Caramel Apple Laffy Taffy

When I told you that this season belonged to the Caramel Apple flavor, I wasn't kidding!  As I write this, I have at least 4 new Caramel Apple products in my kitchen and we're only half-way through September.  Although Pumpkin Spice may be the unofficial flavor of Fall, there's no denying Caramel Apple is making a strong run at the title.  No matter what aisle you turn down, you're bound to find companies cashing in on Caramel Apple's popularity!

Limeade Oreo Cookies

Man, it's been quite a while since I last posted on The Holidaze.  I hate typing that sentence, because I feel like I've done it too often, but life always finds a way to distract me from the site.  Don't get me wrong, that's not necessarily a bad thing.  Although work has kept me busy, I also spent a beautiful week in sunny Las Vegas which provided me with at least one future entry.  While I may not have written on The Holidaze in over a month, I'm always looking for new things, products, and events to cover.  I just can't help myself.  This stuff makes me happy and even if I didn't have this small outlet to share my thoughts with all of you, I'd still be talking to myself about how great Halloween candy is.

My buddies at Nabisco are at it again and, yes, they're still out of their minds.  Say what you want - I've read the complaints - but I will never ever knock Nabisco for releasing these crazy, out-of-the-box, Oreo flavors.  As I've said before, there are many of you out there who can't stand the fact that these Oreo flavors exist, but I'm not one of them.  Whenever I review one of these new limited editions, I always thank Nabisco for ignoring the haters and continuing to impress me by going the extra mile.  When I judge a company, especially one that releases junk food, that's always one of my top criteria to go by.  By stocking shelves with Fruit Punch or Gingerbread Oreo cookies, Nabisco is only giving it's consumers more variety to choose from.  Some may love it, some may hate it, but why would anybody tell them to stop?  Nabisco has gone too far?  Oh no.. Nabisco has only just begun.  This time?

Limeade Oreo Cookies!!

When I first saw Limeade Oreos, the first thing that caught my eye was the bright, neon green color that popped off of the yellow packaging.  I don't know about you, but looking at that ice cold glass of Limeade makes me pretty damn thirsty.  I don't know why I'd think that an Oreo cookie would quench that thirst, but I have to assume it's thanks to Nabisco's genius marketing team.  When it comes to graphic and package design, they definitely do one hell of a job.

As for the cookies themselves, the green creme doesn't pop quite as much as the glass on the bag, but they're less pastel than I thought they'd be.  They're a beautiful color and given that green is my favorite color, I knew they were going to look pretty.  The fact that they remind me of Mutagen, Slimer and Ecto-Cooler is a great bonus.  Basically, regardless of their taste, I was going to be a fan of these Limeade Oreo cookies no matter what.  Based on appearance alone, they had already won my heart.

If you're familiar with similar limited edition Oreos, or if you've read any of my reviews, you already know that the creme center is a different texture that the traditional variety.  It's much creamier and less like frosting.  I think, in the case of these flavors, that's the way to go.  I believe that by reserving that frosty creme center for the chocolate and golden Oreo cookies, Nabisco separates their limited edition flavors from what we all know and love.  I take these varieties for what they are and don't attempt to compare them to anything else.  Each and every edition stands alone as an individual cookie and, unlike the classics, don't bring back any nostalgic memories.  However, with every release, these limited edition flavors do their best to create new memories and attach themselves to the seasons in which they were released.  Personally, that's my favorite part.  Candy Corn Oreos have become a new Halloween tradition and, now, Limeade Oreo cookies may very well become one for the Summer.

So, how do they taste?  Well they're not too far from the Fruit Punch Oreo cookies, but not quite as delicious.  However, with that said, these are absolutely incredible in their own right.  Limeade Oreos find the perfect line between sweet and sour.  Much like actual Limeade, there are multiple layers to the cookies' flavor and I was surprised by that.  To be honest, I didn't expect much more than a re-dyed Lemon Twist Oreo cookie in an attempt to quickly cash in on schmucks like me.  But I was happy to discover that these are completely original and insanely good.  I'd offer you one, but this bag is long gone by now.

