NONNI’S PUMPKIN SPICE BISCOTTI

Welcome to day 20 of Tag Sale Tastes’ Pumpkinpalooza 2020!

Today’s offering is Nonni’s Pumpkin Spice Biscotti — something to dunk in your PSL:

The package has a maple leaf, a perfectly round pumpkin, cinnamon sticks, and spices:

But I gotta call a double grammar foul — “These delicious Pumpkin Spice Biscotti dipped in a gourmet cinnamon icing is a treat that will sure to please.”  Can you spot the two errors?  Anyway, the box promises that “just one taste and you will understand that NOBODY TREATS YOU LIKE NONNI’S!”  

The ingredient list offers hope and includes pumpkin, cinnamon, and spices:

Each biscotti comes wrapped in its own body bag:

Let’s unwrap one for a closer look:
So far so good, but look what’s hiding underneath — the dreaded confectionery coating:

The biscotti themselves were fine — crunchy, lightly spiced — they tasted like gingerbread to me.  But that coating was blech.  It was overly sweet and waxy, and the beige color exacerbated the problem.  When it comes to cookies, if you’re not going to dip them in chocolate, then don’t dip them in anything.  In fact, Nonni’s makes an Almond Dark Chocolate variety, sold by the bucket at Costco (everything’s better by the bucket, right?), that are great:

To be honest, I didn’t love these pumpkin spice biscotti.  I didn’t hate them, but after trying one, I didn’t want any more.  But my husband liked them, so I guess it’s just a matter of personal preference.  I prefer chocolate.

Rating:  3 pumpkins (out of 5)

KODIAK CAKES PUMPKIN FLAX FLAPJACK & WAFFLE MIX

Welcome to day 19 of Tag Sale Tastes’ Pumpkinpalooza 2020!

Today we’ll take a look at superfood-packed Kodiak Cakes Pumpkin Flax Flapjack & Waffle Mix:

This is no-nonsense stuff — no pumpkins, leaves, acorns — harkening back to the days when “lumberjacks and pioneers relied on food packed with proteins and essential nutrients from whole grains to get them through long days on the frontier”:

The ingredient list is indeed lean and clean, and includes pumpkin powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and allspice — impressively pumpkin spice-y:

Part of every purchase is donated to foundations protecting grizzly bears and other wildlife habitats:

I ignored the instructions for making flapjacks and waffles:

And skipped over to the directions for making Superfood Pumpkin Muffins:

The batter mixed up easily:

And filled 12 muffin cups:

They baked up nicely and my kitchen smelled like autumn while they were baking:

Check ’em out:

I liked these little muffins.  They’re sweet and spicy, easy to make, and the chocolate chips are a nice bonus.  These muffins make a nice fall breakfast treat.  I won’t go so far as to say they’ll get you through a long day on the frontier, but for a quiet minute or two, you can have your own little pumpkin spice party.

Rating:  4-1/2 pumpkins (out of 5)