings with Sinfully Seasoned Pretzel Stix in two flavors — New Orleans Style Voodoo and New Orleans Style Jazzy Honey Mustard.

I expected the honey mustard one to be the milder flavor of the two, so I started with those. I was impressed by the amount of seasoning because they looked like they’d definitely leave you with some Cheeto-like finger residue. They delivered a classic honey mustard taste, leaning more towards the sweeter end of the spectrum. I did think the pretzel itself was a little dry and crumbly. But overall, these were a nicely balanced sweet honey and savory mustard snack.
?The more unique of the two was the Voodoo seasoning. A coworker once described Voodoo as “barbeque mixed with salt and vinegar,” and I don’t think that description is too far off! These pack a big punch, flavor-wise, and the paprika and turmeric give them a bright color. Although, I did notice significantly more broken pieces in the bag.

The flavor of these Voodoo Pretzel Stix is bright, acidic, and very similar to the Voodoo chips. They do lean a little sweet, similar to the honey mustard ones. It makes sense that the same seasoning wouldn’t taste the same on a pretzel as it would on a kettle chip. I also thought the Voodoo pretzels were a bit dry, but the flavor more than made up for it.

Overall I think if you’re a fan of Voodoo, you will want to get your hands on these. And as Utz owns a vast range of pretzel and chip formats, I’m hopeful for more iterations on the base carrier or maybe more of Zapp’s flavors in the future.

Purchased Price: $5.99 each
Size: 16 oz bag
Purchased at: Jewel Osco
Rating: Jazzy Honey Mustard (7 out of 10), Voodoo (8 out of 10)
Nutrition Facts: (15 pretzels) Jazzy Honey Mustard – 120 calories, 5 grams of fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 300 milligrams of sodium, 17 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein. Voodoo – 120 calories, 5 grams of fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 400 milligrams of sodium, 17 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Snyder’s of Hanover Snyderfest Beer Cheese Pretzel Pieces

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Snyder s of Hanover Snyderfest Beer Cheese Pretzel Pieces Bag

What is it?

While certain corners of the internet were campaigning to “Release the Snyder Cut,” I was yelling at anyone who would listen to “Release the Snyder Pieces!”

Well, it appears someone at Snyder’s of Hanover heard my cry because it has dropped a new Beer Cheese flavor just in time to celebrate Oktoberfest.

Thank you, and you’re welcome.

Snyder s of Hanover Snyderfest Beer Cheese Pretzel Pieces

How is it?

I’ve always been a fan of Snyder’s Pieces because there aren’t many flavored pretzels on the market. I used to snack on the brand’s wide array of flavors all the time, but that was before I lost my dental insurance and got extremely paranoid about chomping down on rock hard pretzel pieces.

Snyder s of Hanover Snyderfest Beer Cheese Pretzel Pieces in the Bag

It’d been a while since I’d carefully indulged, so when I heard about these, I figured it’d been long enough and decided to put my molars back at risk.

Guess what? They’re good. Obviously. Do I really need to sell you on cheese-flavored sourdough pretzel pieces?

The flavor here is basically cheddar with the hint of a sweet lager.

I was afraid these would be a bright orange, generic “cheese” tasting mess, but the flavor is more along the lines of a soft white cheddar. It lets the pretzel pieces breathe, making for a balanced flavor trio of cheese, “beer,” and the bready pretzel itself.

Anything else you need to know?

Snyder s of Hanover Snyderfest Beer Cheese Pretzel Pieces Plate

I find that the beer gets lost in some so-called “beer cheese” dips, so I was excited by how much it shined through. It made for a unique flavor blend you don’t often get in the snack aisle.

Also, I could be wrong, but the pieces seemed softer and not quite as treacherous as I remember. It’s also possible I was enjoying them so much that I stopped caring about my chompers.

Conclusion:

I think I kinda loved these, but I should warn you, they’re ridiculously salty. I mean, it’s a cheese-flavored pretzel, so that’s to be expected, right?

I’m not encouraging anyone to drink, but a nice Oktoberfest brew would counteract the salt pretty well. Just have one though, and be safe.

Prost!

Purchased Price: $3.59
Size: 10 oz
Purchased at: Wegmans
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 oz) 140 calories, 7 grams of fat, 3 grams of saturated fat, 260 milligrams of sodium, 16 grams of total carbohydrates, 2 grams of total sugars, 1 gram of fiber, and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Rold Gold Recipe No. 5 Savory Butter Pretzel Twists

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Rold Gold Recipe No 5 Savory Butter Pretzel Twists

What are Rold Gold Recipe No. 5 Savory Butter Pretzel Twists?

We may never know what happened to recipes one through four, but recipe number five kicks off Gold Rold’s new presumably premium line of pretzels. Savory Butter is the name of this game, and it tastes like these pretzels came to play.

