Aries (March 21-April 19): Apple Pie (With a Super-Extra Lattice Design)

Aries people are intense. They want to be number one, and if there is anything I have learned from years of corporate baking competitions, Friendsgivings, and family members at Thanksgiving who keep expecting you to one-up yourself year after year after year after year, it’s that presentation matters. Will people remember how delicious your apple pie was? No. But will they remember that you crafted the Mona Lisa out of 200 interlocking pieces of pie crust to use in lieu of a lattice on top? Maybe. People will at least be complimenting you on it all night, and for an Aries, that’s all you really need from the Holidays.

Read our ranking of the best frozen apple pie

Taurus (April 20-May 20): Cherry Pie

It’s warm, it’s gooey, it’s comforting, and I swear this and a dollop of Cool Whip could cure me of my late-stage capitalism and weird, weak ankles. You know what else does that? A comforting talk with a Taurus friend by a fire with some apple cider. Tauruses lack all that stressful frenetic energy your dad’s uncle Leonard brings to the table, so this year we should all just stick to cherry pie and Tauruses and let sleeping Leonards lie.

Read our ranking of the best cherry pie filling

Gemini (May 21-June 20): Sweet Potato Pie (or Casserole) with Toasted Marshmallow

Within every Gemini lives two devils, much like our friend, the beloved sweet potato pie. In Gemini folks, it is order and chaos, light and darkness, Snoop Dogg and Martha Stewart. In a toasted marshmallow-topped sweet potato pie it is superfood and lightly burnt fluffy candy. The result? An absolutely delicious pie. And on the Gemini front? Some real fascinating folks.

Read our ranking of the best marshmallows

Cancer (June 21-July 22): Chess Pie

Cancers aren’t always what they seem. If you just looked at them you might think they are kind of bland run-of-the-mill so-and-sos who get their thrills from sippin’ soup and building IKEA furniture, but have one real conversation with them and you will realize that they get their thrills from seeking out the world’s best soups and hunting for the perfect vintage furniture for their tiny-but-artsy loft-style apartment. Similarly, this pie looks like it is a classic yet difficult game of strategy but it turns out it is a delicious custard pie often enjoyed in the American South. Basically, don’t judge a Cancer (or a pie) by its cover!

Leo (July 23-August 22): Pumpkin Pie

Child’s play. No brainer. What other pie could they possibly be?

Read our ranking of the best pumpkin pie

Virgo (August 23-September 22): Cheesecake

I already know what you are thinking, and let me stop you right there. “Cheesecake isn’t a pie,” you say, “It literally says cake in the name,” you say. Well, think about it. If a pie is stuff in a crust, cheesecake is a pie. If a cake is a mix of flour, eggs, sugar, and a rising agent, Cheesecake is not a cake. Also, shortcake has cake in the name and that’s a flat-out savory biscuit so who is to say really what is and isn’t anything? But I digress. Cheesecake pairs with Virgos because it solves a bunch of holiday problems in addition to being delicious, the same way Virgos somehow manage to solve all the world’s problems while still being fun. Cheesecake is easy to make gluten-free, it’s easy to buy at any store, people who are tired of warm spices and fall-flavored everything will thank you for the refreshing change of pace, and (perhaps most importantly) the whole state of Wisconsin will back you on this one (because cheese).

Read our ranking of the best store bought cheesecake

Libra (September 23-October 22): Cranberry Orange Pie

Are there more balanced holiday flavors out there than the sweet, tart, buttery, floral, adventure that is a cranberry orange pie? Nope. Libras are known for their love of harmony and balance and this not-too-sweet dessert is sure to please any Libra. And most other people too.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21): Chocolate Cream Pie

You know the old Scorpio motto: Never let them guess your next move. Scorpio season falls smack in line with pumpkin pie season, so you would think they would be pumpkin pie, right? Wrong. Scorpios are mysterious and like to do and say whatever makes them happy in the moment (we could all learn a thing or two from them) and I know that my brother, a Scorpio, would simply die of happiness if he saw a chocolate pie at the Thanksgiving dessert table. Scorpios have had enough of pumpkin—give them the chocolate pies they want and deserve!

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21): Mock Apple Pie

What is a mock apple pie? Well, none other than an apple pie that looks and tastes like an apple pie but actually uses Ritz crackers instead of apples. I know, trippy, right? But you know it is your adventurous and curious Sagittarius friends who are trying out this recipe and running around to everyone at the table this holiday season asking, “Did you try the mock apple pie? What do you think is in it? I’ll give you a hint, it’s not apples!” and then delighting in the countless interactions where every person other than themselves is stumped.

