Pretzel twists are really having a moment, and, personally, I’m giving full credit to Dot’s, the small South Dakota brand that makes seasoned pretzels so delicious that I will happily spend $8 on a bag (GROCERY PRICES HAVEN’T GONE DOWN, GUYS). But Dot’s isn’t the only company making flavor-blasted twists. Rold Gold just released two new seasoned twists: Rold Gold Cool Ranch Pretzels and Flamin’ Hot Honey Mustard Pretzels. Much like Dot’s, they come in a resealable bag. We broke ‘em open to find out whether they deserve a spot in your pretzel pantry.
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Pros: Holy miss moly. If you thought Cool Ranch seasoning was zesty on a corn chip, wait till you taste it on a pretzel. The pretzels themselves are fine. They have a little bit of the buttery flavor that Dot’s popularized and Stellar built on (you know, the Maui onion pretzels from Southwest flights?), but it’s pretty mellow. That buttery flavor goes very nicely with the buttermilk powder in the Cool Ranch seasoning. It creates a really creamy effect that settles on your tongue. You get all of those Cool Ranch herbs right up front and then creaminess on the finish. How nice.
Cons: I’m just gonna say it: Cool Ranch pretzels don’t hit quite as hard as Cool Ranch Doritos. But if you really love pretzels, hey, you may prefer these!
Rating:
8.5/10
Sporks
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Rold Gold Selects Pretzel Twists Flamin’ Hot Honey Mustard
Pros: The heat is no joke here. Wow. I have this embarrassing problem where spicy foods occasionally make me hiccup—and these made me feel like hiccups were coming on. Still, in terms of flavor, they’re definitely more honey mustard than Flamin’ Hot—they don’t have that citric acid tang.
Cons: I could see these not being enough like other Flamin’ Hot-flavored snacks for some folks. Don’t expect these to taste like Flamin’ Hot Cheetos and you won’t be disappointed. They’re definitely their own thing.
Gwynedd Stuart, Sporked’s managing editor, is an L.A.-based writer and editor who spends way, way too much time at the grocery store. She’s never met an Old El Paso taco or mozzarella stick she didn’t like.
Thoughts? Questions? Complete disagreement? Leave a comment!
Thoughts? Questions? Complete disagreement? Leave a comment!