Sweets &#8211; Sporked

If you told the child version of me that I would actually actively prefer the version of a cookie dough that advertised “less sugar,” I’d have laughed at you. Now, I look back on that version and say “tsk tsk tsk,” because this less sugar premade cookie dough is divine. I wasn’t super excited by the dough itself, which tasted muted. But while it baked it somehow transformed into a Chips Ahoy doppelganger. It certainly makes a crunchy cookie instead of a chewy one, but it’s incredibly tasty—especially when you consider the fact that it’s gluten-free, vegan, and free of major allergens. If you are going into a potluck and you suspect the crowd might be a veritable minefield of allergies, this is definitely the best cookie dough to buy. — Hebba Gouda

Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart

Rating:

8.5/10

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Best Gluten Free

Immaculate Gluten Free Chocolate Chunk

Immaculate

Gluten free cookies made with the best gluten free chocolate chip cookie dough don’t have to get all weird and grainy in your mouth as you eat them—this Immaculate Gluten Free Chocolate Chunk cookie dough is proof. This stuff is so good! This dough puffs up quite a bit in the oven, resulting in sort of tall cookies, but don’t let that turn you off. They’re moist and chewy and absolutely packed with chocolate chips. It’s not only the best GF cookie dough we tried, it’s also some of the best chocolate chip cookie dough, period. — Gwynedd Stuart

Credit: Liv Averett / Immaculate

Rating:

8.5/10

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Best Vegan

Simple Truth Plant Based Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

Ralphs

If the test of good vegan chocolate chip cookie dough is that it could easily pass for non-vegan chocolate chip cookie dough, this is the stuff. Kroger’s Simple Truth Plant Based Cookie Dough comes in pre-measured little squares that you just plop on a baking sheet. They come out of the oven chewy, but crisp up around the edges a bit as they cool, which makes them seem buttery even though they obviously aren’t made with dairy butter. The vegan dark chocolate chips are flavorful but not overpowering—you can still taste the dough itself. This is the best place and bake cookie dough if you don’t eat eggs or butter, but I think everyone will like it. An absolutely stellar vegan product. — Gwynedd Stuart

Credit:Liv Averett / Ralphs

Rating:

9/10

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Best with Caramel

Private Selection Sea Salt Caramel Chocolate Chunk Cookie Dough

Ralphs

This premade cookie dough from Private Selection (another proprietary brand sold at Kroger-owned grocery stores) isn’t the very best chocolate chip cookie dough simply because it’s not straight-up chocolate chip cookie dough, but I gotta say, this was my personal favorite. If you want chocolate chip cookies with a little extra decadence, you have to try this stuff. You can see caramel start to create gooey pools atop and beneath the cookies as they cook in the oven. It’s downright pornographic. Once they’re done baking, the cookies have excellent chew, as does the caramel—and there’s a lot of caramel. That said, these are definitely still chocolate chip cookies. There’s plenty of chocolate chunks—not chips, CHUNKS, i.e. rectangular morsels rather than little kisses. This is the best cookie dough to buy for the cookie swap. Truly, no one will care that you used premade cookie dough. — Gwynedd Stuart

Credit: Liv Averett / Ralphs

Rating:

9.5/10

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Best Two Bite

Great Value Ready to Bake Cookie Dough

If you’re like me and you’d rather eat five little cookies than one big cookie, you’re going to love this chocolate chip cookie dough from Walmart. Great Value doesn’t advertise these as miniature cookies, but they’re much smaller than most place and bake cookies. I tasted these head to head with the Toll House cookie dough that is intended to make mini cookies, and I liked these just a touch better (plus, this cookie dough is from Walmart, so it’s cheap). You can actually taste a little bit of salt in the dough, which I love. If you want to go the small cookie route, this is the best chocolate chip cookie dough to buy. — Gwynedd Stuart

Credit: Liv Averett / Walmart

Rating:

9.5/10

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Best Tube of Dough

Pillsbury Eat or Bake Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

If you’re looking for the best cookie dough to buy by the tube so you can scoop out as much or as little dough as you need, this is the premade cookie dough for you. Bonus: You can eat it raw as well as baked! It has a surprising amount of salt—but all that salt does is elevate all of the other flavors and cut through the sweetness. The balance of salt and sugar is perfect, and perfectly interrupted by lots and lots of chocolate chips. The dough bakes up a little flatter than I was expecting, but it delivers a cookie that’s just right for those who can’t decide between crispy and chewy. The result is a cookie that’s half crunchy, half soft, all delicious. — Hebba Gouda

Credit: Liv Averett / Target

Rating:

9.5/10

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Best of the Best

Nestlé Toll House Chocolate Chip Lovers

Tollhouse looms large in the chocolate chip cookie game, and it’s easy to see why. We actually did two rounds of taste tests on doughs led by completely different tasters, and this dough came out on top both times. It doesn’t have that unpleasant, unnatural preservative flavor you’ll find in a lot of other premade cookie dough. And the cookies made with this premade cookie dough bake up chewy and gooey and absolutely stacked with chocolate chips. This is the best chocolate chip cookie dough for real chocolate chip cookie fans. — Gwynedd Stuart & Hebba Gouda

Credit: Liv Averett / Target

Rating:

10/10

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Other cookie dough brands we tried: Miss Jones Grain Free, Sweet Loren’s Chocolate Chunk, Amazon Fresh Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

The post Best Premade Cookie Dough for Chocolate Chip Cookies appeared first on Sporked.

The Best Gingerbread Cookies, Ginger Cookies, and Ginger Snaps

Danny Palumbo — Wed, 27 Nov 2024 18:29:04 +0000

The best gingerbread cookies should be peppery, spiced, slightly sweet, and wonderfully crunchy. Store bought ginger cookies are a holiday treat because they pack bold, aromatic flavor. Nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, and ginger feel all warm and fuzzy when it’s cold outside, so we want our gingerbread cookies to recreate that experience. The best gingerbread cookies and the best ginger snaps are all about comfort, warmth, and spice. Make us feel something, dammit! These ginger cookies did just that.

We don’t think we’ve ever had two ginger cookies that tasted exactly the same. Every brand tends to use a different level of spice. Some go light on the ginger, others use so much it’s like they want to set your chest on fire. Then there’s allspice, clove, cinnamon, brown sugar, and molasses—all of which are ingredients used interchangeably in gingerbread cookies. We found this taste test to be very comforting. Snapping into a crispy, crunchy cookie that’s packed with a delightful concoction of spices is the kind of experience we look forward to. The best gingerbread cookies are simple, but they bring bold flavor, too. Here are ten ginger cookies that really impressed the Sporked team.

