Good Shepherd Ube Crinkles vs. Amira’s Chocolate Crinkles: Which One Gets My Thumbs Up?

 

Pasalubong - noun. Homecoming gift.

Two pasalubong  classics. Two different cities. One sweet verdict.

Baguio and Tagaytay each have their own crinkle pride—Everything Nice Cake Shop and Cafe ube crinkles that I got from Good Shepherd (Baguio) and Amira’s chocolate crinkles (Tagaytay). At first glance, they couldn’t be more different: one’s a delicate purple bite, the other a deep cocoa round. But do they both deliver on taste?

Good Shepherd Ube Crinkles

Technically, I got this from Good Shepherd, but the brand on the packaging says Everything Nice Cake Shop and Cafe. 

Pretty on the outside, but the first bite was a letdown. The sweetness is overwhelming, and the strong coconut milk flavor overpowers the ube. It’s too rich, leaving little room for the gentle, earthy notes we expect from a true ube treat. For us, it felt more like a coconut candy in disguise than a balanced ube crinkle. I had a hard time finishing one. I tried to finish it because I was trying to see if I'll get used to the taste or if I'll discover an underlying taste. But, no. This wasn't for me. My son didn't like it, too. Only my husband liked it as he loves ube and has a sweet tooth. 

Amira’s Chocolate Crinkles

In contrast, Amira’s chocolate crinkles are indulgent in the best way. Soft, fudgy, and deeply chocolatey, each bite is like a little brownie-cookie hybrid. However, some crinkles were too soft that they crumbled easily when I picked them up or took a bite. I like to savor my crinkles and it's a real turn off when they crumble when I bite into them, and leave crumbs all over. These crinkles are small, small enough to pop one in your mouth, but as I said, I like savoring little bites, so I don't pop them in my mouth in one go. Plus, that's not very ladylike. 

Over all, they're satisfying without being over-the-top sweet, the kind you want to pair with coffee or tea. I eat about 1-3 in a single sitting and spaced out for several minutes. My husband and son loved these as well. 

The Experience

Lining them up side by side shows just how different pasalubong crinkles can be. One leans too heavily on sweetness and coconut, while the other strikes a satisfying balance of richness and depth.

Verdict

Amira’s chocolate crinkles win this round. Good Shepherd's chosen brand may hold nostalgia value, but in terms of taste and balance, Amira’s delivers the kind of indulgence that makes you reach for “just one more.”