Tag Archives: pop-tarts

Coming Soon in 2017: Dunkin’ Donuts Vanilla Latte Pop-Tarts & Chocolate Mocha Pop-Tarts

Dunkin' Donuts Vanilla Latte Pop-Tarts and Dunkin' Donuts Chocolate Mocha Pop-Tarts Boxes

(Image via Kellogg’s and FoodBusinessNews)

(UPDATE: We reviewed Vanilla Latte Pop-Tarts! We also reviewed Chocolate Mocha Pop-Tarts!)

Move over, Pumpkin Spice Latte: there’re two new coffee-flavored treats coming in 2017…and neither of them are in beverage form.

Kellogg’s—continuing their apparent quest to turn every liquid imaginable into a frosted rectangular sugar pocket filled with dough and goo—is set to debut two new toaster pastry varieties based on Dunkin’ Donuts drinks: Vanilla Latte Pop-Tarts and Chocolate Mocha Pop-Tarts. As you probably expected, the amazingly resourceful Candy Hunting broke the news, and I’m just here spreading the word like the more-crushed Pop-Tart in a foil-wrapped package of two. Seriously, go follow Candy Hunting and send her regards that are warmer than a Starbucks coffee.

Above is the only known photo of the elusive Tarts, and it’s unfortunately smaller than a Pop-Tarts Go-Tart. Because of this pixelation, it’s hard to hypothesize much about these Pop-Tarts—we can’t even tell if their graininess is whole grain! Vanilla Latte Pop-Tarts appear to have a cinnamon or almond-esque frosting (though it’s likely just darker vanilla) and what I can only hope is a steamed milk swirl (though it’s likely just vanilla cream, or worse: plain sugar). Chocolate Mocha Pop-Tarts, meanwhile, have a very frothy coating over a decadently dark brown base. I don’t think it’s realistic to expect dark chocolate, espresso, or dark roast coffee flavors—let alone a twinge of bittersweetness—but I will say that would make for the sexiest Pop-Tart ever.

I’m talking, “a candlelit pasta dinner cooked just for me and this Pop-Tart” levels of Pop-Tart romanticism.

Most importantly, we don’t whether these Dunkin’ Donuts Pop-Tarts are actually caffeinated, but I guess with all that sugar, getting any more energy from a Pop-Tart might leave my hands too shaky to hold a spaghetti-filled fork. Either way, I plan to do with these new Pop-Tarts the same thing I do with every coffee beverage: make it really hot and consume it so fast that I burn my tongue and regret all of my life choices.

Posted by dan g.. Categories: News. Tags: kelloggs, pop-tarts. 2 Comments

Sep. ’16

Review: Kellogg’s Limited Edition Frosted Caramel Apple Pop-Tarts

I’ve never considered bobbing for Pop-Tarts before, but after trying Kellogg’s new Caramel Apple Pop-Tarts, I’m ready to fill a 19th century wooden bucket with water and pastries and dive in headfirst.

But before I take my triumphant Olympian plunge, let’s set the stage.

After years of dominance, pumpkin spice is starting to lose its novelty. There are only so many things you can cram ginger and nutmeg into. So like an autumnal retelling of Star Wars, apple-flavored snacks have started a quiet rebellion against the Pumpkin Empire. And I like to think that Caramel Apple Pop-Tarts are their heroic Luke Skywalker.

Luke Apple Piewalker has quite the origin story, too. While these Tarts were only formally announced about two months ago, we first leaked an early release image of them way back in April. Back then, searching for “caramel apple pop-tarts” just made Google think you were drunk.

I wondered whether these neon-squiggled rectangles would ever see the light of day, but I’m happy to say that they have. And now they’ll get to see the warming light of my toaster, too. Continue reading →

Posted by dan g.. Categories: Reviews. Tags: 9 rating, apple, caramel, kelloggs, non cereal, pop-tarts. 3 Comments

Aug. ’16

News: Kellogg’s New Frosted Caramel Apple Pop-Tarts & Chocolate Frosted Flakes with Skeleton Marshmallows Cereal

(UPDATE: I reviewed Chocolate Frosted Flakes with Skeleton Marshmallows! I also reviewed Caramel Apple Pop-Tarts!)

Deep breaths, Dan. It’s only August. It’s still not socially acceptable to wear a vampire costume into work, and if you try trick-or-treating tonight, you’ll be lucky to post bail by October 31st.

But oh, brother, is it hard to not get swept up in Halloween spirit already, especially when Kellogg’s latest press release announced their full Fall lineup, including the new Frosted Caramel Apple Pop-Tarts & Chocolate Frosted Flakes with Skeleton Marshmallows cereal seen above.