Read our ranking of the best apple pie filling

Capricorn (December 22-January 19): Chocolate Candy Cane Pie

Capricorns do have their birthdays around all the major winter holidays, which is the one time of year when peppermint desserts are a thing. The rest of the year we just get green mint. Why is this? Who can say, but the status quo is that peppermint is a November and December-only treat and if I’ve learned anything from High School Musical, it is that we have to stick to the status quo. But Capricorns being the mature, old souls that they are, it only makes sense to give them a delicious, creamy, seasonal treat complete with the most classic, old-timey, candy still in the mainstream: the candy cane.  

Aquarius (January 20-February 18): Peanut Butter Chocolate Pie

Is this really a holiday-only sort of pie? No. But since when have Aquarians ever followed the rules? Aquarians are innovative, out-of-the-box thinkers, and as such it seems pretty likely that when asked to bring a holiday pie to the holiday party, they are going to prioritize uniqueness and taste over tradition, hence the ever-delicious peanut butter chocolate pie (with an Oreo crust, of course).

Pisces (February 19-March 20): Pecan Pie

Get it? Because they are nuts! Just kidding, Pisces, we would never do you dirty like that. As the sweetest of all the holiday pies it only makes sense to give this one to our sweet, sweet Pisces friends. It is not only a sweet pie, but it also has some depth of flavor from the nuts and caramelized sugar as well as a heaping helping of nostalgia and some warm spices. Similarly, Pisces people tend to have some depth of character to them, love to bring up nostalgic moments from your childhood at the holiday dinner table (for better or for worse), and love to keep things (warm) spicy, even over the holidays.

Read our ranking of the best store bought pecan pie

The post What Holiday Pie Are You Based on Your Zodiac Sign? appeared first on Sporked.

How much Hidden Valley Ranch do you get per greeting card? Are the cards funny? Sappy? Zesty like ranch? How many cards do I get for $18 and is this actually worth it or just a funny concept?

Amazing questions! Funny, I had the same ones. Let’s start at the top. I examined a photo of one of the greeting cards on Hidden Valley’s website to discern the nutrition facts and here’s what I found: Each packet contains 100 calories, or one serving of ranch. That is equal to 23mL, if you are a scientist, or 0.8 fl oz, if you are a regular ol’ American. I cross-referenced this with a bottle of normal Hidden Valley Ranch and actually cross-multiplied for you guys (because I really do care) and found that this is a little over 1.5 tbsp of ranch. Neat!

The cards themselves are more like postcards than greeting cards. The four different images you get in a pack are a Christmas tree made of French fries with ranch as the string lights, a champagne tower of ranch complete with wings and celery sticks on the glasses for garnish, a slice of pizza with a ranch snow run and a tiny dude is sledding down, and a mashed potato snowman with a ranch scarf and earmuffs. So visually you could say they are tongue-in-cheek takes on ranch-themed winter scenes. Personally, I think they all belong in the Louvre.

Now, these are not terribly expensive for what they are, not to mention the added whimsy they throw in for free, which will be sure to bring your families and friends hours of joy (you literally tear a postcard in half and there is a ranch packet in there…I am not over this yet). You can find them on the Hidden Valley store site where you can get eight holiday cards (two of each design) for $18. That is a little over $2 per card which is reasonable for greeting cards, except that most greeting cards don’t come with ranch in them. So I don’t know about you, but in my household, I do believe ranch might literally be in the cards for this holiday season.

*I’m a professional writer (I swear), so if I say “garlickiest” is a word, don’t question it…for the record I don’t say it’s a word, but if I did, you couldn’t question it, and if you did question it, you’d legally have to tell me. Though, for the record, I do think “garlicky” deserves a superlative form.

The post Why Send Holiday Cards When You Can Send…Ranch Dressing? appeared first on Sporked.

If that’s you, it’s time to come up with a new set of three wishes, because Maruchan just launched two different flavors of a new product that might just make all your dreams come true: the Maruchan Rice Bowl. Not only that, but they are bringing back Maruchan wonton soup, this time in bowls instead of cups (and a couple other potential tweaks as well).

What will these Maruchan rice bowls consist of? Meat? Veg? Both and a secret third thing? And will the revamped Maruchan wontons soup be good or will they leave us wonton more?

So it turns out the Maruchan rice bowls will be just rice. Flavored rice that’s meant to be eaten as a side. That said, they don’t look like they will be light on flavor. The Chicken Flavored Rice Bowl is supposed to capture the classic taste of Maruchan’s ever-popular chicken ramen in rice form, while the other flavor, Mexican Rice Flavored Bowl, reportedly has a various Mexican seasonings and a bit of spice, too. If they taste how I imagine they’ll taste, the chicken rice will go well with just about anything savory and the Mexican Rice will be absolutely bangin’ in a burrito, as a side with a burrito, or topped with proteins, veggies, and sauces, like your own little at-home Chipotle moment. They even have recipes you can use to doctor these Maruchan rice bowls on the Maruchan site, which I highly recommend checking out for some inspo if you are curious.

