Bottom Line: The Snyder’s Nashville Hot Pretzel Pieces replicate the flavor of Nashville Hot Chicken while also delivering some heat.
Snyder’s of Hanover is a snack company that has been putting out mostly pretzels since the early 1900s, and they are known for a product that is a notch or two above the competition. Among their popular items are the Pretzel Pieces which are large, dense pretzels that are broken up and seasoned with various flavors. Those of us who indulge in spicy foods have likely enjoyed their Jalapeno and Buffalo Wing flavors (I know that I have), and now they have added a Nashville Hot variety that is certainly worth seeking out.
Following is the description from their website: “Nashville Hot Pieces combines the spicy, savory and tangy flavor of Nashville Hot sauce and a hint of pickle with the signature crunch of Snyder’s pretzels.” I heard about these coming out a few months ago and had been looking for them in stores with no luck. But I happened to be in Las Vegas recently and stumbled upon a bag in Walgreens so I snatched it up. (By the way, if you are in Vegas, plan a stop at Walgreens or CVS. They have everything from medicine to personal products to groceries to hard liquor there all at decent prices for that town. Sorry, no gambling, though.)
These pieces have that crunch that you expect from a hard, thick pretzel, but since they are broken up they are easier on the tooth. Also, the fact that they are in bite-sized pieces with the inner part exposed allows them to pick up more of the seasoning and deliver more flavor. With the Nashville Hot, you get the expected hot sauce tang right away. But then the taste of the pickle–which so often accompanies Nashville Hot chicken–is in full force to act as a complement. You might think that this would bring too much pucker, but there is a sweetness in there that manages to balance out the two dominating flavors just right. There also appears to be some poultry seasoning in there which gives some hints of the chicken part of this equation. Basically, this all comes together to perfectly recreate the experience of Nashville Hot Chicken and to deliver a snack that will keep you reaching for more.
After the first bite or two of these, the pretzel pieces do not seem to be delivering too much heat. But as you continue to chomp on them, the “hot” in Nashville Hot makes its presence known! I would definitely put them above the Medium level on my scale and approaching Hot which is pretty good for a major snack company. And it is a heat that fills your mouth and lingers for a while so that you know you have been eating something spicy. These definitely deliver more burn than their Jalapeno or Buffalo Wing flavors and I would rank them as my top choice from Snyder’s.
They come in at 140 calories for a serving which is one-third of a cup and pretty filling. But they are so addictive that you will probably end up downing a second serving before you know it! As mentioned above, I found them at Walgreens in Vegas and I am going to see if my local store has them because I have not found them in HEB or Super Target or Walmart. You can buy them online at places like Amazon.com, but they are pricy there. And I’m not sure if these are limited-time-only items, so you may want to try and search them out while they are still in stores. Hopefully, Snyder’s will add them as a permanent item, though, because I can certainly find myself munching on these on a regular basis.
Nutrition Info:
Ingredients: Enriched Flour (wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Palm Oil, Salt, Sugar, Sodium Diacetate, Spices, Yeast, Monosodium Glutamate, Chili Powder, Citric Acid, Brown Sugar, Garlic Powder, Disodium Inosinate And Disodium Guanylate, Paprika Extract (color), Natural And Artificial Flavor, Natural Smoke Flavoring, Canola Oil, Soda.
Serving Size: 1 oz (28g, about 1/3 cup)
Calories: 140
Fat: 8g (3.5g Sat/0g Trans)
Protein: 2g
Carbs: 16g
Sodium: 310mg