Hershey's Cinnamon Chips

[BlueMoose]

Has anyone tried the cinnamon chips? What is your opinion of them?

TIA
BlueMoose http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

[valchemist]

there have been several threads where these were mentioned...try doing a search. Here is one of the threads.
http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/Forum1/HTML/006042.html

[Zinnia]

I am also wondering what they are like IF I ever see them at the store. They sound yummy! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif Zinnia

[SandyM]

I've not purchased them, but I've had them in plain scones. They are yummy.

[AD]

I've always ordered cinnamon chips for making scones from King Arthur. I saw the Hershey's brand in the store and noticed there is NO CINNAMON IN THEM! They are basically sugar, shortening, flavorings, colorings and a whole bunch of chemicals I couldn't pronounce. I never wanted to try them for this reason, and I can't say if they taste good. I can only say that this is one other area where I fit into the "snob" category from an earlier post!

[lorilei]

Don't feel bad, AD -- I can't get past the idea that those chips don't contain any cinnamon either.

Just seems illogical... cinnamon is a common ingredient, and not SUPER expensive. What was Hershey thinking?

[BlueMoose]

Despite the fact that they contain no real cinnamon, I'm just wondering if they are any good in baked things. Do they taste good or artificial? Do they melt the way chocolate chips do?

[csmcnamara]

I haven't been able to find these either. Considering they don't even have any cinnamon maybe it is just as well!

[jmarie]

I really like the chips! There is a super recipe on the back of the bag for Oatmeal Cookies with Raisins....I switched out the raisins and used craisins (sweetened dried cranberries) and my family went nuts over the cookies. I have since made cookies for friends and the response was the same! Definately NOT a light cookie...but well worth the calories. :-) The chips have a rich cinnammony taste..I didn't realize that the chips didn't contain cinnamon! However, it will not stop me from using them again!!! I found the chips right next to the chocolate chips in the grocery store. I live in a rural area, where we are the last to ever find the new products! Good luck and my vote is thumbs up!

[This message has been edited by jmarie (edited 05-29-2001).]

[Julie O]

Could anyone post the ingredient list for the Cinnamon Chips?? I may be able to offer an explanation for the no cinnamon in the cinnamon chips issue.

[JulieM]

I wonder if they're calling cinnamon a "flavoring" and in fact there is cinnamon in them?

I love the cinnamon scones at Barnes & Noble. Sometimes my DH and I spend Sunday afternoon there with big mugs of hot tea, the scones and loads of magazines! It's the only time I indulge in stuff like People Magazine and Entertainment (or scones for that matter).

[BlueMoose]

LOL http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif .....
I feel like I started a big controversy this morning! WHY ISN'T CINNAMON LISTED AS AN INGREDIENT IN THE CINNAMON CHIPS? We have to get to the bottom of this! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif Now I'll have to head to the store to get a look at the label or I won't be able to sleep tonight.

[Beth]

What would you call cinnamon if not a flavoring? Assuming that's the explanation, I'd say Hershey's is guilty of poor judgment in not listing the primary flavor as an ingredient.

The oatmeal-cranberry-cinnamon chip cookies sound great. I have a container of dark chocolate covered dried cranberries I got on my last trip to CA (at Trader Joe's). I've been thinking of using them in some biscotti, but that sounds like a possibility too.

[buddie]

if you go to www.allrecipes.com (http://www.allrecipes.com) on the left side at the bottom of the banner there is a "best brands" section listing hersheys. from there you can get TONS of cinnamon chip recipes http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

[Beth]

To be honest, I hadn't noticed these chips at the store until they were discussed here. The recipes and ideas sounded good and I wanted to try them. It just didn't make sense to me that any company would market a cinnamon flavored product and use no real cinnamon. I saw these at the store today. The package says "natural and artificial flavorings." I would have put money on it right then that the natural flavor was cinnamon and the artificial most likely vanilla flavor.

I called Hershey's. That's basically what I found out: they DO use natural cinnamon in the chips. Further, the only "chemicals" per se are food coloring and lecithin (an emulsifier that appears to be in all of the chips).

I also checked about six different kinds of chocolate and non-chocolate chips. They all list sugar as the first ingredient followed by some form of fat. Those other than semisweet chocolate have milk or milk powder. I'm sure King Arthur makes an excellent product, but I doubt it is much different in its ingredients. The Hershey's package does note that these chips are made using the same equipment that processes peanuts. If that is not true of the KA chips, that would be important to anyone with a peanut allergy.

Hope that makes some of you feel better about trying the yummy recipes.

Bluemoose, I opened the bag and sampled some of the chips while typing. I'm looking forward to baking with them, so I'd say try them.

[This message has been edited by Beth (edited 06-01-2001).]

[BlueMoose]

Beth...
Thanks for the info. I'm going to buy some when I go to the store today. I don't know what I'll make yet, but I'm looking forward to trying them. I just LOVE cinnamon! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[Liz K]

How funny to find this thread. Last night I was lying in bed and wondering about these chips. I just knew someone here would have the answer.

Are they only cinnamon flavored or a mix of chocolate/cinnamon?

[Natasha]

I like 'em for baking or just out of the bag. They are like candy - sweet rather than really rich. Anyway, that's just me; obviously taste is subjective http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

And that's my opinion regardless of the cinnamon content! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif

[lorilei]

So Beth, since "cinnamon" is not listed as an ingredient on the bag -- do they call it by it's "scientific name" or something equally unidentifiable to us "lay people"?

It does make me feel better to know that they contain cinnamon. I guess I was having a hard time trying to figure out why they /wouldn't/ use cinnamon in a cinnamon chip http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif I suppose I've developed a sort of snobbery about putting all sorts of "artificials" into my body... do you suppose that's a forgiveable sin?

Natasha -- Since your sense of taste is quite astute, I also feel better knowing that you love the little buggers yourself http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[Natasha]

Originally posted by lorilei:
Natasha -- Since your sense of taste is quite astute, I also feel better knowing that you love the little buggers yourself http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

Wow, thanks, Lori ... I feel so flattered! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif I am not sure that these would appeal to everyone, but, hey ... they do seem to bake up nicely in scones etc. IMHO. I was a bit disappointed when I first opened the bag and then they kind of grew on me a bit. Funny how that happens ...

Have a wonderful weekend.

[BlueMoose]

The ingredients are listed (I think) in order of weight/amount used. Since the flavorings comprise such a small % of the weight of the product they are often just listed as "flavorings" or "spices".

Liz...they are just cinnamon flavored, not mixed with chocolate I believe.

I might have to try them in some maple oatmeal muffins.

[luv2cook]

I have used these cinnamon chips. The recipe for the cookies is realllly good. I am shocked that cinn.isn't listed. Hmmm.

[Beth]

Lorilei, they don't use a technical name, they just clump together "natural and artificial flavoring" as if it didn't mater. Probably some guy who doesn't cook or bake who decided to save a few letters being printed on the bag. Or maybe there is some regulation that if they specify one flavoring, thay can't clump others??? At any rate, I told the lady I talked to on the 800# that I thought it was a real marketing boo-boo not to list cinnamon specifically. She said the comment would be passed on.

Liz K, they are just cinnamon flavored, no chocolate. You could always mix your chips. I was wondering about the cinnamon and the cappuccino, with or without chocolate too. I feel a kitchen mess-up session coming! Maybe it was just being up late last night, but I was ready to try them in muffins, cookies, scones.... And I still have a sneaky suscpicion that Guittard may make the King Arthur chips. Happy baking, snacking, shopping, whatever.

[This message has been edited by Beth (edited 06-01-2001).]