Today we wade back into the mysterious world of pumpkin-flavored treats. Specifically, we’re trying out Pepperidge Farm’s Pumpkin Cheesecake cookies. (Don’t worry; we will get to pumpkin-flavored beer before the month is out.)
Pepperidge Farm seems to have a real cachet among cookie lovers. It’s true that their cookies are unusually flavorful and rich, which is reflected in the fat and calorie count. (For example, just one of these cookies will deliver 13% of your daily required fat.) (I’ll also note here that loyal reader David W suggests that my scoring rubric should include calories per serving. This is a good idea that I will consider for next time.)
Anyway, today’s is another treat that isn’t distinctly marketed as a Halloween product, but rather evokes the general theme of fall. But given the explicit mention of pumpkin, I figure it qualifies for this project. So, with no further ado, on to the review.
- Packaging. In keeping with the fall theme, the package is decorated with autumn leaves, and orange highlights are used to highlight the term “soft baked.” This is perfectly fine for an autumn-themed treat. But this blog wants to see at least some acknowledgement of Halloween. Like would a simple, uncarved pumpkin be too much to ask? Now, to be fair, there is a pumpkin on the side panel, where the key ingredients (“real pumpkin, brown sugar, cage-free eggs”) are mentioned. So I’ll give it a point.
2. Appearance of the Treat. Pepperidge Farm really knows how to dress up a cookie. Like their Chessmen cookies, or their Mint Milanos, or their Brussels. These are all works of art.
…And then there’ the Pumpkin Cheesecake cookie.
I understand the appeal of “soft baked,” but this cookie has all the character and appeal of a flat tire. The moist, not-quite-baked surface of this cookie adhered to its neighbor in the bag, and took a bit along with it on the way out. The whole cookie sags under its own weight as you raise it to your mouth. And what’s with these mystery chunks erupting here and there from the soft dough? They look like macadamia nuts, but there’s no mention of them in the ingredients list (see below). Are they accidental? Are they an amalgam of the other ingredients? Are they pumpkin nodules? Overall, this does not do a lot for me. No points.
3. Taste. The most I can say for these it that they’re inoffensive. But so are freshly-laundered socks, and I wouldn’t eat them for a Halloween treat. These cookies have a distinct pumpkin flavor on the finish, but you notice it only after working through some bland, doughy chewing. The truth is, these are a disappointment. Your mouth and stomach register that you’ve just consumed a lot of fat, but your taste buds are left wondering what all the fuss is about. They’re the soft-baked version of hard tack. 1 point.
4. Value. You get 8 cookies of approximately 1 ounce each for $3.89. That works out to about 50 cents per cookie (or twice the cost of a Pop-Tart). But the larger consideration here is that you wouldn’t really want to eat these, so they really aren’t a value at any price. No points.
Steve’s Sweetoberfest Score: 2 out of 12 points, which makes it a disappointing TRICK.
Chasing Phantoms 