I absolutely recommend these Limeade Oreo cookies to any of you who actually enjoy these limited edition Oreos.  I know there are many of you who want to see the madness come to an end, but I ask all of you to go out and pick up a bag.  One, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised and, two, Nabisco will make a lot of money and keep these crazy flavors coming for me to review.  In the end, it's a win-win.  For now, here's lime-shaped creme to make you smile :)

P.S. I'll be doing my best to keep The Holidaze updated as much as possible as we enter the latter half of Summer and prepare for.. dun dun DUN... September! Bwahaha!

Marshmallow Crispy Oreo Cookies

Back again with part two of the new limited-edition Oreo flavor reviews.  Hopefully you enjoyed reading all about the Cookie Dough Oreo cookies because we're about to see how they match up against the new Marshmallow Crispy Oreo cookies.  When I first read about these, I overlooked the flavor name and thought they were "marshmallow" flavored.  That didn't entice me at all because I'm not a fan of marshmallows and usually only have them in the house when we're making marshmallow treats.  Well, what a perfect segue way, because that's exactly what these Oreo cookies really are.  There's a huge difference between "marshmallow" and "marshmallow crispy."  Once I actually took the time and paid attention to the name, I was pretty pumped for these, even more so than the Cookie Dough Oreos!

It wasn't even the name that turned my thoughts around, but that giant marshmallow treat in the background.  As soon as I saw that, I knew what these were supposed to be.  That's proper usage of graphic design and I appreciate that Nabisco went two different routes for two very different flavors.  While Cookie Dough was a chocolate cookie in a blue bag, Crispy Marshmallow is a golden cookie in a yellow bag.  I think that's the appropriate route for each respective flavor because the opposite just wouldn't work.  Besides, I personally like the traditional Golden Oreo cookies better, so this one raised my hopes pretty high.  Are they too high?  Will my expectations be met, exceeded, or will it all come dwindling down?

Open the bag and, whoa, these smell just like marshmallow treats.  Specifically, these smell like the pre-packaged Rice Krispie Treats that you can buy in stores.  That's exactly what I was hoping for so, already, we're going in the right direction.  The Cookie Dough Oreos started to fizzle as soon as we opened the bag and realized it wasn't living up to its name or the hype, but Marshmallow Crispy isn't disappointing, at least not yet, and that's a great sign for this limited-edition flavor.

The creme is thick and creamy, even more so than the Cookie Dough flavor or any other limited-edition that I can remember.  I'm not sure what those tiny pieces in the mix are supposed to be, but there are more than enough of them.  Are they pieces of marshmallow treats?  Are the Rice Krispies?  The bag doesn't state one way or the other, but I can only assume that they're supposed to make this cookie taste more like "Marshmallow Crispy" treats.  Let's find out!

The entire cookie practically falls apart when you bite into it, and I guess that's because there's so much creme, but the amount of creme really doesn't matter because this is a far stretch from a marshmallow treat.  This tastes like nothing more than a basic Golden Oreo cookie.  I mean, maybe you get little hints of marshmallow treats here and there, but that may just be me making things up in my head to justify this purchase.  Those little pieces in the center aren't even anything special, they're just tiny chunks of Golden Oreo cookies.  Even as somebody who isn't a fan of marshmallows, I would have hoped and expected for more of a marshmallow taste than this.  It just doesn't work.

Because I recommend purchasing every and all limited-edition Oreo cookies, just so they'll keep making more, I'm going to do the same for this one.  However, I think you'll agree that there's nothing special aside from the packaging and smell.  After that, it's just the same old cookie you could buy all year-round.  It's disappointing because I had such high hopes for each of these cookie flavors, but neither blew me away.  If I had to pick one over the other, Cookie Dough easily wins in terms of difference and novelty.  But in terms of flavor, I'm still picking Marshmallow Crispy Oreos just because I'd see myself eating more of these in the long run.

