You’ve probably seen them in the stores, or if you’re a true CLIF fan, you’ve been actively seeking them out, and hoarding these limited edition flavors. I’m talking about the Iced Gingerbread, Peppermint Stick and Spiced Pumpkin Pie bars from CLIF. Because I’ve been good all year (wink, wink), the folks at CLIF were nice enough to send me a couple of each to try out.
First up is the Iced Gingerbread. I’m pretty neutral when it comes to gingerbread, so I wasn’t too disappointed to find that this one just wasn’t for me. It wasn’t bad, but the gingerbread flavor maybe doesn’t work so well with the CLIF bar texture. If you’re ok with gingerbread being chewy rather than crunchy, you might like it.
Next was the Spiced Pumpkin Pie. Now, I’ve been known to bring pumpkin pies to work for breakfast pretty regularly. And I got one for my birthday cake. So the idea of a pumpkin pie flavored CLIF bar held some appeal. Again, it was ok, but the spice was just a bit too much. Mrs. Outsider can vouch for my fussiness, so don’t take my opinion as the gospel.
Just when I was starting to think I should stick with my old standy, the chocolate mint, I gave the Peppermint Stick a taste. Third try was definitely the charm! The best way I can describe it is a tasty CLIF bar with bits of candy cane in it. While the other two bars may have a bit more limited appeal, the Peppermint Stick should please any CLIF bar enthusiast, as long as they like peppermint. It’s not easy to combine certain flavors with the consistency of a CLIF bar, but this works well.
As I mentioned, I’m pretty fussy, and this simple review is all about my taste buds. If any of these flavors interest you, give them a try. Like all CLIF bars, these seasonal treats have no trans fats, hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, artificial flavors, artificial preservatives or ingredients sourced from GMOs. That makes them great stocking stuffers, rather than some of the traditional treats that are less wholesome. clifbar.com
– Brian