REVIEW: Klondike Cookies & Cream Kandy Bars

Time and time again we walked past these new Klondike Kandy Bars before finally giving in and picking up a box of four. At only 190 calories, these would serve as nice option for curbing a sweets craving, but the elongated description of the Cookies & Cream version we chose served as some reason to worry: artificially flavored vanilla light ice cream with dark chocolate crunch pieces topped with chocolate fudge, in a white chocolate flavored coating with dark chocolate crunch. Any item involving the terms "artificial" and "light" typically already start out at a disadvantage. While the differing textures of the crunchy, white chocolate coating, the soft, quick melting ice cream inside and the thin layer of chocolate fudge were nicely done, the low-calorie taste left us with little choice but to rank these even lower than average. Unless these are on sale or you're a dedicated fan to Klondike products, we'd suggest passing on the new Kandy Bar lineup.

Where I Found It: Walmart
Grade: D

REVIEW: Rocky Road Klondike Bars

After introducing Klondike Bars to the blog with some of their Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups variety, the bright red lettering advertising a new flavor caught my attention. This latest Rocky Road release features a chocolate and marshmallow flavored light ice cream and milk chocolate flavored coating with almonds. Even though these bars tend to be average at best, they’re still nice to have around for a quick ice cream fix, so I thought I’d give these new ones a more detailed analysis. Just like the others flavors, this purple box is filled with six individually wrapped ice cream bars; each clocking in at 230 calories.

Once the aluminum looking packaging is peeled off, the differences between this and their standard Klondike Bars are immediately evident. Unlike the usual smooth chocolate exterior, these Rocky Road editions have bits of almond incorporated directly into the outer coating. This light, crackly chocolate breaks at the slightest bit of pressure to uncover the two types of light ice cream hiding inside. The almonds are a nice touch to the outside and add a bit more taste and texture on top of the standard chocolate usually utilized.

With the bar split in half, the chocolate and marshmallow ice creams are easily distinguishable. Although the two flavors feel low in fat and melt at an above average rate, they combine to provide a pretty decent Rocky Road flavor when coupled with the thin outer coating. Even though this is just a slight twist on their standard ice cream bars, these are worth a try if you’re a fan of their regular fare. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend going out of your way to snag a box though; especially if you're partial to super-premium ice cream like me.

Where I Found It: Super Walmart
Grade: C

REVIEW: Reese's Peanut Butter Cups Klondike Bars

Whenever I’m browsing the freezer aisles at Wal-Mart, I always debate whether or not to pick up some of the various types of Klondike bars. It’s been ages since I’ve had one of these foil wrapped frozen treats and now they offer them in a variety of different flavors. Ranging from original to Oreo, Klondike takes flavored ice cream, usually low fat, and coats it with a thin, chocolate exterior. As I looked over the handful of options, I ended up walking out with the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup kind. These particular bars feature a Reese's peanut butter flavored light ice cream with Reese's peanut butter cups coated in milk chocolate flavored coating and came in a box of 6.

As I removed the first bar from the foil, I couldn’t help but notice that these were a lot thinner than I had originally anticipated. Even though they were skinny and featured a bunch of light, artificially flavored ingredients, they still managed to come in at 260 calories each. Like most other ice cream bars, this has a chocolate coating that provides a bit of crunch before it easily cracks away. The kicker of this coating comes from the peanut butter flavoring involved. The interior made of the Reese’s peanut butter flavored light ice cream melts away quickly and has much of the same characteristics of frozen dairy dessert, including the overly artificial taste.

The last component contained inside the chocolate comes from the bits of Reese’s peanut butter cups broken up within the ice cream. Flavors featuring peanut butter cups consistently rank among my favorite, so naturally I was most excited about this portion of the bar. Unfortunately, these “peanut butter cups” had been blended up so much that they were nearly non-existent. They failed to add anything notable at all. Despite the lack of actual peanut butter cups, the classic combination of peanut butter and chocolate were enough to salvage an average rating for the Reese’s Klondike.

Where I Found It: Wal-Mart
Grade: C