The lineup also includes the previously leaked Special K Pumpkin Spice Crunch and Pumpkin Spice Nutri-Grain Bars (maybe we’ll finally see a Nutri-Grain review on this blog?), and it also confirmed that Pumpkin Spice Frosted Mini-Wheats, Special K Apple Cinnamon Crunch, Pumpkin Pie Pop-Tarts, and Pumpkin Spice Fudge Stripes will all be returning this year.

But these two new, fruity and skeletal treats are easily the most exciting products of the bunch. All these snacks are hitting shelves this month, and I look forward to rapidly eating them to the point of satisfied nausea. Just like I did with my candy on Halloween night.

Back in April, I scored an exclusive photo of a Caramel Apple Pop-Tart, and now we have the box art to match the rumors. I commend Kellogg’s for choosing green Granny Smith apples for their neon icing drizzle (which reminds me of the carpet in a bowling alley) instead of Red Delicious, and I hope it brings a puckering, tart bite to pair with the sweet caramel.

The box art also confirms that the filling comes in ribboned shades of brown. I have no idea what the implications of this are, but I do know that come October, I’ll be filling an old-timey bucket with these pastries and bobbing for them while blindfolded.

As for Chocolate Frosted Flakes with Skeleton Marshmallows, they aren’t actually new so much as they are a Frankenstein combination of old cereal bits. Chocolate Frosted Flakes (also known as Choco Zucaritas) aren’t the easiest cereal to find on shelves, but they do exist. The skeleton marshmallows, meanwhile, made their debut last Halloween in Froot Loops and Apple Jacks.

I wasn’t terribly thrilled with normal Frosted Flakes with Marshmallows, but this cereal has me happily envisioning pillow cases full of Mallo Cups. Better yet, all I’d have to do is toss in Golden Grahams (and maybe a little liquid smoke) for a taste of late summer s’mores.

Cereal aside, I’m excited about the mail-in flashlights teased on the Frosted Flakes box. They appear to come in 4 varieties, with each beaming an image of Tony the Tiger, a Pop-Tart, our lovable Rice Krispies boys, or Toucan Sam. I hope we get to choose, because I’ve never wanted anything more than to fall asleep under the grinning glow of an iridescent, anthropomorphized toaster pastry.

It would take “sweet dreams” to a whole new level.

(Product images via Kellogg’s. And once again, special thanks to Candy Hunting for tipping me off about the photos.)

Posted by dan g.. Categories: News. Tags: frosted flakes, halloween, kelloggs, marshmallows, pop-tarts. 5 Comments

Jul. ’16

Review: Starbucks “Pop-Tarts” — Cinnamon + Brown Sugar Megpie

Despite what you may have seen or heard, this isn’t an actual Starbucks Pop-Tart. It isn’t a Starbucks Toaster Strudel, either. And it certainly is not a Starbucks Magpie, since i’m pretty sure the coffee chain’s aviary license expired decades ago.

No, Starbucks’ latest sugary coffee companions are the invention of New York baker Meghan Ritchie, and they’re called Megpies. More specifically, they are “artisan tarts,” which Google Translate claims is hipster-speak for “please don’t shame me as I dip this double-decker Pop-Tart into my Cotton Candy Frappuccino and accidentally spill some on my portable typewriter.”

Individually wrapped and sold next to the register, these all-natural Megpies come in strawberry and cinnamon + brown sugar. I can only assume this is a non-sugar coated (but still literally sugar coated) attempt to mimic Pop-Tarts’ two most popular flavors: Frosted Strawberry and Frosted Brown Sugar Cinnamon.

Since I’ve eaten enough Tiny Toast cereal this summer to give myself a not-so-tiny bloat, I decided to give the berries a break this time and give in to Cinnamon + Brown Sugar’s spicy temptation.

Oh, and if you’re wondering why I didn’t try one of each, it’s because these Totally Not Pop-Tarts will run you back $3.95 a pop, which is indeed more than the cost of a 16-count Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop-Tart box. That’s fine, Starbucks, as long as this Megpie has few shares of Google stock buried in its gooey innards. Continue reading →

Posted by dan g.. Categories: Reviews. Tags: 8 rating, cinnamon, non cereal, pop-tarts. 15 Comments

Jun. ’16

Review: Kellogg’s Frosted Chocolate Vanilla Crème Pop-Tarts

These are not the discontinued Frosted Chocolate Vanilla Creme Pop-Tarts you once knew and loved. No: these are Frosted Chocolate Vanilla Crème Pop-Tarts!

Do you see the difference?

It’s that sophisticated “è,” which requires you to serve every pastry as an appetizer, hors d’oeuvre, or dessert at a classy dinner gala.

See, the è has never appeared on packages before: not when Chocolate Vanilla Creme Pop-Tarts were first introduced (no one knows exactly when—not even the authoritative Pop-Tarts Wiki), not when they were discontinued in 2009, and not even when they were briefly revived in 2014 as a Limited Edition flavor for Pop-Tarts’ 50th birthday.