The following article contains affiliate links that may generate a small commission to us when you make a purchase through the link. Learn more about how we work with affiliates here.

Best Crowd-Pleaser

Biscoff Cookies

You’re probably ahead of me already. You’re probably saying, “Ariana, Biscoff Cookies aren’t ginger cookies!” And listen: I agree. That’s why they’re sitting pretty in tenth place, okay? Biscoff cookies belong to the Speculoos family, which are commonly considered spiced gingerbread cookies—but that doesn’t totally check out, because ginger is a very minor ingredient at play here. Biscoff is a caramelized biscuit cookie that relies on cinnamon and nutmeg for its cozy, spiced flavor. It’s warm, a little zingy, and tastes like cookie butter reconstructed into cookie form. With a distinct, crunchy bite you can’t get anywhere else, no one can deny Biscoff makes good cookies. But do these belong on a list of the best ginger cookies? Well, I think so. They’re not fit for ginger lovers, but if you’re searching for a cozy, gingerbread-esque cookie to match the holiday vibes and serve to a large group, you shouldn’t overlook Biscoff. People love ‘em. —Ariana Losch

Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon

Rating:

8/10

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Best Spice

Sprouts Old Fashioned Ginger Flavored Snaps

After this taste test, I took these Sprouts old fashioned ginger flavored snaps home with me. Why? Because the spice here is aggressive. The clove flavor is off the charts, and its intensely aromatic nature works very well with the peppery notes of ginger. Truly, these cookies are loaded with spices. Sprouts’ ginger snap cookies pack a big, big flavor. They might be too much for your average cookie eater, but for me that boldness made them addictive and some of the best ginger snaps we tasted. —Danny Palumbo

Credit: Merc / Instacart

Rating:

8.5/10

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Best Ginger Person

Pepperidge Farm Gingerman Cookies

Pepperidge Farm makes great products and that includes their gingerbread cookies. Their Gingerman cookies are light, crispy as heck, and filled with great flavor. The ginger flavor is light, but there’s a deep, well-rounded sweetness here from the brown sugar, molasses, cinnamon, and cane sugar listed in the ingredients. They come shaped like little men, too, so if you love dismembering human-shaped cookies you’re pretending are your enemies, go with Pepperidge Farm. They pack a nuanced flavor, and they’re oh-so crispy. —Danny Palumbo

Credit: Merc / Instacart

Rating:

8.5/10

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Best Spicy Ginger Flavor

McVitie’s Ginger Nuts the Fiery One

What McVitie’s ginger cookies lack in structural integrity (I’ll explain momentarily), they make up for in a striking, fiery ginger flavor like no other. Each cookie is so sharply spiced, it actually burns a little—and when a ginger cookie can clear out my sinuses for me, I’m going to fall in love with it. Texturally, these cookies have some issues: They are on the dry side, so the cookies’ edges literally crumble into bits when you try to pick them up. Still, I somehow managed to dip mine in freshly brewed coffee without making a huge mess, and the flavor transported me: I felt like I was roasting chestnuts by the fire in a cozy living room, not sitting at an office desk crowded with discarded cookie wrappers and leftover Walmart pies. (It was a busy day.) If you thrive on bold winter spices (or simply suffer from daily congestion), these might be the best ginger cookies for you. —Ariana Losch

Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon

Rating:

8.5/10

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Best Ginger Snaps

Tate’s Bake Shop Gingersnap Cookies

Tate’s has two seasonal ginger snap cookies—these and a gluten free option we ranked slightly above it. (It’s really, really good for a gluten free cookie, okay?) In theory, I figured the thin, firm crispness of Tate’s cookies would go hand and hand with a ginger snap, and hey, I love it when I’m right. The ginger flavor is pretty bold, with the right balance of molasses, butter, and spice that you’d expect from the best ginger snaps. These are seasonal, so make sure to try them while you still can! —Ariana Losch

Credit: Liv Averett / Walmart

Rating:

9/10

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Best Surprise

Tate’s Bake Shop Gluten Free Ginger Zinger Cookies

I gravitate towards crispy and crunchy gluten-free snacks, so Tate’s Bake Shop is a huge winner for me. These gluten-free Ginger Zinger cookies have a big-time ginger flavor, and a rich, nutty, almost brown butter taste that feels wholly decadent. Crystals of sugar give them crunch and sweetness. I love the way these look, too—they’ve got a rustic, homemade vibe to them. They also contain eggs and are delightfully fatty. Tate’s Ginger Zingers are indulgent, peppery, and fully satisfying, and could easily be the best gingerbread cookies—they just fall slightly short of what we think the ideal gingerbread cookies should be, which is a little more thin and a bit less rich. —Danny Palumbo

Credit: Merc / Instacart

Rating:

9.5/10

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Best for Ginger Lovers

Walkers Stem Ginger Biscuits

World Market

They might call themselves biscuits, but these are some of the best ginger cookies money can buy. These cookies feel expensive and fancy thanks to the packaging and taste. There’s tons of chewy ginger mixed into these cookies, making them the perfect gingerbread cookies for ginger lovers. This slaps you in the face with ginger flavor. Yum! —Jordan Myrick

Credit: Merc / World Market

Rating:

10/10

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Best Thin

Dewey’s Bakery Triple Ginger Cookies

Dewey’s Bakery makes the thinnest, crispiest ginger cookies on the market. They have a wonderful snap and they aren’t hard at all. These airy cookies are some of the best ginger cookies I’ve ever tasted. If you’re looking for a light dessert with a great sweetness and real ginger flavor, Dewey’s makes the best ginger snaps for you. —Jordan Myrick

Credit: Merc / Amazon

Rating:

10/10

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Best Buttery

Nyakers Ginger Snaps

Nyakers Ginger Snaps are in a virtual first-place tie with Annas, but that doesn’t mean they’re identical. Though Nyakers ginger snaps have the same pronounced ginger flavor and thin, crunchy quality as Annas, Nyakers have a delightfully rich, almost buttery flavor that kept us all coming back here at Sporked. These cookies are so rich and luxurious, which is honestly breathtaking for ginger snaps (and why we consider them some of the best ginger snap cookies). Bite into one, then let it dissolve in your mouth so you can savor all the wonderful flavors. This was a delightful experience and a flat-out surprise. I didn’t know gingerbread cookies could be so…buttery. —Danny Palumbo

Credit: Merc / Amazon

Rating:

