Jolly Rancher Caramel Apple Lollipops

Well, it's been a while and I don't like that.  I recently started a new job and that's great news, but it requires so much time and effort that I now find myself in bed by 10pm every night.  That leaves very little time for The Holidaze and, personally, my Halloween season is taking a big hit.  But that doesn't mean the season is dead, that just means I have to go about things differently.  While I may not be able to post as often, I'll still do my best to make the most out of the spooky time of year and share those experiences with all of you.  To make somewhat of a comeback, I bring to you a product I've yet to see on any other blogs..

Jolly Rancher Caramel Apple Lollipops!

My very first Holidaze post focused on Caramel Apple Lollipops.  It featured the classic pops from Tootsie that we've all seen on store shelves.  They used to be a seasonal item, but now you'll find them throughout the entire year.  They're good!  They're green apple flavored with chewy caramel.  9 times outta 10, that equals delicious.  But if I'm being honest, the only reason that was my first post was because it was 9/10/11 and hardly any Halloween products were available.  Yet, I was too excited to start writing and I picked up the first thing I could relate to the season.  Hence, a star was born.  But today, as I tell you about JOLLY RANCHER Caramel Apple Lollipops, it has nothing to do with desperation or needing a filler.  No, these popped out at me and screamed Fall.  Now, if only the weather would be so cooperative.

When I was a kid, my cousin and I used to buy 5 cent Jolly Ranchers all the time.  We loved them.  I used to buy the hard-candy packs and suck on them instead of Halls cough drops when I was sick.  It did nothing to help my cold, but did wonders for the taste buds.  It was like eating Luden's in school.  We all know it was candy we could eat in class and get away with.  I tried doing the same with Jolly Ranchers and my favorite was always Green Apple.  The Watermelon flavor comes in close behind in second, but gets slightly edged out.  So when I saw that my favorite flavor was being combined with the taste of caramel to create an upgraded Caramel Apple Lollipop??  It was on like Donkey Kong.

In terms of packaging, I like these wrappers a lot.  The design doesn't represent Halloween, but it's really not supposed to.  Over the years, thanks to places like Starbucks and Yankee Candle, seasonal products have grown from spooky skulls and Snickers to Pumpkin Spice and Caramel Apple.  Now, as consumers, we get the best of both worlds and, for me, that's what makes Fall the greatest season of all.  Besides the obvious colors, that's what this wrapper symbolizes.

When you compare the way these Jolly Rancher Lollipops look next to the Tootsie variety, there's no contest.  Jolly Rancher wins, hands down.  Unlike the Tootsie Pop, this actually has a shape, size, and texture.  It has a real appearance and isn't just a big blob of candy thrown on a stick.  I know that doesn't seem very important, but I like the extra attention to detail.  These stand out as classics and remind me of when I was a kid and chomped down on cheap Cherry lollipops from the dollar store.  Besides that, I like to think Sam from "Trick R Treat" would use this a substitute if he ever discarded his Pumpkin Sucker.  It looks that cool.

What can I say about flavor?  Well, let me put it this way -- I opened this Caramel Apple Lollipop to try and throw away.  Before I realized it, the entire pop was gone.  It's delicious and, unfortunately for Tootsie, this could put their lollipops out of business.  There's a new hot shot in town and he's sponsored by Jolly Rancher.  With this lollipop, it's completely hard candy.  There's no chewiness or stickiness.  There are no fillings.  It's just a traditional lollipop with two contrasting flavors that work perfectly together.  One second you're tasting the Green Apple Jolly Rancher, then the next you're tasting a Sugar Daddy.  It's a whirlwind of flavor and taste that makes for an awesome Fall treat.  For some reason, these are either underrated or unheard of, but I've only seen them at Rite-Aid and they deserve a chance to shine!

I knew Sam would like the Jolly Rancher Caramel Apple Lollipops!!  They're perfect for Trick R Treating!