I'm sure we'll see more limited-edition Oreo cookies in the near future, and even when they're disappointing, that's never a bad thing.  I love the thrill of searching and finally finding these flavors.  I love the excitement that comes with tasting these and sharing my thoughts with all of you.  Whether they're a hit or a miss, I appreciate Nabisco trying new things with their famous brand of Oreo cookies and attempting to give us all something we never expected.  So, good or bad, keep 'em coming because, like it or not, I'm going to keep on buying.

Cookie Dough Oreo Cookies

Oreo is at it again!  Just when you think M&M's are taking the lead in the "who-can-release-more-flavors" competition, Oreo bounces back with two new limited-editions that have garnered national media attention.  We've talked about Candy Corn, Candy Cane, Watermelon, Lemon Twist, and Creamsicle Oreo flavors and, In addition, there's the elusive Gingerbread Oreo edition that's managed to stay hidden from The Holidaze.  But for Nabisco, they just weren't enough.  No, this time, they've packed shelves with Cookie Dough and Marshmallow Crispy flavors and today, we take a look at the former!

Of course, if you know me, the package art is going to attract my attention and, again, Oreo doesn't disappoint.  In recent releases, the majority of the limited-edition cookies were wrapped in a yellow, resealable bag.  I guess that added a bit more to the specialty of the release, but neither of the new flavors were given that treatment.  Instead, for the Cookie Dough flavor, we have a traditionally blue bag with perfect graphics.

Now, being the way I am, I might have designed this differently.  I might have come up with a brown bag and really focused on the cookie dough colors, similar to what I did with the banner up top, because I'm a stickler.  I tend to go all out in terms of change, but sometimes that isn't always a good thing.  Oreo is known for it's cookie, it's creme, and it's blue bag.  All three of them are equally as famous and, really, you don't have to change a lot to make consumers say wow.  In my opinion, it's always better to go the extra mile, but that tends to apply more to holidays than your regular, out-of-the-blue, limited editions.  So, in this case, Nabisco designed everything just right.  The giant ball of cookie dough and digital chocolate chips let you know exactly what you're getting and just how special this edition is.  It doesn't take much, but it's more than enough.

Upon opening the bag, the smell is strong!  I wouldn't say that it smells like Cookie Dough, but rather that of Chocolate Teddy Grahams.  It's an overwhelming scent of chocolate that doesn't come in your classic bag of Oreo cookies.  It's great, and they look good, too.  The brown creme, which actually does look like Cookie Dough, is about as appealing as it is appetizing.  That's a good thing because I thought it might be a turn off once I saw the real thing, but nope, they look delicious.

Every Oreo deserves a good twist!  When you separate the two cookie pieces to reveal the center creme, it's a bit of a disappointment.  I'm not going to cry over it, but I expected to see more chocolate chips in the mix.  The graphic on the bag implies that there will be plenty in every cookie, but that really isn't the case.  There's maybe one or two spread throughout the creme, but it's definitely not a deal breaker.  Like everything, it all comes down to flavor and if that scent is any indication, we're in for a treat!

The first thing you'll notice, as is common with many of the limited edition flavors, is the difference in creme texture.  Compared to the traditional Oreo cookies, these are much creamier and taste less like icing than the classic white creme.  I think that's a good thing for these and all other limited edition Oreo cookies.  It separates themselves from the legend and doesn't try to be something that it isn't.  It stands alone and lets consumers know that this is different and isn't supposed to be what you're used to.  You need that open mind going in because, if you expect an Oreo cookie, you're going to be disappointed.

In the case of Cookie Dough Oreo Cookies, it's hard to pin point a flavor.  Do they taste like Cookie Dough?  Ehh.. Yes and no.  I definitely taste hints of Cookie Dough and it reminds me of what I'd find in Cookie Dough Ice Cream which is awesome, but there are a few other tastes that come into play.  After the first bite, I instantly thought of Coffee.  I'm no expert, so I don't know if it's an undertone or overtone, but it's definitely there and it tastes great.  It may not be the flavor I was expecting, but it works well with the chocolate and cookie dough flavor.  On top of that, they taste a lot like regular Chocolate Chip Cookies.  Again, that's great.  It's another flavor that works well with everything else and makes this cookie what it is.