10/10

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Best of the Best

Annas Ginger Swedish Thins

Pavilions

Annas Ginger Swedish Thins took our breath away with their straightforward yet wonderful flavor. They’re plain, yes, but as a result you just get that pure, spiced ginger and clove flavor that’s emblematic of the Holidays. Annas cookies have less sugar than other cookies, but that’s a strength. With less sugar, you really get to taste the peppery, mellow notes of the ginger. The texture is also quite crispy, and the cookies themselves are indeed thin, so the crunch factor is even higher. Annas Thins are the best gingerbread cookies because they do all the little things so well. —Danny Palumbo

Credit: Merc / Pavilions

Rating:

10/10

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Other Products We Tried: Nabisco Ginger Snaps, Kroger Ginger Snaps, Lofthouse Soft & Chewy Ginger Cookies, Signature Select Ginger Snaps, Belvita Gingerbread Breakfast Biscuits, ShaSha Gingersnaps, Stauffer’s Ginger Snaps, Trader Joe’s Triple Ginger Snaps, Great Value, Partake Ginger Snap Crunchy Cookies, Eleni’s Cookies All Natural Ginger Snappy Cookies, Jack’s Allergen Friendly Bakery Ginger Molasses Cookies

The post The Best Gingerbread Cookies, Ginger Cookies, and Ginger Snaps appeared first on Sporked.

The New Trolli Gummi Pops Are Some of the Strangest Things We’ve Ever Eaten

Tyler Bowers — Wed, 27 Nov 2024 14:06:00 +0000

Trolli has been taking up our feeds lately. And everyone has been talking about their new frozen Gummi Pops, which according to their website, promise a one-of-a-kind “soft chewy gummi texture.” At the time of publication, there are two flavors available and we tried them both.

What I found to be interesting about these Gummi Pops is that you can lick them or bite them. I prefer licking them. Biting into them is, understandably, like biting into a frozen gummy worm. And, yes, they are just as wiggly and wobbly as the box suggests. The question is: Do these live up to the hype? Or are they all talk? Read on to find out.

Cherry Lemon

Trolli Gummi Pop Cherry Lemon

Trolli

Pros: I am incredibly intrigued by the texture. Trolli was not playing around when they said this was a “Gummi Pop.” This is unlike anything I’ve ever had before; it does not remind me of a popsicle at all. It is very gummy worm-like—but cold. And I quite enjoy it! Even though this is my least favorite Trolli flavor, I do really enjoy this Trolli Gummi Pop.

Cons: If you’re a person who is thrown off by unexpected textures, you may not enjoy these popsicles. It is very different from any other frozen treat on the market. I will also acknowledge that cherry is often a polarizing flavor. It’s still much better than I expected, though! One other thing I will note here (which is not necessarily a con for me, but I know will be for some), is that it’s very sweet and not very sour. Certainly not the sour I would expect from a Trolli product!

Credit: Liv Averett / Trolli

Rating:

7/10

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Grape Strawberry

Trolli Gummy Pop Grape Strawberry

Trolli

H-E-B

Pros: Two of my favorite flavors, strawberry and grape, combined together on this to make an incredible Gummi Pop experience. Grape Strawberry is very potentially my favorite Trolli flavor and I think this is very accurate to the Trollis themselves. I am definitely a little bit biased towards anything strawberry, but I think Trolli really nails the strawberry flavor on this one.

Cons: Since I tried this one second and it sat out of the freezer a little bit longer, the texture was a little bit less desirable as it sort of started half “melting.” I can’t count that against this flavor specifically, but it’s a con for the Gummi Pops as a whole. Once again, it’s not very sour, so if you are a sour flavor seeker, you may be disappointed. All in all, though, this pop is phenomenal.

Credit: Liv Averett / Trolli

Rating:

9/10

Sporks

The post The New Trolli Gummi Pops Are Some of the Strangest Things We’ve Ever Eaten appeared first on Sporked.

The Best Swedish Candy, Ranked

Ariana Losch — Tue, 26 Nov 2024 01:00:42 +0000

The best Swedish candy comes in so many forms. It can be soft like a fruit snack, chewy and dense like a gummy, or even a version of hard candy. The flavors can be sweet and sugary, sour and tangy, or even salty. The best Swedish candy brands use real fruit juice and fewer artificial sweeteners, resulting in a bright, fresh flavor. They are thoughtfully crafted, lean into playful aesthetics, with bright pastel colors and whimsical shapes that are almost as charming as the candies themselves.

If I had to guess, I’d say the average American only knows about Swedish candy thanks to Swedish Fish. And I’ll admit it—I used to be one of them. But there’s so much more to Swedish candy than those iconic fish-shaped gummies. In fact, did you know there’s a tradition in Sweden called lördagsgodis (translated as “Saturday candy”), in which families designate Saturdays as their official candy day, turning it into a weekly event for kids to look forward to? Basically, their candy culture is next level. You’ll find niches like salty Swedish licorice, sour candies, and other confections that you’ve probably never seen before, unless you’re being served videos about brands like Sockerbit and BonBon Swedish candy on TikTok. So let’s dive into the best Swedish candy brands you can actually get your hands on stateside—and call our local senators to suggest adopting “lördagsgodis” here, in America.

The following article contains affiliate links that may generate a small commission to us when you make a purchase through the link. Learn more about how we work with affiliates here.

Best Bubs

Bubs Greedy Sweet Ovals Banana Toffee

This is my oddball pick, okay? Bubs Swedish candy is a brand you can find pretty easily in places like Walmart and on Amazon. These banana toffee ovals are “bizarre but compelling,” as I wrote in my notes like a pompous post-modern film critic. The texture reminds me of circus peanuts, chewy but soft and marshmallowy. I was most surprised by the flavor: these little ovals are toasty and complex. It starts on a note of mellow banana and seems to melt into warm, sweet toffee. They’re definitely unique. Some freak out there (me) will love them. That said, if you can’t stand artificial banana flavor, this is not the best Swedish candy you can buy. Seriously. Keep moving.

Credit: Merc / Walmart

Rating:

7/10

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Best BonBon’s Flavor

BonBon’s Sour Elderflower Fish

BonBon’s

BonBon is an American candy company based in New York that makes all of its products in Sweden and imports them here. Their original “fish candy” look and taste pretty artisanal: they’re shiny, come in pretty pastel colors, and even have tiny detailed fish scales that are honestly just fun to admire. I’ll admit that their Sour Elderflower Fish aren’t very sour, but the elderflower is quite vibrant and light, with a muted sweetness to balance the floral notes. We liked BonBon’s other flavors, too, but their line of gummy candies have a pretty intense chew that might not appeal to everyone. If you love extra chewy, dense gummies with a waxier texture, definitely try them. Either way, BonBon has made a name for itself as one of the best Swedish candy brands on the market…even if the company is technically American. Pretty cool!