But now these Chocolate Vanilla Crème Pop-Tarts, complete with the accent mark, are back as a Kroger store exclusive and wrapped in debonaire foil before me. Time to scarf one down with my pinky out, like a true toaster pastry gentleman. Continue reading →

Posted by dan g.. Categories: Reviews. Tags: 7 rating, chocolate, kelloggs, pop-tarts, vanilla. 6 Comments

May. ’16

Review: Kellogg’s Frosted Crush Orange Pop-Tarts

I wish Kellogg’s two new “Soda-licious” Pop-Tarts (Crush Orange and A&W Root Beer) were released in 2020.

Why?

Because that’s when the new Godzilla vs. Kong film is set to debut, and these two flavors would be the perfect movie tie-in. I can see it now: Kong’s Gorilla Sarsaparilla Pop-Tarts vs. Godzilla’s Atomic Crush Orange Pop-Tarts.

Batman vs. Superman, eat your hearts out.

That “Atomic” label is especially appropriate, because as I quickly found out when eating these toaster pastries, Kellogg’s didn’t just go orange. They went explosively radioactive orange. Continue reading →

Posted by dan g.. Categories: Reviews. Tags: 8 rating, kelloggs, non cereal, pop-tarts. 3 Comments

May. ’16

Review: Kellogg’s Frosted A&W Root Beer Pop-Tarts

I’m glad I’m finally mature and intelligent enough to eat Kellogg’s new “Soda-Licious” A&W Root Beer Pop-Tarts.

Back when I was a kid, I never drank root beer without parental supervision. See, opening the fridge and seeing the word “beer” would immediately fill me with fear that I’d get clobbered for having accidentally sipped some forbidden alcoholic elixir.

Of course, I can laugh at my childhood illiteracy now, just like how I laugh at my dumb childhood self for eating the brown paper layers on Reese’s Cups. I didn’t know they were there, I swear!

Now it’s time to redeem myself by eating far too many artificially root beer-flavored, frosted and sprinkled sugar rectangles. Because everyone knows the best kind of redemption ends in a shameful food coma. Continue reading →

Posted by dan g.. Categories: Reviews. Tags: 7 rating, kelloggs, non cereal, pop-tarts. Leave a comment

May. ’16

News: Raisin Bran Granola and Patriotic Rice Krispies Coming Soon from Kellogg’s!

Image via Kellogg

(UPDATE: My review of Raisin Bran Raisin & Honey Granola can be found here!)

Oh say can you Krispie?

In a new product announcement this week, Kellogg’s provided a sneak peek at three upcoming breakfast foodstuffs of particular interest to this blog.

First is the above pair of Raisin Bran granola flavors. Sure, Raisin Bran Crunch may already have succulent honey granola clusters, but now we get a whole bag of them. Although the granolas will apparently include puffed rice and crispy bran flakes, too, I like to imagine a far off factory where existing Raisin Bran Crunch has its raisin and granola filtered out, leaving behind mounds of unwanted bran flakes that are ultimately used as housing for displaced woodland creatures.

The other, Cranberry Almond, appears to play off the dubious success of Kellogg’s Raisin Bran with Cranberries cereal. While this is all well and good for bran ‘n’ cran fans, I personally wish we’d get the return of my long lost Cinnamon Almond Raisin Bran instead.

Image via Kellogg

The next announce product was Red & Blue Rice Krispies. Nothing revolutionary flavor-wise, but the bizarre box art of Snap, Crackle, and Pop in full Independence Day gear is compelling enough to make me want it.

From Snap, who looks like your NASCAR-obsessed uncle, to Crackle, who is showing much more arm than usual, all the way to Pop and his gravity-defying hat, this box art belongs in a post-modern art gallery with some pretentious name like “Americana Marshmallow-topia.”

Image via Kellogg

Finally, we have the return of two new “Soda-Mazing” Pop-Tarts we already knew about. A&W Root Beer and Orange Crush promise plenty of classic soda flavor in sugary goo stuffed rectangular pastries. Since these flavors are so exciting, I’m willing to forgive Kellogg’s for not using the real term for the drinks. “Pop Pop-Tarts” has a much better ring to it, and for all doubting the legitimacy my midwestern slang, I ask you this question: they’re not called Snap, Crackle, and Soda, are they?

No word on exact release dates for any of these products, but feel free to discuss which ones you’re excited about in the comments below.

Oh, and one more question, Kellogg’s: how about those Caramel Apple Pop-Tarts?

Posted by dan g.. Categories: News. Tags: kelloggs, news, pop-tarts, raisin bran, rice krispies. 3 Comments