It's hard to call this a Cookie Dough cookie because my taste buds are picking up on so many different things, but the name certainly isn't a stretch of the imagination and it tastes great.  If I had to describe this to you without knowing what it's supposed to be, I would have called it Double Chocolate or Chocolate Coffee.  I don't know if Cookie Dough would have been on the top of my list, but knowing what it's supposed to be, I can definitely pick up on that and tell you that it's close enough to at least be compared to the ice cream.  Regardless of what I taste or what it is, I like them a lot and definitely recommend them.

Check back later for the next flavor review - Marshmallow Crispy Oreo!

Cherry Valentines Day M&M's

If there's one brand of candy that you can count on during the holiday seasons, it's M&M's.  The funny part is I'm not even a big fan of M&M's candy, but can't resist the various flavors that hit the shelves every few months.  Even if it's a taste that I'm not necessarily fond of, I pick up a bag and waste my money anyway, just to say I tried them.  Seriously, 95% of the bag sits there in my kitchen or in a bowl and never gets touched.  Once they're photographed and tasted for The Holidaze, they've served their purpose and can rest in peace.

Unlike many of the limited-editions I buy, Cherry M&M's was one that actually interested me.  It's rare that cherry and chocolate don't work out well together, so I assumed this would be a hit.  The package design, like all varieties of M&M's, is superb.  There's are friend Red again, sporting a bow tie and jacket, bringing you a big box of chocolates and two giant cherries.  Not sure what they represent, but my dirty mind thinks something other than these M&M's.  I mean, just look at the grin on his face - he's got something up his sleeve as he prepares for the big night.

To nobody's surprise, the Cherry M&M's are red and dark red.  We'll call it maroon to avoid any confusion, but the two colors are more than appropriate for the season and flavor.  I would have accepted green to represent the cherry stem, but then you're entering Christmas territory and this separates itself from the rest and symbolizes Valentine's Day as it should.  Besides the color, the smell is overwhelming.  I've review a few of these holiday bags over the years and, without a doubt, this was the strongest scent to fly out from the bag since I started.  It's sweet, strong and seductive.  Okay, maybe not seductive, but I needed a third "S" word to make that sound better.  Smelly would have been a turn off.

The inside is traditionally chocolate with a hint of cherry.  Actually, scratch that, a hint is undermining the amount of impact that this cherry flavor brings.  It's a smack in the face and that will lead to differing opinions.  I've had a few people give this bag a taste test and, so far, the reviews are mixed.  Even my own opinion isn't official yet.  I've had at least 6 since I opened the bag and I can't figure out if I like them or not.  One second I love them, but the next I can't stand them.  If that doesn't sum up Valentine's Day, then what else does?  But seriously, when it's good, I get a taste of Cherry Tootsie Pops which is awesome.  But, when it's bad, it's more like Cherry Nyquil and that isn't so great.  So this one is a bit up in the air and I think the only way to get a true review is for you to make the decision yourself.  I do recommend the Cherry M&M's, at least to try during this season, but I can't promise that you'll like them.

Here's another heart made from Cherry M&M's.  Because I go from having no time to having too much time on my hands.

Check back later today for another batch of M&M's - Red Velvet!

Candy Corn Oreo Cookies

Here they are!! Finally, I found the Candy Corn Oreo Cookies!  I've never seen a cookie get so much attention in my life.  It was first brought to my attention on Twitter by @mcel33, then I saw it was trending, then I saw it on the news.  I couldn't believe an Oreo cookie was getting this much coverage, but it was great to see that many people in a pure "Holidaze."  See, when I talk about the "Holidaze," this is what I mean.  Millions of people getting caught up in the season and the hype of Candy Corn flavored Oreo Cookies!  Are they important? No.  Can we live without them? Yes.  But, do we want to?  No freakin' way!  We're in a 'daze and it's all thanks to Candy Corn Oreo Cookies.  Let's get into it!

The graphics on the bag are awesome.  First off, I love that the bag is yellow.  That's pretty custom with Golden Oreo Cookies, so it's not all that out of the ordinary, but I love the fact that this limited edition isn't blue and completely wraps these cookies in the spirit of Fall.  