How are they?

Despite the vague “savory butter” title, these pretzels pack a lot more flavor than I expected. They’re definitely buttery, but they also have a prominent garlic and onion flavor that’s just bold enough to let the butteriness shine. They have a soft toothy crumble and decisive salty pop that make them nearly impossible to stop eating.

Rold Gold Recipe No 5 Savory Butter Pretzel Twists 2

I would have no problem if these were branded as garlic bread pretzels because the sharp and addictive flavor reminds me distinctly of two things – Texas Toast and Papa John’s Special Garlic Sauce. They also taste like Rold Gold’s Butter Checkers with the shape and texture of the brand’s Honey Wheat Braided Twists that’s been dunked in garlic bread seasoning. And, honestly, it’s a beautiful combination.

Anything else you need to know?

As we often get swept up in the latest Sour Patch Kids or Oreo collaboration, it’s good to be reminded that oftentimes simpler is better. Adding a new seasoning on a classic twisty pretzel might be all we need to feel truly at peace with our snacking self.

Conclusion:

Much like their “No. 5” name can allude to, these pretzels are an absolute symphony of flavor. For a mainstream snack food, they carry a bit of a hefty price, but that comes along with a hefty experience that should not be missed.

Purchased Price: $4.99
Size: 11 oz. bag
Purchased at: Safeway
Rating: 10 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (15 pretzels) 140 calories, 5 grams of fat, 0.5 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 370 milligrams of sodium, 19 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, less than 1 gram of sugar, 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Snyder’s of Hanover Limited Edition Pumpkin Spice Pretzel Pieces

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Snyder s of Hanover Limited Edition Pumpkin Spice Pretzel Pieces 1

Pumpkin Season is in full force and new this year is Snyder’s of Hanover’s Pumpkin Spice Pretzel Pieces, which got me excited since pretzels seemed to be an interesting and novel way to show of the much-loved flavor.

Recently, though, I have been tackling new pumpkin-flavored items with some hesitation because it seems like the flavor can vary greatly in execution. It’s best when the pumpkin-to-spice ratio is masterfully in sync, usually with one not overpowering the other. It also helps to have real pumpkin included. Let’s see how Snyder’s did.

Snyder s of Hanover Limited Edition Pumpkin Spice Pretzel Pieces 2

As I break open the bag, I am hit with intense spice aroma. I can definitely smell the cinnamon and nutmeg. Pumpkin, though? Not so much. The pieces are all different shapes and sizes with a nice orange hue affixed to a majority of the pieces. It’s not bright enough to be mistaken for a cheesy seasoning, but not too dull either.

Snyder s of Hanover Limited Edition Pumpkin Spice Pretzel Pieces 3

There’s also some dark speckling on top of the orange. As far as size, most of the pieces are bite-sized except for one that was still largely intact. As I stare at it more it kind of resembles a finger and with this being a fall flavor before Halloween it oddly fits right in.

The pieces are as crunchy as you would expect from a well-crafted sourdough hard pretzel. There’s a nice doughy kind of flavor that pops up as you break down the pieces in your mouth. Once you get it going after the crunch, the coating’s flavor comes through.

How does the flavor taste, exactly? Is it packed full of pumpkiny goodness? No, not really. Is there an explosion of earthy spices in your mouth? Maybe, but just a little.

Snyder s of Hanover Limited Edition Pumpkin Spice Pretzel Pieces 4

Honestly, though, all I tasted was cinnamon. There was cinnamon, more cinnamon and then some more cinnamon all backed by the sweetness of sugar. I kept eating more to try to convince myself I could taste the pumpkin or some of the other spices, like nutmeg, especially because I had smelled it earlier. However, no luck.

It’s surprising because pumpkin powder is listed as one of the ingredients. In the end, though, these are just very, very good cinnamon pretzels with a nice festive orange color. Next year, these should be rebranded as festively colored cinnamon sugar pretzel pieces for Halloween. Either that or the pumpkin powder needs to move up the ingredient list significantly.

(Nutrition Facts – about 1/3 cup – 140 calories, 7 grams of fat, 3.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 25 milligrams of sodium, 17 grams of carbohydrates, Less than 1 gram of fiber, 3 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.)

Purchased Price: $5.99
Size: 10 oz. bag
Purchased at: Shopfoodex.com
Rating: 5 out of 10
Pros: Crunchy and delicious sourdough base. Pleasant orange coloring. Accidental shapes that turn out to be festive. Real pumpkin powder.
Cons: Off balanced pumpkin spice ratio. An aroma that didn’t match in taste. Faint to non-existent pumpkin flavor. Glorified cinnamon sugar pretzels.

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