The cereal aisle never disappoints with its whacky offerings. General Mills recently released Fillows cereal in two different flavors: Hershey’s Cookies ‘N’ Creme and Pillsbury Cinnamon Roll. While each cereal has its own unique flavor shell, they share the same crème filling. Today, I’m taking a look at the cinnamon rolls variety, since I typically have bad luck with cookies and creme-flavored cereals. I’ve never had an outstanding cookies and creme cereal. I guess you could just they’re…

Aesthetics

Working outside-in, the box has a pleasant, eye-catching design with use of orange and turquoise colors. Upon opening the box, I was expected to find the typical clear bag that houses the cereal, but was instead greeted with a foil bag. It reminded me of the packaged food they take in space, or Jiffy Pop that you make on the stovetop. The cereal itself looks rather unassuming with its standard, textured pieces. I was actually expecting the cereal to be more in line with the size of Kellog’s Krave or Pop Tarts cereals, since those also have a creme or flavor filling, but Fillows was smaller than I expected. But we all know size doesn’t matter, right? Right?    

Snackability

Fillows is a tasty cereal eaten dry. The texture and crunch make it feel like it belongs in a sugary Chex Mix of some sort. However, it gets pretty sweet tasting after a few pieces, so that is why I gave it a rating of 3 spoons, instead of 4. Regardless, you won’t be disappointed if you grab a handful of this cereal for a midday snack. 

Structural Integrity

Combined with its texture, size and filling, Fillows is a somewhat dense cereal. It can withstand milk for a reasonable amount of time. (reasonable being that you eat your cereal within 5 or so minutes and don’t let it sit there and turn to mush like some sort of savage) However, if you mistakenly leave it soaking in milk too long, the outer shell loses its texture and becomes more slick and smooth tasting, which is just an odd sensation. You’d have to experience to fully understand.

Cereal Concept

There’s nothing offensive about the idea of cinnamon roll cereal, especially when you compare it to all the other weird flavor combination of cereals. It’s almost as if the people who make all the flavors of Lay’s potato chips have a side hustle of coming up with flavors of cereal. So while the concept of Fillows isn’t bad, it’s nothing overly special. I mean, cookies and creme or cinnamon roll flavored cereals? I’m pretty sure we’ve had plenty of similar ones already.

Flavor

What Fillows lacks in creative cereal concept (hooray for alliteration!), it make sup in flavor. With the first bite, you taste the cinnamon flavor, but it’s not as pungent as the cinnamon flavor of Cinnamon Toast Crunch or Churros. When eaten dry, the flavor reminds me somewhat of a cinnamon graham cracker. When you add milk to the cereal, it seems to heighten the buttercream flavor that you’d expect from a cinnamon roll. Kudos to you Pillsbury and General Mills.

Final Thoughts

My expectations weren’t exceedingly high for Fillows. After all, it’s a cereal named after “filling” and “pillows.” However, I was pleasantly surprised how well General Mills and Pillsbury did to translate that cinnamon roll flavor into a cereal that didn’t suck. Is it sweet, sugary and unhealthy when not eaten is moderation? Of course! But you won’t finish a bowl of Fillows left hungry. I only had one bow of the cereal, and I can tell you that I could go into a food coma/nap right about now but I’d do it all again.