As for the Maruchan wonton soup, it’s been a minute since the brand offered any wonton across the U.S. According to this Reddit thread, there was a Maruchan instant wonton soup available in the ’90s and early 2000s that was unceremoniously discontinued in the 2010s. Over the past few years, the brand has been testing Maruchan wonton soup in select markets across the U.S. (including Southern California), and now finally we are getting a nationwide launch of Maruchan wonton soup with all-new colorful packaging, in a large bowl and not a cup—the brand’s biggest bowls to date, apparently. The Wonton Ramen Noodle Soup (as it is being called this time) is available in Chicken Flavor and Hot & Spicy Chicken Flavor, and according to the brand (via Brand Eating), the new Maruchan Wonton Ramen Soup “isn’t just a comeback; it’s a re-envisioned bigger, bolder version of a fan favorite.” Bigger, I get. But bolder, how? Re-envisioned, how? Inquiring me’s want to know!

In th end, I may just have to go pick up one or of both of these products to find out what the real deal is here and if these are anything to write home about, because truthfully, I find myself wonton to try both.

The post Maruchan Rice Bowls Are Making Your Noodle-Free Dreams a Reality appeared first on Sporked.

First things first: What is chicken stock? Until literally this week I had no idea chicken stock and chicken broth were two different things. Oh how wrong I was. You see, chicken broth is what you get when you boil meat, but chicken stock is what you get when you boil bones. Chicken stock usually takes longer to make and is a bit more concentrated in flavor than chicken broth. That said, if you are wondering when to use one versus the other, the consensus across the internet seems to be broth for when you want other flavors to come through and shine, and stock when you either want more chicken flavor, or a richer, deeper, more umami broth.

Now, what separates good chicken stock from the best store bought chicken stock? There are many factors, and it can depend on what you are looking for, but generally speaking, we were looking for rich chicken flavor, deep umami and meatiness, and no strange or off flavors (like the aforementioned dog food). Many of the best chicken stocks we tried contained not only chicken, but a classic mirepoix (aka a mix of onion, carrot, and celery, pronounced meer-pwah) in the ingredients list, as well as herbs, spices, chicken flavoring, and, in one case, honey (more on that later).

I’m tellin’ ya, we truly did learn a lot here today, so whip out your soup-sippin’ spoons, and let’s talk about the best tasting chicken stock, including the best organic chicken stock and the best low sodium chicken stock.

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 Herb-Forward Chicken Stock

Pacific Foods Organic Chicken Stock

Amazon

Pacific Foods chicken stock has a hint of herbaceous flavor to it, like rosemary or thyme or tarragon (or perhaps a combo of the three). As organic chicken stock goes, is not as umami or chicken-y as Swanson Organic (which you’ll find at #4 of this list) but it is still solid. If you prefer the flavor of herbs to the flavor of a mirepoix then go with this, I am not one such person, but I am nothing if not objective and can recognize that there are people who would definitely think this is the best chicken stock.

Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon

Rating:

6.5/10

Sporks

Best Blank Slate

Swanson Chicken Stock

Walmart

Okay, let me start by saying that Swanson Chicken Stock is not bad, but it also isn’t exceedingly tasty on its own. It tastes like salt, chicken, and not much else—but hey, that’s what some people are looking for in the best tasting chicken stock. If you are making a stock-based soup with flavors that will clash with things like celery, onion, thyme, and sage, this is the best store bought chicken stock for you. It is pure salt and umami and nothing else, and that makes it a great blank slate for whatever magic you want to cook up.

Credit: Liv Averett / Walmart

Rating:

7/10

Sporks

Best Organic Chicken Stock

Swanson Organic Chicken stock

Target

I know you may be skeptical, but Swanson organic chicken stock and regular Swanson chicken stock do not taste the same. Why? Because their ingredient lists are actually quite different! The result is that while this stock is still salty and umami, it also has a bit more depth of flavor than its non-organic counterpart. It even has a hint of black pepperiness, celery, and onion flavor to it (there’s that mirepoix again). All told, this is the best chicken stock if you want something with that Cup Noodles, bouillon-esque chicken ramen flavor.

Credit: Liv Averett / Target

Rating:

7.5/10

Sporks

Best Low Sodium Chicken Stock

Swanson Unsalted Chicken Stock

Walmart

This unsalted chicken stock smells distinctly like a Costco rotisserie chicken and tastes nice, too. What do I mean by nice? Well, it tastes like rotisserie chicken water, which, as unsalted chicken stock, is sort of what we are looking for here. This is hands down the best unsalted chicken stock we tried, and it tastes exactly like chicken stocks I have made in the past at home from leftover rotisserie chicken bones. It has a solid umami flavor and tastes very clean like pure unadulterated, roasted unsalted chicken and water. If you watch your salt intake, this is the best low sodium chicken stock to stock up on.