Next, we have the Candy Corn pieces, big and small, randomly splashed across the front!  It's like a big smack in the face!  And that's fitting because Candy Corn flavored cookies are so unexpected.  This came so far out from left field that I feel like I've been sucker punched with excessive amounts of sugar!  But is there any better type of surprise you'd want around Halloween?  I don't think so!

I'm pretty sure Nabisco knew this Candy Corn edition was going to be huge because of the type of bag the cookies come in.  I've never seen a double-sided Oreo bag that you could reseal after you've opened it!  This is the real deal.  Nabisco went all out and I love it.  Whenever a company makes changes to their products, branding, or labels, I get pumped.  I love art and graphic design so much that I truly appreciate the creativity.  This bag means that someone, somewhere, took attention to detail.  Give that guy or girl a raise!  They struck white, orange, and gold with this one!

Before I get into the taste, let's talk about the best part about this limited edition.  The first thing that hits you, as soon as you open the bag, is the smell!  Whoa.. This may explain why the bag was made the way it is.  I think it was designed to trap in as much of the aroma as possible because the scent comes flying out from the bag so strong that you feel like you're in Willy Wonka's Haunted Chocolate Factory.  It's amazing.  If it's still warm where you live, or if you've yet to embrace the Fall, I can bet that all changes as soon as you open this bag.  All of a sudden, an 80 degree day feels like 60 and those green leaves seem a bit more brown.  It may be in my head, but I blame it on the Oreo Impact.

After you smell the cookies, take a look at them.  They're basically the Golden Oreo Cookies, but with Candy Corn flavored orange and yellow creme.  Looking at my photo, you might think they're tiny cheese sandwiches or mini Ritz Crackers, but nope, those are Candy Corn Oreo Cookies!  Can you believe it?

Ahhhh.. So awesome!  Everything about it screams Fall, Halloween, cold weather and, of course, Candy Corn.  Now, on to the flavor..

I actually like Candy Corn, so I was expecting to enjoy these either way.  I know a lot of people don't enjoy the texture of Candy Corn pieces.  They're kind of chewy, feel a little bit like plastic, and I get that.  I'm one of the pickiest eaters on Earth so I understand where people are coming from.  But, while it may be a rarity, I have no problem with Candy Corn, but would never eat them outside of the Fall months.  If you're eating Candy Corn in July, then you might have a problem.

So how are these Candy Corn Oreo Cookies??  They're...Amazing!!  I'll admit, they don't really taste like Candy Corn, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.  They taste a lot like the Golden Oreo's, with just a slight hint of Candy Corn.  It's just enough to make Candy Corn lovers and haters come together and agree that this is the perfect cookie for Fall.  Actually, this IS Fall's cookie.  I can't see any other company topping this one.  Nabisco hit a home run in every aspect of this product.  They promoted it well, they got it trending, the PR got it on national news, they have an exclusive deal with Target, the graphics are perfect, and it tastes great.  

Kraft, Nabisco, Oreo.. whoever.. they knocked this one right out of the park!  BUT, if there was anything else I could add just to make the creme look more like Candy Corn, I'd include a white strip down the middle.  It doesn't need it, but I wanted to show you what it would look like, anyway.

These cookies weren't easy to find, so if you're looking for them, you might have to travel outside of your area.  Because they're a Target exclusive, this won't be easy for everybody, especially with all the hype.  But they're definitely worth looking for! 

Apple Pie Pop Tarts

Because I only like a few flavors, particularly the Frosted Strawberry and Chocolate Chip, I don't purchase many boxes of Pop Tarts throughout the year.  I have to really be in the mood for them or extremely hungry as I'm walking the aisles.  But, whenever I see a new or Limited Edition flavor, you can pretty much bet I'll give it a shot, especially when they're holiday related.  So, of course, when I saw these Apple Pie Pop Tarts, I had to have them.

