Chatfield's Carob Chips 12oz - PACK OF 3

Because of an autoimmune issue I have to give up chocolate, per the AIP diet. I hope that is short-term, but I think these may help the times I feel deprived. Once I got past the first week I no longer craved chocolate, but logically I know how good it is.I remember trying carob chips as a child. They had the same texture as chocolate chips but a much milder flavor. So I bought some carob chips at the store--they only carried one brand. They were vegan, and I knew right then that if anyone liked that brand of carob chips, they either hated food or they were deluding themselves. They were bitter and had a grainy-chewy consistency of a dry raisin. Now I like raisins, but these were gross! My daughters are planning on playing Truth or Dare with them in the future, if that tells you anything.So I got on Amazon knowing I'd find a few things and see the reviews. I went with this one. Glad I did. They have a creamy mouth-feel, and are somewhat close to semisweet chocolate, but milder. I look forward to experimenting with these in various recipes.

Not the best tasting. Not the worst tasting. I prefer this company's carob powder, which is great for making hot carob drinks (non-cocoa hot chocolate, in other words), or various other things that call for cocoa powder. But the chips are somehow lacking some intensity of flavor, so they don't quite measure up to an equivalent cocoa based chip. SunSpire went in a different direction by adding lots of malt, which produces admittedly a less cocoa like taste, but at least a taste that is very discernible and somehow satisfying. Charfield's needs to figure out how to add some appropriate flavor kick to their chips - they're just too darned bland.

Note: Carob does not taste like chocolate!! Carob is a pleasant tasting confection in its own right. However, if you are expecting it to taste like chocolate you will be disappointed. These chips are the best tasting I've experienced. The reason is that they are sweetened to about the same level as chocolate. Other carob chips I've tried are either to sweet or the unsweetened ones are not sweet enough. These are just right.

I purchased these carob chips because they were listed as being sweetened with "beet sugar." It's hard to justify paying $8 for a bag of chips, but this reason had me making the splurge. It was disappointing then, to see the #1 ingredient on the package: sugar. Maybe that means "beet sugar?" It's hard to tell, but likely not. Sadly, I won't buy these again without knowing. I tried to return them, but the product is unreturnable. Oh, well. They can be used, but it's disappointing to be looking for natural products only to receive something I can grab at the market and spend half the money.

Not very flavorful. I grew up with carob as a child, but these don't have much flavor, they are more sweet than anything, and the carob flavor is super mild. Might be OK for someone who hasn't had real carob.

One of my favorite and useful sweets. Good for baking or just mixing into peanut butter for a healthy snack. They taste just like chocolate chips but have healthier ingredients. For those who want to avoid the stimulant present in cocoa, these carob chips are a great alternative.

Chatfield's is the only brand I will use. Other brands don't even compare. Sunspire brand was too tacky when chewed. Chatfield's has a texture like regular chocolate chips and tastes much better than other brands.

Seconding, as of 2018, the reviewer who said the overwhelming taste is of sweetness. I'd be inclined to try what the other reviewer said of mixing these half and half with the unsweetened Sunspire chips (the ones that apparently don't melt properly), but even one of these Chatfield chips is an unpleasant sugar bomb. (And yes, as of 2018, the first ingredient is beet sugar.) Why did they do this? Carob is naturally sweet. Why make it a sugar bomb? Disappointed, especially since Chatfield makes a very nice carob powder. Into the compost bin they go. Yuck.