Credit: Merc / BonBon’s

Rating:

8/10

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Best Jelly Colas

LÖRDAGSGODIS Gummy Cola

IKEA

Cola gummies seem to be popular in Swedish candy, and I love it. Apparently, I’m a big ol’ freak for candy that tastes like soda. (That’s the fun part of this job: You learn something new about yourself every taste test.) These moose-shaped gummies from IKEA’s grocery store have a juicy cola flavor that actually reminds me of their Vintersaga cola, which is a little sweeter and maltier than regular Coca-Cola. These gummies have one unfortunate setback, though: They don’t look like moose. They look like tiny penises. And that’s just an odd thing to realize if you’re the type of weirdo (again, me) who prefers sucking on gummies to chewing them. What can I say? I am who I am.

Credit: Merc / IKEA

Rating:

8.5/10

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Best Nostalgic

Swedish Fish Soft & Chewy Candy

You didn’t think we wouldn’t include Swedish Fish in this ranking, did you? C’mon. It’s classic, nostalgic, and the brand that started our obsession with Swedish candy from the get-go. Swedish Fish brought that unique, firm chewiness and mild fruit flavor of Swedish candy to the American masses. They’re juicy, jelly-like, a little waxy, and the original red flavor carries a unique lingonberry tartness that you can’t find in U.S. candy brands. Swedish Fish are timeless—even as other brands of Swedish candy rise in popularity, these aren’t going anywhere.

Credit: Merc / Amazon

Rating:

8.5/10

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Best Salty Licorice

FYRTAKT Salty Licorice

IKEA

Here’s another staple of the Swedish candy world you might not know about: salty black licorice. IKEA’s Swedish salty licorice just understands the assignment. It has an addictive “burnt” salt flavor—and it’s the perfect level of saltiness, too. Other salty licorice we tried (we’re talking products from even the best Swedish candy brands included on this list) couldn’t get that savory-sweet balance right. Along with a satisfying, firm chew, IKEA’s salty licorice hits that smoky note that really sells it. Plus, it’s cheap!

Credit: Merc / IKEA

Rating:

9/10

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Runner Up

Sockerbit Sour Mix

Sockerbit

If the Swedish candy gods were to gift me anything on this list, I’d ask for Sockerbit’s Sour Mix. Sockerbit, founded by a husband-and-wife duo who brought their love for Swedish candy from Sweden to New York in 2010, aims to introduce artisanal Scandinavian sweets to American palates. As a first-time buyer, I opted for Sockerbit’s candy mixes to sample some of their most popular offerings. Even with a few candies in the mix that weren’t my favorites, their sour mix is simply divine. I’m still not over how flavorful, juicy, and intensely sour their sour cherries and sour melons are—honestly, they might be the best sour gummies I’ve ever tried.

Credit: Merc / Sockerbit

Rating:

10/10

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Best of the Best

Sockerbit Sweet Mix

Sockerbit

While I always prefer sour over sweet candy, Sockerbit’s sweet Swedish candy mix has too many standouts in one bag to ignore. Their fruity gummy worms are juicy, bright, perfectly chewy, and carry a sweet lemonade flavor that actually makes you perk up when you try them. Their soft, squishy, lightly sweet and tangy gummy eggs are such a great reprieve from their denser, waxier candies. Their sweet people-shaped gummies have a coating of granulated sugar that gives a crunch with every bite—and it’s super addictive. Every treat in this mix showcases what the best Swedish candy should be: fun, unique, perfectly sweet, and fruity in a way that tastes bright and fresh. Sockerbit has firmly established itself as one of the best Swedish candy brands around—and they make it so easy for new candy seekers to get a taste of Sweden’s finest sweets. We highly recommend trying if you get the chance!

Credit: Merc / Sockerbit

Rating:

10/10

Sporks

Other Swedish candy we tried: Swedish Fish Snapple, BonBon Sockerbit, Bubs Greedy Sour Ovals, Ahlgrens Bilar Original, Bubs Salty Octopus Bag, Sockerbit Ferrari Bites

The post The Best Swedish Candy, Ranked appeared first on Sporked.

The 5 Best Walmart Pies, Ranked

Ariana Losch — Fri, 22 Nov 2024 23:16:29 +0000

Walmart pies are perfect in a pinch, but what are the best pies at Walmart to grab from their bakery section? We’re glad you asked. I went to my local Super Walmart, tossed (read: gently placed) all their ready-made pies in a cart to taste test, and went through self-checkout while diligently ignoring all of the strange looks being thrown my way. One thing about the vibe of any Walmart: Nobody minds their damn business. And as a nosy person myself, I kind of love it.

After engaging in a lively debate about whether pecan pie should be heated up before you eat it (the consensus was “no,” if you’re curious), I sat down with the rest of the Sporked team to try a dozen Walmart pies. We were looking for cheap, easy-to-serve options for the holiday season. And to be honest with you, reader, we came out of this taste test of the best pies at Walmart a little disappointed. Many Walmart pies suffer from the same pitfalls: too much sugar, bland crust, and a filling that’s straight-up goo. That said, we found five solid options that actually taste good. Whether you’re treating yourself to a little pie pick-me-up after a long month, prepping for Thanksgiving on a budget, or just need a last-minute potluck save, these are the best pies at Walmart actually worth picking up.

The following article contains affiliate links that may generate a small commission to us when you make a purchase through the link. Learn more about how we work with affiliates here.

Best Walmart Pies!

Cyrus O’Leary’s Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Pie

This Walmart-exclusive pie (if you can call it a pie) is a pretty divisive pick. I actually couldn’t decide if it was worthy of this list of the best pies at Walmart; I had to poll the team. Here’s the deal: It’s a chocolate chip pie crust with a cookie dough filling. Sounds like a delicious monstrosity, right? It is—if you don’t mind that the chocolate chip cookie dough has the texture of gloop. You won’t get the grainy, sugary texture that makes cookie dough so yummy to some. It’s close to the custardy filling of a chess pie. Still, if you absolutely adore the flavor of cookie dough—or you’re just really, really high—you’ll probably go nuts for this Walmart pie. And I simply can’t discount that.

Credit: Merc / Walmart

Rating:

6.5/10

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Best Walmart Pies!

