Still waiting for this year's pumpkin batch? Forget it. The new artful artificial is caramel apple.
We took a spin through Target, which has several exclusives, and where the Halloween candy aisles are already showing some bare spots five weeks out.
You can still find pumpkin everything, but caramel apple is trending. And we found another up-and-comer: candy corn as a flavor (not to be confused with flavored candy corn, which is also a thing).
But we're here to talk caramel apple. Most of the sweets share a color theme: soft lime green against deep caramel tan. The makers of red 40 and blue 1 food coloring are no doubt pleased.
The original - you know, an actual apple, with some caramel on it - has no equal. But you can't hand those out to the tykes. So here's a look at the processed and packaged alternatives:
Twizzlers Caramel Apple Filled Twists
Once you get past the deep green exterior, which is like a softer, stickier version of the classic red Twizzler, the slightly grainy caramel filling really does taste like caramel. Cheap caramel, but still.
Buy again? I'm good, thanks.
Caramel Apple Oreos
We've come to expect something new from Oreo every few weeks, but they might have jumped the shark with this one. The apple goo has an undefinable flavor; the caramel goo comes closer to hitting its intended mark. Each takes up half the cookie, the better to see that classic color combo inside the vanilla exterior. Bite into the thing and yes, it sort of conjures caramel apple.
Buy again? This is trophy shopping at its worst: They're an exclusive, which makes them highly desirable - but they're not that good.
Caramel Apple Peeps
True confessions: I love me some Peeps. The gentle pale green color of these suggests "apple," which is good since they taste like regular Peeps, which is to say, sweet. The bottom of each little bird has been dunked in a caramel-flavored fudge with the tiniest hint of salt, an odd bit of sophistication for a Peep.
Buy again? Yes.
Tootsie Caramel Apple Pops
Caramel wins the day in these pops. They taste like a swirl of hard apple candy and Sugar Daddy, not surprising since Sugar Daddy is made by the same company. Tooth alert: The "chewy caramel" promised on the bag doesn't get chewy until you've sucked on the thing for awhile.
Buy again? The teeth say no, but kids will love 'em.
Jolly Rancher Caramel Apple Lollipop
This one's quite the opposite of the Tootsie pop. It's a hard candy, with a swirl of hard caramel mixed with the distinctive Jolly Rancher apple flavor. And really, their slogan is "Keep on sucking"?
Buy again? For the Jolly Rancher junkie only.
Charms Blow Pop Caramel Apple Pops
An odd, somewhat scary flavor, not even close to caramel, put me off before I could get to the bubble gum part.
Buy again? Sorry I bought them once.
Pepperidge Farm Caramel Apple Pie Cookies
These look, smell and taste like cheap vending machine cookies, the kind you get when you're desperate. No discernible apple or caramel flavor.
Buy again? A sad waste of money and calories.
Cathy Barber is the former food editor of The Dallas Morning News