Credit: Liv Averett / Walmart

Rating:

8/10

Sporks

Most Unique Chicken Stock

Kitchen Basics Original Chicken Stock For Cooking

Target

This one threw me at first. It has a sweeter, fruitier aroma than the other stocks, and it’s also the most sweet and sour tasting of them all. And while it is very acidic and very flavorful, it doesn’t taste super strongly of chicken, unlike some of the others on this list. I checked the label and it actually contains honey and bay leaves, which makes a whole lot of sense given the fresher, fruitier, sweeter taste. It has plenty of umami flavor as well, with an aftertaste I would describe as grilled onion-y. At first I couldn’t decide if I liked it, and then after a whole Kombucha Girl-style deliberation, I decided it is, in fact, among the best store bought chicken stock.

Credit: Liv Averett / Target

Rating:

8.5/10

Sporks

Best of the Best

Signature Select Chicken Stock

Vons

Signature Select’s chicken stock actually made me say “wow!” out loud. Was I prepared to say “wow!” out loud while sipping cold, plain chicken stock? Not in the slightest. It tastes like it is already most of the way to chicken noodle soup. It has a huge kick of of onion flavor and a punch of roasty toasty chicken flavor. Trust us when we say it is an umami bomb. Use this if you want strong chicken and onion flavors in your soup or sauce or what have you. This tastes like a Safeway rotisserie chicken in the best possible way. This tastes like a Thanksgiving gravy. I could (and have, literally for this article) drink this straight. It’s the best chicken stock we taste tested—and it’s certainly the best store bought chicken stock if you shop at an Albertsons-owned grocery store.

Credit: Liv Averett / Vons

Rating:

9.5/10

Sporks

Other products we tried: Kitchen Basics Unsalted Chicken Stock, Signature Select Unsalted Chicken Stock

The post The Best Chicken Stock to Stock Up On appeared first on Sporked.

So what are Beyond Bakes exactly? Will they be similar to Hot Pockets or live in more of a plant-based calzone zone?

Well, based on images of the new Beyond Bakes, they look an awful lot like Hot Pockets, right down to the two flavors, which are Meaty Italian-Style Pizza and Pepperoni Pizza. Both are completely plant-based, so yes, the cheese is non-dairy as well. The Pepperoni one is described on the package as having “Beyond Pepperoni Plant-Based Pieces, non-dairy mozzarella style cheese, and sauce in a toasted crust.” The Meaty Italian-Style Beyond Hot Pocket looks to have “Beyond Beef Plant-Based Crumbles and Beyond Pepperoni Plant Based Pieces, non-dairy mozzarella style cheese, spices, and sauce in a toasted crust.”

Notably, the plant-based beef crumbles in the Italian-style pocket have existed for a while now, but the Beyond Pepperoni is new with this product. Hopefully, it is only a matter of time before we can buy the pepperoni on its own! Both flavors of Beyond Bakes contain 22g of protein per serving (if you are a vegan watchin’ your macros), and it looks like they take just two minutes to heat up in the microwave. They come in packs of two that cost $6.99 at the Hy-Vee grocery store where they were photographed. Pricing will likely vary depending on store and region.

It’s tough to predict exactly how these will taste. The form factor and heating method make them seem very similar to Hot Pockets, but the crust looks more like it belongs in the Calzone zone. We’ll just have to try them to find out where they land on the spectrum of pocket foods—or if they’re something totally new altogether. We’re “Beyond” excited to find out.

The post Hot Pockets but Make It Vegan? What We Know About Beyond Bakes appeared first on Sporked.

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

McConnell’s Pumpkin Spice Latte Ice Cream

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

The post The Best Easy Thanksgiving Desserts, According to Grocery Experts appeared first on Sporked.

Nancy’s Petite Quiche

We strongly believe Thanksgiving appetizers are made to be picked up and eaten anywhere but at the dining table. You’re going to be stuck at that table for ages waiting for some great aunt to finish her vittles, so the best Thanksgiving appetizers can be eaten while you circulate. Nancy’s frozen mini quiches are small, satisfying, and perfect to eat while you artfully dodge awkward conversations with distant relatives. The box comes with two flavors—lorraine and florentine—and they’re really good. The crust is buttery and savory, and the fillings are well-crafted and complex. We could even taste some tarragon in the lorraine. Sorry, freshly cleaned floors, but these are worth scattering a few crumbs.