Freshness Guaranteed Lemon Meringue Pie

Bright, citrusy, and quite sweet, Walmart’s Lemon Meringue pie is a good option for those who don’t simply want to add another latticed fruit pie to the party’s dessert table. It has a thick layer of sour-sweet lemon filling, and an equally thick layer of fluffy meringue. And before we go any further, let’s address one thing: the unfortunate situation of Walmart pie crust—which is pretty much copied and pasted into every premade pie in their bakery section. Besides a bit of butteriness, Walmart pie crust is bland, dry, and not very fresh tasting. If anything, it really illustrates the importance of a good pie crust, which can clearly make or break your bakes. Luckily, you can pretty much avoid eating the Walmart pie crust on this lemon meringue. Honestly, I’d get the vanilla ice cream out, spoon the filling out of the crust, and throw it on top.

Credit: Merc / Walmart

Rating:

6.5/10

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Best Walmart Pies!

Marketside Blueberry Pie

The blueberry filling in Marketside’s Blueberry Pie actually tastes fresh and inviting, with hunks of real blueberry and overall lack of artificial flavoring. Walmart pie fillings seem to carry a sweetness that’s a touch too strong (and lingers). It turns something that could be more refined and elevated into a pie that tastes generic, sugary, and mass produced. But the slightly tart, bitter blueberry really helps mask that characteristic sweetness here. When it’s not homemade, blueberry is a hard sell for me in desserts, so you can take my word for it: This is one of the best pies at Walmart, hands down.

Credit: Merc / Walmart

Rating:

7.5/10

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Best Walmart Pies!

Patti LaBelle Patti’s Good Life Blackberry Cobbler

Putting a Patti LaBelle cobbler on this list of Walmart pies may seem like cheating to some—and that’s why I relegated it to second place, even though this blackberry cobbler tastes better than all the other Walmart pies we tasted. The blackberry filling tastes very fresh, thanks to the crushed, whole blackberries, complete with chewy seeds and all. The crust, which has granulated sugar around the edges, is thick, buttery, beautifully golden, and sweet. Patti LaBelle cobblers are available in the Walmart bakery aisle, lined up next Great Value and Marketside pies. It just seems wrong not to recommend this, when it is better and sitting right there. But keep in mind, Patti’s pies will also be a dollar or two more expensive than other Walmart pies! If you’re really budgeting, it’s safe to opt for another one on this list. (Just don’t troll your family by bringing the cookie dough pie to Thanksgiving, okay? Unless that’s, like, their vibe.)

Credit: Merc / Walmart

Rating:

8.5/10

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Best Walmart Pies!

Marketside Apple Pie

Classic, cozy, simple and sweet—Walmart doesn’t miss with their apple pie. For a premade, budget-friendly dessert, this really gets the job done. The filling is completely packed with large, tender slices of perfectly cooked apples that stay delightfully crisp even out of the oven, with pecans mixed in to add crunch and nutty flavor. It actually has a homemade quality going for it. Yes, that pie crust needs work, but it’s November. We have to practice being thankful for the things we do have. This is absolutely one of the best pies at Walmart. Pass me a slice.

Credit: Merc / Walmart

Rating:

8.5/10

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Other Walmart Pies We Tried: Freshness Guaranteed Pumpkin Pie, Marketside Pecan Pie, Cherry Hand Pie, Bourbon Apple Pie, Dutch Apple Pie

The post The 5 Best Walmart Pies, Ranked appeared first on Sporked.

The Full Pepperidge Farm Holiday Cookies Line-Up for 2025

Griffin Parker — Thu, 21 Nov 2024 14:27:00 +0000

Pepperidge Farm has a near-infinite quantity of cookie varieties, and that quantity somehow doubles around the holidays. Everyone’s got a favorite P.F. cookie, but not everyone knows there might be a better version that’s only available for a few months every year. Today, we’re going over all the Pepperidge Farm holiday cookies on shelves right now.

It’s worth mentioning that not every Pepperidge Farm cookie trotted out in the large grocery displays is actually exclusive to the holidays. Some cookies, like Gingerman and Zurich, get a seasonal color change to their packaging, but the cookie is identical in flavor to the year round version. Basically, trust this list—not the packaging. Here are the Pepperidge Farm cookies out right now that are actually exclusive to the holidays.

Mint Brussels: This cookie easily wins the “Sounds Most Like an Entrée, Not a Cookie” award. Standard year round Brussels are described as a “lacey-thin” cookie with a chocolate center. These add a mint flavoring to that chocolate center—a pretty safe flavor combo for the holidays.
Holiday Nog Chessmen: Holiday Nog Chessmen feature what looks like an eggnog-flavored glaze atop the standard (dare I say, boring) cookie. But, per Sporked’s own review, that eggnog flavor really comes through and makes these cookies some of the best holiday cookies around.
Raspberry Linzer: I was shocked to discover these actually are exclusive to the holidays. I swear I see these all the time. Described as “delicious raspberry filling sandwiched between two shortbread cookies,” these are a quintessential holiday cookie from Pepperidge Farm. You know them, you love them—these are a classic.
Snowball: Described as “light and crispy cookies with a delicious citrus flavor,” these Snowball cookies come with the requisite holiday dusting of powdered sugar. Personally, whether it’s donut holes or cookies, I’m never the biggest fan of food that needs to come packaged with a dustbuster.
Peppermint Cocoa Cookies: New for 2024, these are perhaps the most standard cookie Pepperidge Farm is including in their seasonal selection. (Check out Jessica’s review of these new cookies right here on Sporked.) These are “thin & crispy” chocolate cookies with peppermint and chocolate chips baked in. On look and concept alone, these remind me of Tate’s Bake Shop cookies. I wonder if Pepperidge Farm is worried about those green baggers coming for their cookie throne…
Peppermint Milano Slices: If I’m understanding this cookie correctly, this is…two-thirds of a Milano. They’ve added some peppermint candy pieces to the milk chocolate layer that’s normally sandwiched between two oblong cookies. Are those candy pieces enough to make up for the missing cookie? Only one way to find out.
Amaretto Hot Chocolate Milano: I haven’t had every cookie on this list, but I’ve already gone through a full bag of these. Described as “dark chocolate and almond flavor between two delicious cookies,” these are a danger to you and your loved ones. Dark Chocolate Milanos are already the best Milanos, and this is a sublime step up. Run, don’t walk.

The post The Full Pepperidge Farm Holiday Cookies Line-Up for 2025 appeared first on Sporked.

