Hot chocolate. Winter. Sweet. The combination of cocoa and marshmallows is a tasty, timeless treat popular during the cold seasons every year. Trader Joe’s takes this winter craving up a notch with its Dark Chocolate Covered Marshmallows.

A product of France, the blue box of chocolate-covered marshmallows (previously pink) has been sold at Trader Joe’s since December 2013. These mallows are a seasonal item, available only around the holiday season.

The light blue packaging stands out, with a drawing of chocolate being poured onto a marshmallow. The design conveys a cozy, childlike feel. It is compact—able to fit in the palm of a hand. The marshmallows are packaged in a plastic bag to prevent them from melting in the box. Sixteen marshmallows fit in the small box, enough to share with friends.

The first bite of this product is phenomenal. The dark chocolate tends to overpower the soft, gooey marshmallow. Over time, the chocolate becomes a little too much, and it starts to taste bitter. The bitterness makes it less appealing as one continues eating.

The price listed at Trader Joe’s is $4.49, which is reasonable, as it contains plenty of marshmallows for everyone. Usually, a regular bag of marshmallows costs around the same, so this price is exceptional, given that these are also dipped in dark chocolate.

Overall, the product is incredible upon first taste, but it gets old quickly due to its excessive bitterness. The box might be appealing, but the entire product is not. For making hot chocolate this winter, other marshmallows may be a better choice.

The taste rating was initially 4.5 out of 5, but after eating more than one bite, it started to decline. The taste became very sweet, bringing the overall rating to 3.5.