Read the full ranking of the best quiche at the grocery store

Stouffer’s Mac & Cheese Bites

If you’re not serving mac and cheese as a side dish with dinner, serving mac and cheese bites as an easy Thanksgiving appetizer is a perfect way to get some cheesy goodness back on the menu. We taste tested a lot of mac and cheese bites, and Stouffer’s makes the best. They’re stuffed with loads of gooey cheese, big, fluffy pieces of elbow macaroni, and they have a coating that makes them taste a lot like the breadcrumb-topped baked mac and cheese people crave.

Read the full ranking of the best mac and cheese bites

Trader Joe’s Pastry Bites with Feta Cheese & Caramelized Onions

Trader Joe’s sells a lot of good frozen apps, but these are a standby. The cheese and caramelized onions are a delicious blend of sweet and salty flavors—and the little pastry cups are perfectly bite-sized, so you can scarf them down without paying too much attention to how many you’ve had (as we said, appetite-ruining is encouraged!). If you do choose to make these part of your Thanksgiving appetizers spread, make sure you buy extra—these things go fast.

Read the full ranking of the best Trader Joe’s frozen appetizers

Marketside Spinach & Artichoke Dip

Thanksgiving is all about tradition, for better or worse. And if we’re talking tradition, what other dip is more fitting to go with your fresh veggie platter or chips than our favorite spinach and artichoke dip? With three different cheeses and full chunks of artichoke in the mix, just make sure you don’t dip your fingers straight in there. Or do. Nothing like some outrage at the Thanksgiving table to kick off the festivities. 

Read the full ranking of the best spinach dip

MyThreeSons Pimento Cheese Emmy’s Original

Listen. There are certain truths we hold to be self-evident, and one of them is that you can never have too many dips on the Thanksgiving appetizers table. So why not add some pimento cheese to the mix? This creamy, decadent, pepper-speckled cheese spread is a surefire way to put a Southern twist on Thanksgiving, even if you’re thousands of miles away.

Read the full ranking of the best pimiento cheese

Trader Joe’s Natural Turkey Summer Sausage

Yes, it’s called summer sausage, but this stuff is for eating when the temps start to drop. Trader Joe’s Natural Turkey Summer Sausage topped our summer sausage ranking due to its unique flavor and blend of spices that make it just that much more interesting to eat. If you need something meaty to snack on before the turkey lands on the table, this turkey summer sausage is both delicious and on-theme. 

Read the full ranking of the best summer sausage

The post Easy Thanksgiving Appetizers from Our Many Taste Tests appeared first on Sporked.

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

Walmart

Pros: These smell like Thin Mints and mint ice cream sandwiches, with a hint of butter. And while they aren’t quite as melt-in-your mouth buttery as Tate’s cookies (iykyk), they have a similar pleasantly crumbly texture. They are fairly salty which is a nice contrast to the sweetness of the chocolate and peppermint chips. The cookie itself isn’t mint flavored other than what it picks up from the light green peppermint chips embedded in it, which remind me of just the green part of an Andes mint. These would be amazing dipped in a mocha or even just a latte, crumbled on vanilla ice cream, or broken up into some form of holiday bark. If you like subtly cocoa-y cookies with mint chips and a crispy, crumbly texture, you will like these.

Cons: For those of you who are peppermint fiends, I should warn you that the peppermint is only in the peppermint chips, not in the cookie itself. All in all, the flavors are pretty subtle, so if you were hoping these would be some double-chocolate-fudge-drizzled-brownie-splosion or that they would be pepperminty on a Peppermint Oreo level, you might be disappointed. Personally, I want to be punched in the taste buds with chocolate and peppermint, but I still enjoyed these. If you are curious, give ‘em a shot before they go away.

Rating:

8/10

Sporks

Pepperidge Farm Holiday Exclusive Thin and Crispy Peppermint Cocoa Cookies

Pros: These smell like somewhere between thin mints and mint ice cream sandwiches, with a hint of butter. They have a very crumbly and buttery texture (they do in fact melt in your mouth if you hold it in there for more than 5 seconds), and they taste like mint, cocoa, and have a lovely browned butter note in there as well.  They are fairly salty which is a nice contrast to the sweet. The cookie itself isn’t mint flavored other than what it picks up from the light green peppermint chips embedded in it, which remind me of just the green part of an Andes Candies. These would be amazing dipped in a mocha or even just a latte, crumbled on ice cream, or broken up into some form of holiday bark. If you like subtly cocoa-y cookies with mint chips and a crumbly buttery flavor and texture, you will like these.

