Aldi Fudge Covered Peppermint Creme Cookies (Benton’s) Review
Author’s Note: This is an unpaid (and unbiased) review. I don’t work for Aldi. These are my own weird little opinions. I have no affiliation with either Benton brand or Aldi.
They look like they live in a zip code I can’t afford.
You know that unmistakable, intoxicating aroma that wafts from a freshly opened package of Girl Scout Thin Mints? That smell you dream about all year? Welp. That’s what these cookies smell like.
It’s more than simply “peppermint.” I has to be. You know it is, because otherwise ANY peppermint-chocolate treat would excite you equally. And they don’t.
Anyway. These Fudge Covered Peppermint Cremes from Aldi are like Thin Mints that grew up, got a professional stylist, wear designer clothes, and drive a Ferrari. Or, perhaps they’re the billionaire boyfriend of your classic Thin Mints. The enhanced, sophisticated version of your childhood favorite. These are Thin Mints 8.0.
Shut up, and tell me what they taste like, you fool!
Ok, sorry. Basically, these are dark chocolate wafers, filled with soft peppermint creme, covered in fudge, and sprinkled with crunchy peppermint candy bits.
If you’ve been reading my reviews, you know I’m not a fan of overly sweet treats. I was bracing myself for a saccharine overload, but these are surprisingly demure little morsels. The flavors outshine the sugar. Mercifully.
These aren’t big cookies, but they are thiccc. I would describe the inner cookie wafers as ultra-dark cocoa flavor, with a pleasantly tender crunch. The wafers are crisp, without being “hard.” I love sinking my teeth into them. These treats are mega-chonky, and yet easy to bite. The layers hold together better than most marriages in America.
Although these are technically “cookies,” in some ways they’re more like “chocolates.” Some kind of fancy bon-bon, masquerading as a cookie. A complex, multi-layered confection. Transcendent cookies. Cookies that have reached a new level of consciousness and become superior beings. They look like they live in a zip code I can’t afford.
The peppermint creme filling
The minty creme inside is melty-smooth and luscious — without tasting too stiff or sugary. It has a lovely whipped texture. HOWEVER, it isn’t the flirty pastel pink color that the picture on the front of the box implies. My creme centers were just white.
But. There ARE little colorful, crunchy shards of peppermint candy mixed into the creme. Just not tons of them.
(Are you looking for another Aldi cookie with a beautiful creamy-soft center and a delightful flavor? Perhaps you will enjoy my review of the spiced Aldi Doppelino Speculoos Sandwich Biscuits, imported from Germany.)
The fudge coating
This is definitely “fudge,” and not merely a melted chocolate-bar coating. As good fudge should be, it is pleasantly soft, with a rich, flavorful taste. I live in Florida, so this fudge IS annoyingly melty at temps above 78 degrees.
But, since it is only 70 degrees in my house right now (brrr!), the fudge is appropriately firm and tidy. You northern folks may never know the struggle!
Colored with beet juice
I do really like the crisp peppermint candy confetti on top, although it doesn’t have as much flavor as the actual interior cookie. Mostly a sparkly garnish. It’s more aesthetic than tasty. I was stoked when I read the ingredients and saw that the red color is from Beet Juice instead of icky Red Dyes. More about the ingredients later.
Serving Aldi’s Fudge Covered Peppermint Cremes
For a party buffet (or even charcuterie board with a sweet category), these are fancy and festive additions. Because they are a deep, dark color, I like them paired next to a lighter cookie in a different shape, such as these delicate Butter Spekulatius (also from Aldi). On this plate I’ve added some Creative Snack Co. Strawberry Pretzels (from Costco — also colored with beet juice!), to echo the pink and red peppermint color sprinkled on the fudge.
Ingredients in Fudge Covered Peppermint Cremes from Aldi
Here are the ingredients, from the label:
- Sandwich Cookie (Sugar, Enriched Flour [Bleached Wheat Flour, Niacin, Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid], Palm and/or Soybean Oil with TBHQ added for freshness, Cocoa [processed with Alkali], High Fructose Corn Syrup, Contains 2% or less of: Peppermint Candy [Sugar, Organic Clarified Rice Syrup, Natural Red Color {Beet Juice}, Pure Peppermint Oil, Cornstarch, Salt, Leavening [Baking Soda and/or Calcium Phosphate], Natural and Artificial Flavor, Soy Lecithin, Maltodextrin, Cocoa, Gum Acacia)
- Dark Fudge (Sugar, Palm Kernel and Palm Oil, Cocoa Powder, Cocoa [processed with Alkali], Whey Powder [Milk], Soy Lecithin [an emulsifier], and Vanilla)
- Candy Cane Sprinkles (Sugar, Rice Syrup, Peppermint Oil, Natural Red Color [Beet Juice])
Well, this is a strange list. On the one hand, I’m pleased that instead of Red Dye, there is natural Beet Juice used as coloring. It’s great to see real Peppermint Oil and Vanilla.
But. There is also Artificial Flavor (and almost as dubious “Natural Flavor”). And, there is High Fructose Corn Syrup, ugh. And TBHQ in the “Palm AND/OR Soybean Oil.” One has to wonder why the recipe wizards at Aldi bothered to also use “Organic Clarified Rice Syrup” after that. I mean. Why.
Anyway. The “nice” things on this list don’t cancel out the “naughty” things, unfortunately. Can’t sugar-coat it. Ha. Someone deserves a little coal in their stocking.
Ok, no more bad Christmas puns.
More information from the label:
- Contains Bioengineered Food Ingredients
- Kosher Dairy
Nutrition Facts in Aldi Fudge Covered Peppermint Cremes
A serving is just one cookie. ONE. Good luck, my friend!
That single cookie has 120 calories. You get 6 grams of fat and 1 lonely gram of protein. Surprisingly, there are only 11 grams of sugar per serving, all of which are “added sugars.” There’s also a truly surprising, beefy amount of iron per cookie, at 6% your daily value.
(If you love festive peppermint flavored treats, here is my review of The Snack Factory White Creme Peppermint Pretzel Thins.)
Price and Servings
There are 10 servings (10 cookies!) per 8.25 ounce box. Each box is $3.59 at my local Aldi.
That means each cookie costs 36 cents. Per ounce, these cookies are (a slightly spendy) 44 cents.
This is a seasonal item at Aldi, so I found them in stores between November and December.
Shelf Life
Mine had a best-by date of about 11 months after purchase.
These cookies come in a long, slender box — which is surprisingly heavy for its stature. This box is the right size for slipping into a Christmas stocking, FYI.
Inside, there’s a slim plastic tray of neatly stacked fudgy morsels, sealed tightly in cellophane. I could still smell them through the box, however. That’s how strong the aroma is.
Dramatic Conclusion
If you’re a fan of peppermint and chocolate, you are destined to adore these. I loved the sophisticated layered flavors and textures of these holiday cookies, but I am not enthused the ingredients. Although these are substantially more expensive than other Aldi treats, they are tempting enough to warrant the splurge.
Will I buy them again next year? Probably. But I’ll feel naughty.
The End.
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