Best Pie Crust to Buy for Super Easy Baking

Danny Palumbo — Wed, 20 Nov 2024 20:07:24 +0000

We don’t know where the time has gone, but we do know that you need a pecan pie, pronto. Or perhaps you’re reading this in the spring, and those strawberries are just begging to be reunited with their rhubarb friends. Or, it could just be one of those days when you need to sit in your sweats with a chicken pot pie in front of trashy TV. But a good pie can be ruined by a bad crust, so we’re on a mission to find the best store bought pie crust.

We here at Sporked have conducted not one, not two, but three separate taste tests to conclusively determine the best pie crust for any occasion—including gluten free pie crust, frozen pie crust, shortbread pie crust, and even mini pie crust. We prepared these crusts according to package instructions, but tried them all without any fillings so that we could get the best idea of how the crust stands on its own.

The best pie crust should be flaky, buttery, and tender, but not so brittle that it can’t maintain its shape when it’s baked. Flavors and styles may vary, but in general we’re looking for pie crust that’s slightly sweet and not too overpowering. The best store bought pie crust lets the filling be the star.

So, go forth and put your time and energy into simmering filling, figuring out the lattice top, or ripping your kitchen to shreds trying to find the pie server. Here’s the best pie crust to buy at the grocery store for literally any occasion.

The following article contains affiliate links that may generate a small commission to us when you make a purchase through the link. Learn more about how we work with affiliates here.

Best for Meat Pies

365 Pre-Rolled Pie Crusts

This pre-rolled crust (which you simply unroll and place into a pie tin) is delightfully crunchy, and it tastes like, well, nothing. Depending on what you want, this could be the perfect crust for you, but it would probably be best suited for one of those hefty, meaty pies that they make on Bake Off instead of a light and flaky dessert. Let’s just say this: Ron Swanson would like this crust. — Hebba Gouda

Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon

Rating:

7/10

Sporks

Best Gluten Free Crust

Wholly Wholesome Gluten Free Pie Crust

I’m a huge gluten free product endorser now. Everything that’s gluten free tends to have such a lovely, crispy, crunchy, satisfying texture. Wholly Wholesome’s gluten free pie crust is no different, and it is delightfully sugary. You get that crunchy, crystalized cane sugar effect, and the texture is crumbly, almost like a graham cracker crust. I eat a crap ton of gluten and I’m in love with this gluten free pie crust. The crust might be a bit too crumbly for some, but it’s the best pie crust for gluten free folks by a mile. — Danny Palumbo

Credit: Merc / Instacart

Rating:

7.5/10

Sporks

Best Nut Crust

Diamond Pecan Pie Crust

All of Diamond’s premade pie crusts impressed the hell out of me with their variety of flavors, but the pecan pie crust hit hardest of them all. This store bought pie crust has phenomenal flavor—it’s nutty, buttery, salty, and deliciously sweet. When you cook it in the oven, the pecans unleash an extra layer of roasted flavor that’s simply delightful. Everybody who happened to walk by while this was in the oven mentioned how pleasant the smell was. I think this is the best pie crust for experimentation. Start with the pecan crust base, then work backwards from there. May I suggest pumpkin chiffon? — Danny Palumbo

Credit: Merc / Instacart

Rating:

9/10

Sporks

Best Chocolate Crust

Oreo Pie Crust

You can’t have an Oreo cream pie without an Oreo pie crust, and although this crust, in theory, limits you to making a very specific type of pie, I think that it’s so delicious that you could do other things with it, too. The chocolatey crust would be a great contrast for a banana cream pie or even a coconut cream pie. The pie shell is basic, but tastes just like the chocolate cookies in an Oreo. The Oreo pie is also a classic no-bake dessert and a symbol of convenience. And at Sporked, we love convenience. That’s why it’s the best pie crust for desserts that don’t require an oven—and the best chocolate pie crust we tried. — Danny Palumbo

Related: Every Oreo Flavor, Ranked

Credit: Merc / Instacart

Rating:

9/10

Sporks

Best Shortbread Crust

Keebler Shortbread Crust

Keebler

This buttery, delicious shortbread crust is a touch sweeter than the classic Lorna Doone cookie. It’s crunchy and left no aftertaste (unlike a lot of the others we tried). It’s certainly too sweet for a savory pie filling, but not nearly so sugary that it will bulldoze a dessert interior. That being said, it’s so tasty on its own that we just kept eating the crust, sans filling. If you’re making a pie with this, get two crusts—one for the pie and one to snack on. — Hebba Gouda

Credit: Liv Averett / Keebler

Rating:

9/10

Sporks

Best Graham Crust

Keebler Graham Pie Crust

This store bought pie crust ranks for its flavor, as well as its aesthetic. When it comes to a graham cracker pie crust, Keebler is a classic. Sure, you could pick the Kroger brand or the Great Value brand, and they do taste strikingly similar, but there’s just more joy in seeing those crafty little elves on the front of this package. I also think the flavor here is slightly better—it’s buttery and sweet, and the texture of the crust isn’t so crumbly that it falls apart. Trust the elves to make some of the best store bought pie crust, dammit! — Danny Palumbo

Credit: Merc / Instacart

Rating:

9.5/10

Sporks

Best for Savory Pies

Marie Callender’s Deep Dish Pastry Pie Shells

This frozen pie crust has excellent structure and, as advertised, this thing is deep. You can make a huge pie with this. I love that the edges of the pie are perfectly crimped, giving it a homestyle aesthetic. The texture is good, too. This store bought pie crust is tender and flaky and good for pretty much any pie, but its size makes it the best pie crust for chicken pot pies. Fill it to the top. — Danny Palumbo

Credit: Merc / Instacart

Rating:

9.5/10

Sporks

Best Pre-Rolled

Pillsbury Refrigerated Rolled Pie Crusts

This store bought pre-rolled pie crust bakes up golden and buttery and flaky. It’s like a croissant in that it’s rich and buttery without being greasy or heavy, and the salt level is perfect. This crust would live as happily with pumpkin custard as it would with spinach and goat cheese. If you’re imagining grandma’s pie cooling on the windowsill, this is the crust you’re imagining. Has your grandma been lying to you and just using Pillsbury? Maybe. But are you going to be mad about it? Nah, you’re too busy chowing down on some of the best pie crust. — Hebba Gouda

Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart

Rating:

9.5/10

Sporks

Best of the Best

Pillsbury Deep Dish Pie Crusts

Pillsbury Deep Dish Pie Crust is the best pie crust out there. This frozen pie crust comes ready to fill and bake. After cooking, it’s flaky, buttery, and crunchy. You could put any filling in it and be perfectly happy. Not only is this store bought pie crust delicious (and easy to use), but it also lives in the freezer, which makes it the best holiday hack to have on hand throughout the fall and winter. If you need a last minute dish for a potluck or you just want to make something nice for your family on an average weeknight, this is the best store bought pie crust for you. — Jordan Myrick