Cons: For those of you who are peppermint fiends – the peppermint is just in the chunks. The chocolate flavor on these is very subtly cocoa-y as opposed to capital C Chocolatey, so if you love things to be double chocolate fudge drizzled brownie-splosion, or pepperminty on a Thin Mint/Peppermint Oreo level, these may be too subtle for you in both the chocolate and peppermint departments respectively. But I am one such person who loves high chocolate and peppermint levels and I still enjoyed these, so I say if you are curious, give ‘em a shot.

7.5/10 Sporks

The post We Tried the New Pepperidge Farm Peppermint Cocoa Cookies appeared first on Sporked.

Where can I get them? And why do you keep using an asterisk when you say Altoids Sours* are back? Are they not actually back?

Okay, I should probably address the whole asterisk thing. The Altoids Sours you know and love, which were originally on shelves from 2004 to 2010, are in fact back on store shelves, but they are not called Altoids Sours this time. Altoids sold the recipe to a vintage candy company called Iconic Candy, which is now churning out tins of the beloved sour suckers under the name “Retro Sours” in the same three flavors in which they were originally released: Mango, Tangerine, and Citrus, but with that different, decidedly non-Altoids name.

As for where to buy Altoids Sours, iconic candies made by Iconic Candy, they are available at Cracker Barrel and It’s Sugar candy store locations nationwide, plus you can now order them online on the It’s Sugar website…that is, if they weren’t already sold out. I checked to see if you could buy them online from Cracker Barrel (because I care about you and want to make sure you have all the deets about the tinned tangy treats you could possibly have) and they were nowhere to be found there. Not even a page that says “sold out.” So as I see it, you have a couple of options if you are trying to get your hands on some of these iconic zingy thingies: You can go into physical locations of It’s Sugar and Cracker Barrel and see if they have any in stock, or you can wait and see if the It’s Sugar site restocks soon. Cracker Barrel did post on their Instagram just a week ago that they now have these in their stores, so there is hope yet.

The It’s Sugar website does say something like “Get them before they’re gone!” on their landing page, but hey, if they went this fast my guess is they will be producing them again. We do live in a capitalist society after all. If people will come, the companies are gonna keep building it. Bottom line, if you want these, there are now some out there, you just have to look around a bit in person or wait for an online restock—happy hunting! May the Retro Sours be ever in your grocery baskets.

The post Altoids Sours* Are Finally Hitting Stores appeared first on Sporked.

Aries (March 21-April 19): Cheddar & Sour Cream Ruffles

It doesn’t get more quintessentially Ruffles than Cheddar & Sour Cream. If you were to ask a random person to tell you their favorite Ruffles flavor, they would probably choose this one (probably because this is the only one they know about). Similarly, Aries people are popular, love to be number one, and are also bright orange and cheesy (especially when they get a spray tan while telling dad jokes)—certainly the Cheddar & Sour Cream Ruffles of people.

Taurus (April 20-May 20): Ruffles Queso

What is more comforting than queso? Well, nothing. But if I had to choose something, it would be a hug and a long chat with a Taurus friend. They just know how to diffuse the tension in any room and turn any situation chill, and thus have to be Queso Ruffles.

Gemini (May 21-June 20): Flamin’ Hot Cheddar & Sour Cream Ruffles

What’s this? The two most iconic Ruffles flavors coming together to make one even more iconic, even Rufflier mega flavor bomb? Geminis all have a spicy side, and a cheesy side, and this chip perfectly embodies that Gemini spirit. The light and dark, the red and orange, the chaos and the cheese.

Cancer (June 21-July 22): Jalapeño Ranch Ruffles

Now, your first thought upon seeing this is probably, “WHHHAT?!?! These exist?” and your second thought is probably, “Hmmmmmm, I don’t know that I want peppers jalap-in-my ranch.” Then your third thought is probably, “Let’s try them!” and once you do you will see that you should never judge a Ruffle by its cover, because these bad boys will surprise you with their bold flavor and tang. They may not be bright orange, but they pack a punch. Likewise, Cancers may not seem all that exciting at first glance but talk to them for even five seconds and you will find out just how wrong you were.

Leo (July 23-August 22): Flamin’ Hot Ruffles

I mean, come on. Bright red? Check. Flames on the bag? Check. Famously one of the most popular flavors of chips or literally any snack ever? Triple check. Flamin’ Hot snacks get a lot of attention and we all know who else would love that kind of spotlight.

Virgo (August 23-September 22): Original Ruffles

Original Ruffles are so dang good, but more importantly, they are practical. Why? Because they are a delightfully greasy and salty vehicle for literally any dip. Spinach and artichoke? Slaps. French onion dip? Made for ruffles. Queso? Bean dip? Buffalo chicken dip? Yes, yes, and yes. Our lovely type-A Virgos can rest easy with these chips knowing that whichever dip they choose for the party, Original Ruffles will pair beautifully.

