Flavor Tried: Homestyle Milk Chocolate
Price: $9 Per Bag
Nutrition (for 32 thins): 130 Calories, 2.5g fat, 18g Carbs (4g Sugar, <1g Fiber), 8g Protein
Brownies, meet chips – a concept that is quite intriguing to me. As someone who absolutely loves brownie brittle, the hope here is that they’d be somewhat similar.
I saw the Homestyle Milk Chocolate flavor on Amazon, so that’s the one I decided to go with. With 8g of protein and only 130 calories for 32 thins, these are very impressive in the nutrition department.
These Protein Brownie Thins are gluten-free, which is the major draw of the entire Crunchmaster line of snacks. However, don’t let the fact that these use vegetable protein confuse you – these snacks are not vegan.
Despite the plant-based protein sources, the ingredient list confirms the presence of milk, meaning they’re not suitable for those following a strict dairy-free or vegan diet.
That seems odd to me because if you’re going to use a plant-based protein, you should make the entire snack plant-based.
First Impressions
The first thing you notice with these brownie thins is that they don’t smell strongly of brownies. When you open a bag of Brownie Brittle, you’re punched in the face with a delicious chocolatey smell.
In this case, you mostly just smell a bag of crackers with a hint of cocoa powder.
The crackers themselves (I’m not sure what to call them) are indeed very thin, but not extremely delicate, which is great.
Upon first bite, you’re hit with a nice rush of chocolate which is then complemented by a really nice saltiness. Each piece is coated in a bit of salt, which is great for me because I love salty brownies.
The texture is decidedly more reminiscent of cereal flakes than brownie brittle, leading to an experience that feels more like snacking on chocolate crackers than brownies.
Despite their name, these Crunchmaster treats bear little resemblance to the gooey, rich brownies we all know and love. The bag describes the “warm & gooey taste of baked brownies” that is simply not present.
Instead, the Homestyle Milk Chocolate flavor tastes more like snacking on chocolate cereal flakes. This might be a tad disappointing if you’re expecting a real brownie experience, so adjust your expectations.
The Cereal Experiment
It struck me that these brownie thins could actually serve as an interesting cereal substitute.
Lo and behold, when paired with milk, they were indeed quite enjoyable.
The milk ended up countering some of the bitterness of these brownie thins, turning it into a more balanced snack overall.
However, still be prepared for a subtle aftertaste, a result of what I assume are the black beans and soy protein in the recipe
The Verdict on Crunchmaster Protein Brownie Thins
These thin, crunchy snacks are, in essence, far from the traditional brownie experience.
If you’re looking for a snack that will satisfy your brownie cravings, you might want to manage your expectations when reaching for these.
However, if you approach them as a protein-rich, chocolate-flavored, cereal-like snack, they can be a good option, especially at 130 calories per 32 thins.
If you are having a tough time finding a good chocolately snack on a gluten-free diet, this may work for you. But if you’re non-dairy, these are still not suitable for you.
With their initial chocolatey hit, slight saltiness, and unique crunch, they might just find a spot in your gluten-free snack rotation, but it’ll be a one-time thing for me.
