UPDATE: Even if my review didn't convince you to stay away from these, you might want to avoid them due to a safety recall! (http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm536055.htm)
It appears that the culinary wizards at Hostess barely had time to clear their factory of all the pumpkin-spiced desserts we've been subjected to for the past several months before they were tasked with creating a new treat for December.
Now, if you asked me what flavors I associate with Christmastime, my list would include egg nog, peppermint candy canes, Almond Roca, that hard ribbon candy from my grandmother's house, and the butter rum (or tropical fruit) Life Savers that were part of the sweet storybook my parents placed in my stocking. Almond Roca has, so far, refused to debase itself by becoming an Oreo cookie flavor. Ribbon candy is better left alone...very alone...and Life Savers long ago swapped out the most interesting flavors in its storybook. And as much as I would have enjoyed an egg nog -flavored Twinkie, I admit I may be alone in that regard.
That leaves peppermint--a strong flavor that seems better suited for ice cream than a creme-filled snack cake. Unfortunately, as with some of the recent limited edition snacks, Hostess has wimped out by not fully embracing the flavor. Neither the sponge cake nor the creme filling have any hint of peppermint. The Twinkies are covered in a thin layer of white chocolate, similar to the chocolate-covered Twinkies (aka Choco-diles), and mixed into the frosting are tiny red bits of peppermint. At least, I think that's what they are. They are so small that it's hard to tell, and "peppermint" is not listed as an ingredient, so...
These Twinkies are not bad, and are probably just perfect for those people who think a little peppermint flavor goes a long way. I was hoping for something more bold. You would probably get a better experience if you just pierced a regular Twinkie with a candy cane...
RATING: 3/5
