March saw the release of three new peanut M&M flavors: Chili Nut, Coffee Nut and Honey Nut. Starting early this month, they will become available to chocolate lovers everywhere. Before you go out and stock up on any one (or all) of these three flavors, here’s what you need to know about the three newbies on the block and how they stack up to the original peanut M&M.
The Classic
Photo by Mary Beth Schatzman
In order to see how the new flavors compare, I found it necessary to start with the OG peanut M&M (it’s a tough job, but someone’s gotta do it). I remember when I first tried these as a young child and was heartily confused by the weird lumpy M&M’s I’d been given. Fortunately, I’ve seen the light since then: these were not deformed M&M’s but rather a new gift from the chocolatey heavens, a chocolate covered nut unlike any other. In my taste test, they were still as beautiful as before. They will stand the test of time for their versatility and general appeal.
The Chili Nut
Photo by Mary Beth Schatzman
This was the definite wild card of the bunch. A spicy M&M? Even as a self-proclaimed aficionado of spicy genres of food, I wasn’t sure how this one would turn out. That said, I believed in this peanut M&M, and I was not disappointed. While I did not taste the spice at first, the candy came with a delayed little kick – enough spice to please someone who enjoys the hotter things in life, but not too much to scare away someone a little more timid with their tastebuds. The more I ate, the more I tasted the tiniest burn in a way that nicely complemented the milk chocolate. This is the peanut M&M to break out when you’re feeling adventurous.
The Honey Nut
Photo by Mary Beth Schatzman
This one surprised me the most. I wasn’t sure what to expect with a “honey roasted peanut” flavor – while I can taste that difference in eating peanuts on their own, or in peanut butter, I wasn’t sure how that would come across in an M&M. It was incredibly pleasant, and a nice step up from the classic peanut. The Honey Nut tasted like what a peanut M&M should have tasted like all along. I tasted the sweetness of the honey and the slight smokiness of the roasting flavors. Delicate and a classic in its own right, the Honey Nut is the type of peanut M&M I can share with all my friends and expect them to adore it.
The Coffee Nut
Photo by Mary Beth Schatzman
This was unabashedly my favorite. It was the perfect balance of coffee flavor and chocolate and peanut goodness. This M&M tasted exactly like a mocha in the best way – not too bitter and not too sweet. I was not surprised to like this one, but I was shocked by how quickly it won my heart. This is the type of M&M that I will hoard all of it for myself and try to resist buying bags in bulk. My friends all loved it, but I won’t want to share. Sorry, y’all.
The Verdict
As in all things, each M&M will suit the tastes of different people: the classic peanut M&M will appeal to people’s sense of nostalgia and love of the familiar; the Chili Nut will be an adventure for the senses; the Honey Nut, a new classic in the making; and the Coffee Nut, an unsharable delight for coffee addicts everywhere.