Credit: Merc / Instacart

Rating:

10/10

Sporks

Other store bought pie crusts: Great Value Graham, Kroger Graham Cracker, Betty Crocker Graham Cracker, Honey Maid Graham Cracker, Diamond Pumpkin Pie Spice, Keebler Chocolate, Keebler Graham Minis, Wholly Wholesome Traditional, Favorite Day Graham, Signature Select Graham, MI-del Gluten Free Chocolate Snap Crust, Happy Belly Unroll and Bake Crusts, Great Value Ready to Bake

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The Best Gluten Free Cookies at the Grocery Store (Cookie Dough, Too)

Jordan Myrick — Wed, 20 Nov 2024 18:15:05 +0000

If you have a gluten allergy, we have good news: The best gluten free cookies are getting easier and easier to find. Just a few years ago, we had to scrounge around health food stores to find gluten free cookies good enough to satisfy a serious cookie craving. But now they’re everywhere you look at the grocery store—and they’re good. Gluten free Oreos could really pass for regular Oreos. Same goes for gluten free Tate’s cookies—most people definitely wouldn’t know they were gluten free unless they caught a glimpse of the package.

We’ve taste tested everything from gluten free pasta (good) to gluten free bread (hit or miss at best). After our most recent gluten free cookies taste test, we can confidently say that cookies are among the best gluten free products you can buy at the grocery store. There are tons of options, and unlike gluten free bread, most gluten free cookies have a texture and consistency that approximates cookies made with regular ol’ wheat flour. Whether you’re a celiac, gluten sensitive, or just experimenting with cutting gluten out of your diet, these are the best gluten free cookies you can buy.

The following article contains affiliate links that may generate a small commission to us when you make a purchase through the link. Learn more about how we work with affiliates here.

Best Gluten Free Cookie Dough

Immaculate Gluten Free Chocolate Chunk

This place-and-bake cookie dough made our ranking of the best chocolate chip cookie dough, and not just because we wanted to include a gluten free option. This gluten free chocolate chip cookie dough rules. The pre-portioned pieces of dough puff up a lot in the oven, so I wasn’t sure what to expect, but they’re every bit as moist and chewy as their non-gluten-free counterparts. We also love how absolutely packed with chocolate chips these are. If you want the best gluten free chocolate chip cookies hot and fresh out of the oven, buy this dough! —Gwynedd Stuart

Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon

Rating:

8.5/10

Sporks

Best Crunchy

Glutino Super Stuffed Chocolate Vanilla Cream Cookies

The thing I like about these Glutino Super Stuffed Chocolate Vanilla Cream Cookies is that they don’t taste like Oreos, even though they look just like Oreos. Like all the Glutino products I’ve tried, these have a great crispy texture. To my mind, these are the best gluten free cookies for people who wish Oreo had an extra-toasty option like Cheez-It does. They’re crunchier and a little more flavorful. I wouldn’t necessarily choose these gluten free cookies over gluten free Oreos (which you’ll find in the #2 spot), but these are good gluten free cookies that do their own thing. —Jordan Myrick

Credit: Merc / Amazon

Rating:

8.5/10

Sporks

Best Soft

Enjoy Life Foods Snickerdoodle Soft Baked Cookies

Goodie Girl Fudge Striped Crunchy Oat Flour Cookies

When we set out to find the best store bought gluten free cookies, we picked up Enjoy Life cookies in a few flavors. Honestly, most of them were bad. These gluten free cookies, on the other hand, are absolutely delicious. They are so soft and moist without being spongy like a lot of gluten free baked goods. They taste like real snickerdoodles. We’ve already established that the best gluten free cookies taste like they could plausibly contain gluten, but these honestly taste like they could be homemade! —Jordan Myrick

Credit: Merc / Walmart

Rating:

9/10

Sporks

Best Chocolate

Goodie Girl makes some of the best gluten free cookies. If you grab a box of any of their gluten free treats, you’ll likely be satisfied. These fudge striped crunchy oat flour cookies are the best they have to offer, though. They taste like Keebler cookies but a little more oat-y. That didn’t upset us though! The oat complements the chocolate. I would never know these are gluten free, and that’s why they’re some of the best gluten free cookies we tried. —Jordan Myrick

Credit: Merc / Walmart

Rating:

9.5/10

Sporks

Best Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies

Simple Mills Nut Butter Stuffed Sandwich Cookies

When we taste tested peanut butter cookies, something crazy happened: These gluten free cookies tasted the best of them all. So yeah, these are the best gluten free peanut butter cookies, but they’re also the best peanut butter cookies, period. Wild, right? If you try them, you’ll get it. They’re salty and sweet, tender and crumbly—they genuinely taste better than Nutter Butters. Once in a while, the best gluten free cookies are even better than the best gluten full cookies, and this is an example. —Gwynedd Stuart

Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon

Rating:

9.5/10

Sporks

Best Texture

Tate’s Ginger Zinger Gluten Free Cookies

Vons

I really freaked out about Tate’s gluten free cookies. If you think about it, Tate’s are the perfect cookies to go GF—the best thing about them is that they’re crumbly and buttery, and taking out the gluten doesn’t change that. Like other Tate’s cookies, these Ginger Zingers are crispy-crunchy, but they have a surprise in store: chewy bits of real candied ginger. The ginger isn’t super spicy, but it has an excellent earthy flavor—and the added texture is just a total dang treat. GF cookies can often have a slightly strange aftertaste, but these pretty much only have ginger on the finish and that’s a good thing. I am not GF and I would buy these again; that’s how I know they’re some of the best gluten free cookies. —Gwynedd Stuart

Credit: Liv Averett / Vons

Rating:

9.5/10

Sporks

Best Non-GF Dupe

Double Stuf Gluten Free Oreos

Double Stuf Gluten Free Oreos are an almost identical counterpart to regular Double Stuf Oreos. It’s shocking! I can’t believe they make such a good gluten-less product. I don’t know if I could pick out a regular Oreo in a side-by-side taste test with this gluten free version. I think the original is a little less forgiving, but the extra filling of the Double Stuf disguises any hint that gluten free flavor the cookie component might have. If I couldn’t have gluten, I would always have these in my pantry. They’re the best gluten free cookies to dunk in a big ol’ glass of milk (or almond milk if you don’t do well with dairy either). —Jordan Myrick

Credit: Merc / Target

Rating:

