Smoothie Cups Still Hit the Spot

Have you ever had a Smoothie Cup? If not, bless your heart. Because if you consider yourself a connoisseur of fine candy and junk food, you’ve been missing out on one of the great hidden treasures of the snack world. Boyer has been making Smoothies for decades, but they’re not always easy to find. Even I have trouble tracking them down. But today, while running errands, I spotted six packs of the little beauties sitting on a shelf like they had been waiting just for me.

A Smoothie Cup looks a lot like a Reese’s Cup in size and shape, and the center is peanut butter. But here’s where the magic happens. Instead of chocolate, the whole thing is coated in a butterscotch confection. And if you think peanut butter and chocolate are a perfect pair, wait until you try peanut butter wrapped in butterscotch. It is a revelation.

I’ve always loved Reese’s Cups, but Smoothies have always sat just a notch above them in my personal candy rankings. Maybe it’s because they’re harder to find. Maybe it’s because the butterscotch coating really is that good. Or maybe it’s the nostalgia that comes with every bite.

When I was a kid, our little town had exactly three places to get candy. There was the local grocery store, and then two convenience stores: Jiff‑E‑Jack and Venables. Venables was technically called Venable’s Grocery, but everyone treated it like a corner store. I don’t remember the grocery store carrying Smoothies, but the other two definitely did.

Whenever Dad and I stopped in, he usually let me pick out a piece of candy. Sometimes I went cheap and grabbed a single piece of Super Bubble. Other times I splurged on a full candy bar. But most of the time, when I wanted something special, I reached for a Smoothie Cup or its sister candy, the Mallo Cup.

So today, when I grabbed that six pack, I could hardly wait to tear into it. I showed a little restraint and waited until after dinner, but once I opened the package, it was over. The smooth butterscotch coating and creamy peanut butter center hit my taste buds and instantly carried me back to the 80s, to a time when my biggest worry in life was whether the store would have another Smoothie Cup waiting for me next time.

These days I have to be careful with sugar, so treats like this are an occasional indulgence. But today was one of those days. And after all these years, Smoothie Cups still hit the spot.