Panda Express Apple Pie Roll Review: Is The Chain's First Dessert A Hit Or Miss?
In its four decades of existence, Panda Express has helped solidify Chinese food in the United States and beyond as a go-to and to-go cuisine that's become as American as apple pie. It's fitting then that for the chain's 40th birthday, it's rolling out (cue the red, white, and blue fireworks) an apple pie... roll! Yep, it's essentially an apple pie in the shell of an egg roll. Executive Director of Culinary Innovation Chef Jimmy Wang said in an interview with VegNews, "The new Apple Pie Roll is Panda's first-ever dessert offering, and we wanted to give our guests — even those with a plant-based diet — a new way to enjoy their American Chinese favorites."
The Apple Pie Roll actually came to light in a 2022 test run to spice up fall feasts in select markets. And now, a year later, the rest of the nation is ready to take a bite.
So, are these new Apple Pie Rolls worth celebrating or should we blow out the Panda Express birthday candles and wish for something better for age 41? We stopped into our local Panda Express to pay our respects and roll with its new dessert offering to find out. Without further ado, here is our chew and review...
What does Panda Express' Apple Pie Roll taste like?
As we walked along the chow line at Panda Express, we saw the new Apple Pie Roll front and center behind protective glass. In a silver circular bowl, a pile of Apple Pie Rolls shimmered under a spotlight, making its neighboring, other encased sisters, the chicken egg roll and veggie spring roll, look dull by comparison.
We ordered a pair of the Apple Pie Rolls, which were packaged in a thin paper wrapper that was helpful at keeping the plentiful cinnamon dust from getting everywhere. The roll was small to the eye, being only about 5 inches in length, and perhaps half an inch in width.
The flaky wonton exterior was magically firm to hold but also flexible enough to break in half with no such fuss, revealing a second, phyllo-like breaded layer that was softer within. The amber brown apple pie filling, which looked like it could have come from a can, was gooey, but not oozy enough to make a messy spill in the break. A first bite brings the mixed textures together into a congruous focus, and the result immediately satisfies the taste buds.
What is Panda Express' Apple Pie Roll made of?
The Apple Pie Roll consists of juicy apples that are sprinkled with fall spices and cinnamon sugar and wrapped in a wonton wrapper. While the Apple Pie Roll is plant-based, it may not be suitable for those with strict vegetarian and vegan diets. The Apple Pie Roll is made in the same kitchen as the rest of Panda Express' meat-heavy items and may share the use of the same facilities and equipment.
A single Apple Pie Roll serving size is 1.94 ounces. It has 150 calories, 3 grams of fat, 90 milligrams of sodium, 30 grams of carbohydrates (1 of which is dietary fiber), 13 grams of sugars, and 2 grams of protein. This dessert contains wheat and is cholesterol-free.
How, when, and where to order Panda Express' Apple Pie Roll
Although the Apple Pie Roll is a dessert to honor the 40th birthday of Panda Express, it is a permanent addition to the menu and is now available at all nationwide participating locations. The Apple Pie Roll can be ordered any time Panda Express is open for business for the suggested retail price of $2 a roll. A six-piece pack is also available for $11.40. Prices may vary by location.
The Apple Pie Roll can be ordered in-store or in advance using the Panda Express app or website, under the newly added Dessert Menu. For a limited time, as a new or existing member of the Panda Rewards program, Panda Express will give each member a free Apple Pie Roll. Look under the "rewards" tab in your account either online or on the app.
The final verdict
It's actually kind of hard to imagine that Panda Express both thrived and survived without a true dessert on its menu for 40 years, but some things are well worth the wait, and in the case of the Apple Pie Roll, worth celebrating. With such a petite size, the Apple Pie Roll can function as a small dessert or a light snack.
For its 40th anniversary, also known as a ruby anniversary, apples were a ripe choice for a dessert, but now that it exists in the world, we're wondering what other tastes can be wonton-wrapped by the chain. With the permanent addition of the Apple Pie Roll to the menu, we'll be making many happy returns to enjoy this dessert again and again.