10/10

Sporks

Best of the Best

Tate’s Bake Shop Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

McConnell’s Pumpkin Spice Latte Ice Cream

If you like Tate’s chocolate chip cookies, you’ll like these because they taste almost exactly the same as the original. I don’t think I’ve ever had a gluten free product that tastes so much like the real deal. These are crunchy, sweet, and chocolatey. I typically prefer a soft and chewy chocolate chip cookie, but these gluten free Tate’s cookies have me hooked. They are easily the best gluten free cookies and the best gluten free chocolate chip cookies, too. —Jordan Myrick

Credit: Merc / Target

Rating:

10/10

Sporks

Other Products We Tried: Great Value Vanilla Flavored Gluten-free Creme Sandwich Cookies, Goodie Girl Mint Cookies, Goodie Girl S’mores Sandwich Cookies, Enjoy Life Foods Double Chocolate Brownie Soft Baked Cookies, Glutino, Made Good Chocolate Chips Cookies, Made Good Snickerdoodle Cookies, Favorite Day Chocolate Chip Cookies, Partake Chocolate Chip Cookies

The post The Best Gluten Free Cookies at the Grocery Store (Cookie Dough, Too) appeared first on Sporked.

The Best Easy Thanksgiving Desserts, According to Grocery Experts

Jessica Block — Tue, 19 Nov 2024 01:49:17 +0000

Thanksgiving desserts are sort of divisive. Some people like them, others don’t, and everyone who does like them has a very specific favorite. Some people love pumpkin pie, which is borderline savory, but don’t like fruity pies like apple. Then there are people who love fruity pies but can’t stand the texture or flavor of pumpkin. Some people go hard for pecan pie, while other people think it’s too dang sweet.

But no matter your opinions on the best Thanksgiving desserts, we are hoping this list will give you at least a couple Thanksgiving dessert ideas to get you all prepped and ready for T-Givvy 2024. Did we mention these are all easy Thanksgiving desserts? Yep, no recipes here—just a bunch of tasty, post-meal sweets you can simply buy and serve and make (almost) everyone happy.

Kirkland Signature Pumpkin Pie

As Thanksgiving desserts go, pumpkin pie can be controversial—it’s simply too squashy and savory for some people. But here’s the thing: Everyone still expects to see it on the Thanksgiving desserts table, even if they only intend to have a single bite to satisfy their pumpkin pie quota for the year. Before you go baking a whole-ass pumpkin pie for people to peck at, consider this easy Thanksgiving dessert option: Kirkland Signature Pumpkin Pie from Costco. This thing costs less than $8 and it’s huge—12 inches across! It might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but pumpkin is obviously one of the best pies for Thanksgiving, and this one tastes so good no one will mind that it’s not homemade. Promise. —Alex Yakimova

Read the full ranking of the best pumpkin pies

Member’s Mark Pumpkin Cheesecake

When we said we were rounding up easy Thanksgiving desserts, we meant it. This pumpkin cheesecake from Sam’s Club isn’t just premade—it’s presliced, too. Literally, all you have to do is thaw it in the fridge and, voila, ready-to-serve Thanksgiving dessert. This thing is great, especially for people who think regular pumpkin pie is too savory. You still get pumpkin pie filling, but it’s swirled into a rich, luscious cheesecake—truly, the best of both worlds. If you don’t bake but you still want your Thanksgiving desserts to be a little bit over-the-top, this is one of the best Thanksgiving desserts for a little wow factor. She really is that girl. —Alex Yakimova

Read the full ranking of the best pumpkin cheesecake

Bakery Fresh Goodness Pecan Pie

Some people don’t like pecan pie because it’s too sweet (others don’t like it because they were raised in a household where their grandmother referred to it as “ear wax pie”), but this pecan pie from the Kroger bakery will please pretty much everyone. It’s sweet without being too sweet, and all you have to do is slice and serve, making it one of the best easy Thanksgiving desserts you can buy. It’s gooey and nutty and kind of tastes like cookie butter, and we don’t know anyone who’s going to turn down pie that tastes like cookie butter (even if the pie’s filling does look a little bit like ear wax). —Jessica Block

Read the full ranking of the best pecan pie

Listen, I get it. Pie isn’t everyone’s cup of…pie. If you’re looking for easy Thanksgiving desserts that have nothing to do with crust, this PSL ice cream from McConnell’s is one of the best Thanksgiving desserts going. It doesn’t taste like a pumpkin spice latte—it tastes like pumpkin spice lattes should taste. It has a bold coffee flavor, warm spices, and an actual kick of squashy sweetness. If you’re having a casual Thanksgiving, crack open a pint of McConnell’s Pumpkin Spice Latte Ice Cream and let guests scoop away. Or you can hide this in the freezer and have it as a post-guests-leaving treat after a longggg day. —Alex Yakimova

Read the full ranking of the best pumpkin ice cream

Marie Callender’s Dutch Apple Pie

Contrary to what some people will tell you, apple pie is one of the best pies for Thanksgiving. Why? It’s loaded with warm spices (the same ones you love in every fall-flavored product) and it’s way more of a crowd-pleaser than pumpkin pie. That’s especially true if you go with this Marie Callender Dutch apple pie, which is sweet, tasty, and heaped with streusel. All you have to do is heat it in the oven and you’re done. If that sounds to basic to count as one of the best Thanksgiving desserts, g’head and top it with a scoop of McConnell’s PSL ice cream, and get twice as much holiday flavor per bite.

Read the full ranking of the best apple pie

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We Tried the New Pepperidge Farm Peppermint Cocoa Cookies

Jessica Block — Fri, 15 Nov 2024 21:03:40 +0000

Pepperidge Farm makes a whole lot of cookies, from Milanos to Mauis to Sausalitos to my favorite (just to say out loud, I’ve never actually tried them) Double Chocolate Nantuckets. And wouldn’t you believe, despite the fact that they already make upwards of 50 different kinds of cookies, Pepperidge Farm has come out with another one just in time for the holidays: Thin & Crispy Peppermint Cocoa cookies. Now here’s the thing, I like a peppermint-and-chocolate combo almost as much as I like yelling “Double Chocolate Nantucket” any chance I get (toe stub, Oscars snub, birthday parties, you get it), so I came into this one with pretty high hopes.

Could these new Pepperidge Farm cookies achieve a Thin Mints-esque flavor with the texture of a Tate’s? Read on to find out.

The following article contains affiliate links that may generate a small commission to us when you make a purchase through the link. Learn more about how we work with affiliates here.

New Product!

Pepperidge Farm Thin & Crispy Peppermint Cocoa Cookies