Big news for people who wish they could eat dessert at all hours of the day: Chobani has made—or rather created—Chobani Creations! Chobani Creations is a collection of six new yogurts inspired by classic, oh-so-delicious desserts. Besides the health-benefits that already come with yogurt (probiotics, calcium, etc.), these creations eschew artificial additives, and have been made only with whole milk plain Greek yogurt, natural flavors, and real fruit. And, as I have been on the hunt for a new on-the-go delicacy, I couldn’t help but try all of these new Chobani flavors.
Before we begin, I’d like to make a disclaimer: I do, in fact, mix all components of a yogurt before tasting. I’m not interested in what the yogurt or the mix-in taste like in isolation. Like college admissions try to assure you, I’m looking at these flavors holistically. And with that, it’s time for our just (yogurt) desserts!
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Caramel SundaeInstacartThe beautifully golden caramel at the bottom of this yogurt cup is very enticing, it assured me that I wasn’t just getting caramel-flavored yogurt. Turns out that was both positive and negative.
Pros: This was one of the simpler dessert yogurt re-creations, and I think its simplicity made it very tasty. It has a soft sweetness; you won’t be overwhelmed by any flavors or sugar. It is wonderfully creamy. The caramel flavor is subtle—not too burnt, but that warm caramel flavor is there at the end. Managing editor Gwynned Stuart absolutely loved it and thought it was reminiscent of flan. I would agree.
Cons: Although the caramel flavor is good, I am someone who LOVES a deep, rich caramel. Caramel is best when it’s thick and complex. And, unfortunately, this caramel is not. If you’re looking for a dangerous caramel delight with a thick texture that complements the creamy tang of yogurt, then this might fall short of your expectations. To put it in Pretty in Pink terms: This is less of an exciting Ducky caramel and more of a plain Jane Blaine (minus the ugly dress, because this yogurt’s design is very nice!).
Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart
7/10
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Mocha TiramisuInstacartAs a lover of tiramisu, I appreciate any blend of mascarpone, coffee, and cocoa—even when the flavors are simulated in yogurt. Or, at least, that’s how I thought I would feel.
Pros: Okay, if the goal is to make a yogurt that tastes like tiramisu then the goal was beyond achieved. It really tastes like tiramisu. Despite its creamy yogurt texture, I feel like I am having a spoonful of an espresso-soaked ladyfinger. THAT’s how much it tastes like tiramisu. The cocoa powder and espresso flavor come in strong. Editor-in-chief Justine Sterling especially was a fan as she felt like the flavors brought out the slight fruitiness sometimes found in rich chocolate.
Cons: While Chobani proved that you CAN make yogurt taste like tiramisu, I’m not sure they proved you SHOULD make yogurt taste like tiramisu. I really wanted to like the flavor, but the sour yogurt clashed with the bitter espresso and sweet mocha.
Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart
5/10
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Apple Pie á la ModeInstacartApple pie á la mode is a personal favorite. Because of the cold-ice-cream-on-warm-pie element of apple pie á la mode, I will admit I was worried this flavor would fall short, but boy, I was gleefully wrong.
Pros: First off, it smelled AMAZING. I was instantly hit by sweet cinnamon syrup smells as I went into my first bite. And that bite was absolutely delicious. It’s not just apple flavor, it’s actual tender chunks of apple coated in syrup and cinnamon—essentially actual apple pie filling. Even though I was concerned about the lack of contrasting textures and temperatures, the flavors are too good to care. Plus, the creamy yogurt makes it feel like you’re eating melted ice cream on pie (just without the crust). Out of all the flavors I tried, this is the one I’d want to get for a lunchbox treat.
Cons: I really have nothing bad to say about this flavor. If anything, I just wish there were more of the apple chunks because they were the textural and flavorful stars of the yogurt.
Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart
10/10
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Orange Cream PopInstacartIf you’re mourning the gradual fall of Orange Julius (and are interested in adding probiotics to your diet), grab some Orange creamsicle Chobani Creations. I’ve never been a huge citrus dessert fan or even a basic orange lover, however, Chobani may have made a citrus lover of me yet, because this ended up being my second favorite of all the new Chobani flavors.
Pros: Like the Apple Pie á la Mode, this one smells fantastic. It doesn’t just smell like orange, but specifically orange creamsicle. I don’t know how you create that rounded, creamy orange smell versus the sharpness of just orange, but they did it and it is so enticing. As for the flavor, this is another flavor that absolutely nails the original dessert. If you blindfolded me and gave me a spoonful, I would think it was an extra creamy melted creamsicle. There’s no sour yogurt taste, just creamy, vanilla-orange flavor with these nice pieces of orange zest. I’m still kind of blown away by how much they nailed the flavor.
Cons: My only qualm is my personal issue with orange as a flavor. It’s just not really my thing. But that’s just me. Objectively speaking, I have no cons. No notes. Orange Cream Pop perfection.
Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart
10/10
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Bananas FosterInstacartI think banana-flavored anything can be tough to pull off. I was hoping the all natural flavors would help clear that hurdle, but alas, this Chobani flavor was a miss.
Pros: There are actual chunks of banana, which is nice. They add texture and give the yogurt an authentic banana flavor. The caramel yogurt itself is also nicely sweet and sets this Chobani flavor apart from the others, which mostly use vanilla yogurt.
Cons: Not only does this not taste like bananas foster, it hardly tastes like bananas anything. I want more bananas. Instead of getting caramelized bananas I really just get the sweetness of the caramel yogurt. And even that is lackluster. It tastes more like vanilla than caramel. I was especially disappointed that there’s no burnt crunch of a caramelized banana, which I understand is difficult to achieve in a yogurt, but I think little caramel chunks or a more burnt caramel flavor could help.
Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart
5/10
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Cherry CheesecakeInstacartIf the Golden Girls taught me anything, it’s that cheesecake is the ultimate comfort food. So, I was surprised to find that Chobani’s Cherry Cheesecake ended up being such a discomfort food.
Pros: It’s tasty, I will give it that. It has actual pieces of syrup-coated cherries that are sweet and tart and pack a yummy cherry punch. It’s a nice combination of creamy vanilla yogurt and tart cherry pieces. If you want a snack that is cherry-flavored, this does the job with actual cherries involved.
Cons: It is sooooo watery. Unlike all the other flavors that had this wonderfully thick and creamy consistency, the yogurt in this flavor is incredibly thin. It doesn’t start out like that. In fact, I initially found the yogurt to be super thick. But when you mix in the cherry puree, something scientific beyond my understanding happens that makes it watery. Calling it cherry cheesecake is a big stretch; really it’s just cherry yogurt. Nothing special. Very underwhelming.
Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart
3.5/10
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