I'm pretty sure Kellogg's used to make Apple Strudel Pop Tarts and, if I'm right, I believe there were pretty much the same thing as the new Frosted American Apple Pie Pop Tarts.  But that's not why I bought them, anyway.  I bought these because of the box design.  More specifically, I bought these because of that American Flag flying in the right-hand corner.  I would have liked to see that red one dressed in American colors, too, but that one is just about all it takes for me to waste my money.  But with the Fourth of July just days away, I thought it was fitting for the Holidaze.

There's probably nothing more American than apple pie, baseball, and fireworks on the Fourth of July.  Through those things, we get to celebrate our freedom and take a break from the stress of everyday life and enjoy the rare simplicity of life.  That's what's so great about a box of Pop Tarts. 

I think I've mentioned this here before, but I don't toast Pop Tarts, I microwave them.  I like them softer and obviously don't mind burning my tongue with scolding hot filling.  As you can see above, it looks like Apple Pie.  More importantly, it tastes like Apple Pie.  These are actually some of the better flavors I've had in a while.  They're almost good enough to have on Thanksgiving, but not quite.  I'd say give them a shot, though.  I think you'll like them.

One thing I will say about these Frosted American Apple Pie Pop Tarts is that they're not fun.  There's nothing fun about the box or design.  The excitement level is so low that I couldn't even come up with anything witty to say in this post.  Not that I usually do anyway.  But just look at the back of the box.  They wrote facts about apples.  Really?  What kid wants to sit down at the breakfast table and read about apples?  Do they really think some kid is going to go to school and tell all their friends that China is now the number one apple producer in the world and not the United States?  Actually, I didn't know that.  Why the hell are they symbols of Americana then?  That explains the red flag next to the American flag on that box.  Oh boy, enjoy your Frosted Chinese Apple Pie Pop Tarts.

Creamsicle Oreo Cookies

First off, Happy Fathers Day to all the Dads out there, especially my own.  I'm sure he'll be proud to know I honored him in an entry about cookies.  Especially when he finds out that the cookies got more attention.

Now, One of the most popular of all my posts have been those focused on Oreo Cookies.  Those posts have received the most views since I began The Holidaze and rightfully so.  While, in my opinion, chocolate chip cookies hold the number one spot in the world of cookies, there's no doubt that Oreo Cookies hold their own.  I don't think there is a treat on earth that goes better with milk and that's probably why this classic cookie has stood the test of time.  Plus, who doesn't love twisting off the two sides?  I always play a game in my mind.  If the cream doesn't stay intact one side, and one side only, then I lose.  It's the little things, really..

Lately, Nabisco have been releasing a great variety of limited edition Oreo Cookies and I've been snatching them up as soon as I find them.  So far, I've picked up four bags which will all be covered on The Holidaze over the next few days and weeks.  But to begin, we're kicking off with the limited edition Creamsicle Oreo Cookies.  They're the first ones I found, so they're the first ones I'll discuss.

I'm a big fan of the golden Oreo Cookies and, more times than not, I'll take them over the chocolate variety any day of the week.  That made this edition more exciting.  However, I'm not the biggest Creamsicle fan.  But honestly, that didn't matter because I had to give these a shot.

In the photo above, you can't tell that these cookies are any different than the traditional golden Oreo Cookies.  But, twist them and..

Boom! There we go.  That is what I was looking for.  That half orange, half creme design screams Summer.  It reminds me of the orangeade I used to get down the shore when I was a kid.  If you've ever been to Pt. Pleasant, NJ, then this should immediately bring Kohrs ice cream to mind.  What's better than a swirled cone on the boardwalk in 90 degree heat?  It's perfect.  I know Creamsicle wants you to think of them, but they come in third.  Luckily for them, the flavor is on point and represents them well.  But, like I said, I'm not all that fond of Creamsicles to begin with.  That doesn't mean these cookies are bad by any means.  These are very good and if you're a fan of Creamsicle, then you have no other choice than to pick these up and chomp into Summer.  If you're not a fan, that's okay, too.  We have three more bags to review and, in due time, we will.

By the way, did you notice I didn't manage to keep the cream on one side for all three cookies?  I hate losing, even if it's only in my head and means absolutely nothing.  Oh well, two outta three aint bad ;)