Libra (September 23-October 22): Lime & Jalapeño Ruffles

These chips are the definition of salt, fat, acid, and heat, and there are few things more Libra than that delicate balancing act, except maybe trying to organize a dinner party with multiple friend groups or dipping your pretzels in Nutella.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21): Korean-Style Sweet Chili Ruffles

These were out for a limited time earlier this year, truly killed the game, and then disappeared back into the potato chip flavor development ether forever. Where did they come from? Where did they go? If your name is Cotton Eye Joe, you legally have to tell us where these sweet chili chips went. But I digress. The point is they were tasty, fleeting, and oh-so mysterious, with a delicious yet hard-to-pin-down flavor profile and a super quick run on shelves. The whole thing is VERY Scorpio of them, and we are here for it.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21): All-Dressed Ruffles

What do you get if you cross an elephant with a rhino?

‘Ell if rhi know!

What spices and flavors go into all-dressed chips?

Same answer.

But Sagittarians are all about seeking knowledge, new adventures, and following their curiosity wherever it takes them, so I bet curious Sagittarians (or Canadian ones, at least) have tried these bad boys and can pinpoint exactly what is going on with them flavor-wise. Is it a combo of all chip flavors? Is it just BBQ and salt and vinegar and ketchup? Only true Sagittarians know (or you can find out here).

Capricorn (December 22-January 19): Sour Cream & Onion Ruffles

What is more classic than a sour cream and onion chip? Very little. Maybe that song by MKTO but honestly can’t think of much else. And seeing as Capricorns’ claim to fame is being classic, mature, sophisticated old souls, Sour Cream & Onion Ruffles seem like the perfect match.

Aquarius (January 20-February 18): Sour Cream ‘N Bacon Ruffles

I had not heard of this chip flavor before today (because I am not Canadian), but it sounds as innovative and revolutionary as it sounds divine. This is not unlike our queens of innovation and out-of-the-box thinking: Aquarians. Aquarians are not like the other girls and, gosh darn it, these Sour Cream ‘N Bacon Ruffles are not like the other chips. Match made in heaven. Also, can I just say, this is the last straw. Canada had truly been holding out on us for too long and now I think I may have to visit just to try these chips (along with the rest of my Canada bucket list: Mooses, Poutine, those dudes with the fun hats).

Pisces (February 19-March 20): Flamin’ Hot BBQ Ruffles

Pisces are not just spicy, they are so much deeper than that, much like these Flamin’ Hot BBQ Ruffles, which are spicy, yes, but they also have a bunch of classic BBQ chip warm spices and complex flavors that make them uniquely spicy AND nostalgic—the most Pisces combo of traits that I ever did see, if I do say so myself.

The post What Ruffles Flavor Are You based on your Zodiac Sign? appeared first on Sporked.

That’s right, in lieu of their typical chocolate chip cookies but with festive red and green candy bits, Chips Ahoy! pulled out all the stops this year to bring back Chips Ahoy! Chewy Hot Cocoa, a fan favorite flavor that hasn’t been on shelves for eight years. The package describes them as having a fudge filling, marshmallow flavored chips, and chocolatey chips. Literally, what could be bad about that? Spoiler alert: Not much.

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!

Chewy Hot Cocoa Chips Ahoy!

Walmart

Pros: When you open the package, the cookies smell like a mixture of cocoa and store-bought chewy cookies (you know how they have that specific smell that’s almost graham crackery?). As for how they taste, these things are delightful. They truly taste like hot cocoa with marshmallows, and the texture is spongy and addicting. The white and dark chips add nice textural contrast, and the fudge filling—oh lordy. It’s like a cross between dark chocolate Oreo creme and chocolate pudding. The package recommended heating these in the microwave, so I gave it a shot. YOU GUYS. Heating them up gave them a fresh-out-of-the-oven quality and got rid of that store bought chewy cookie taste/smell entirely. These are a real treat.

Cons: I was expecting a bit more flavor from the “marshmallow flavored chips,” which, sadly, don’t taste like much. And this isn’t a deal breaker, but I found it a little strange that when you heat these cookies in the microwave, the molten center actually becomes less gooey. And they do still have a hint of that packaged-chewy-cookie flavor that they can’t quite shake. But if you like Chewy Chips Ahoy!, you’ll like these.

Rating:

9/10

Sporks

The post Chips Ahoy! Hot Cocoa Cookies Are Hot Stuff appeared first on Sporked.

That said, what makes vegan mac and cheese the best vegan mac and cheese?

As a cheese lover who happens to be friends with a bunch of vegans (I know, what happened?!), I have some thoughts. The best vegan mac and cheese needs to resemble mac and cheese. It needs to be creamy, it needs to be umami, and it should be reminiscent of real cheese in some way but not necessarily all ways (I’ll get to this later). It should not have any extremely off flavors, weird funks, or sit in a strange uncanny flavor valley of “tangy but distinctly not in a ‘cheddar’ way.” We tried a bunch of popular brands—including vegan Kraft mac and cheese—to find the best of the best, so without further ado, let’s see which boxed vegan mac and cheese had us (vegan) cheesin’.

(Okay wait, a little more ado: When you are using milk be sure to use a neutral flavored milk; I used an unsweetened soy milk for one of them that still happened to have a bit of a vanilla flavor to it—I disregarded that in my scoring, but just a warning to the vegans out there.)

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 Vegan Shells and Cheese

Plant Based Kraft Mac & Cheese White Cheddar Style With NotCheese

Walmart

This vegan Kraft mac and cheese is extremely creamy. It has great texture—we love the medium-sized shells—and is a bit less tangy than the other Kraft vegan mac and cheese we tried (stay tuned for that). That said, if you are looking for a mild, creamy, white shell mac, this will do the trick. One negative note is that this mac does have a bit of a sweet, almost frosting-like flavor, and before you tell me it’s because I used the wrong soy milk to make it, the other Kraft mac I tried still had a bit of this same flavor even when I used a more neutral milk. I think it must have to do with the NotCheese.

Credit: Merc / Walmart

Rating:

7/10

Sporks

Best Gluten Free Vegan Mac and Cheese

Annie’s Vegan Mac Gluten Free Rice Pasta and Cheddar Flavor

Target

Annie’s vegan mac and cheese is the best vegan mac and cheese if you’re vegan and gluten free. It’s salty and creamy but not at all funky. The noodles are rice-based and have very little flavor, and I would definitely recommend cooking them on the longer side of the range in the cooking instructions. It’s 100% user error but the lower end of the range was…ahem…not enough time. I did, however, give ’em a little nuke in the microwave and the noods softened right up. This vegan boxed mac and cheese has a good, mild cheese flavor, will satisfy you if you are gluten and dairy-free, and is way less funky and more nostalgic than the other gluten- and dairy-free options we tried.

Credit: Merc / Target

Rating:

7/10

Sporks

Best TK

Plant-Based Kraft Mac & Cheese Original Flavor With NotCheese

Walmart

This vegan Kraft mac and cheese is creamy, tangy, salty, and sweet—I know “sweet” sounds weird, but it’s not in a super off-putting way. It’s unexpected but tasty, and it is offset by the fact that this stuff looks exactly like regular Kraft Mac & Cheese. A crucial difference though: the sauce is a bit thicker and stickier than the non-vegan OG, there is a little bit of a vanilla-y, nutty aftertaste, and it has a slight tang that I think is meant to evoke cheddar cheese but instead reminded us of cream cheese (or vegan cream cheese, I supposed). This is a nice, bright, boxed-mac-n-cheese orange, and it is also saltier than the other Kraft offering, in a good way. Spruce this up with a dash of hot sauce and some mix-ins, like frozen broccoli and/or vegan chicken, and you’re in business.

Credit: Merc / Walmart

Rating:

7.5/10

Sporks

Best Vegan Kraft Mac and Cheese Dupe

O Organics Vegan Mac Cheddar Style

Instacart

Never in a million years did I expect O Organics—a proprietary brand at Albertsons-owned grocery stores—to beat out big names like Kraft, Daiya, and Annie’s, but here we are. This boxed vegan mac and cheese isn’t super creamy (though the sauce definitely thickened as it cooled), but we ranked this so high because it tastes so much like the classic Kraft mac and cheese you knew and loved when you still ate dairy while still being vegan. It is salty and umami. If you’re looking for that nostalgic, bright-orange boxed mac and cheese flavor, this is the best vegan mac and cheese to seek out.

Credit: Merc / Instacart

Rating:

9/10

Sporks

Best of the Best

Goodles Vegan is Believin’ Plant Based White Cheddar with Spirals

Target

We were so gosh darn pleasantly surprised by Goodles vegan mac and cheese. This white cheddar vegan mac is cheesy and garlicky in the best way and tastes exactly how cheesy garlic knots from a pizza place smell. The texture is like non-vegan Annie’s shells, except the pasta is fusilli-esque. One important thing to note is that while this is creamy, umami, and delicious, it doesn’t taste like cheese, per se. It’s a savory, creamy, vegan flavor bomb, and it pulls that off beautifully. Also, 12g of protein? Truly a win-win here. I would genuinely buy this one again for myself, and as previously stated, I am not vegan. Not even a little. That’s how I know it’s the best vegan mac and cheese.

Credit: Merc / Target

Rating:

9.5/10

Sporks

The post The Best Vegan Mac and Cheese at the Grocery Store appeared first on Sporked.