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Phivi Box calls itself the only subscription box for everyone of all ages- which makes sense. I mean, who doesn't love dessert? This subscription box sends small-batch, freshly baked artisanal desserts directly to your door curated around a theme each month. Along with a more broad "artisanal assortment" subscription, they also offer a macaron-lover monthly box and a cookie and brownie quarterly box. I like all of the desserts, especially the ones with frosting, so we were thankfully sent the March artisanal assortment box for this review. Let's dive into it!
This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the editorial guidelines to learn more about how we review boxes.
Subscription Details
Subscription Box: Phivi Box
Price: A monthly subscription starts at $39, and you can save by subscribing to a longer plan. If you're wanting to give just one box a try, they offer a one-time box for $40 that will not start a subscription.
Shipping: $9.95
First Impressions
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Your desserts come in insulated packaging, with a cold gel pack included when dictated by weather or climate (I think Louisiana will always call for it).
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Unwrap the insulation and you'll find a beautiful gift box tied with a ribbon. Unwrapping this felt extra special because of that extra effort they went through in packaging this box.
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Each of the individual desserts comes labeled with a letter, and you'll receive an info sheet with more information about what each dessert is. You'll also receive a sheet with the nutritional info and ingredients of the desserts sent, as well as tips on how to keep your desserts fresh and a promotion about their cookie and brownie subscription box.
Phivi Box "Iconic American Snacks" March 2022 Review
Chocolate Turtle Brownie
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Give me pecans and caramel on just about anything and I will happily eat it- especially if you put it on a brownie. I received an edge piece when I am definitely a center-piece brownie kind of gal, and I found that the edge of the edge was on the dry side. Luckily, that caramel definitely helped to keep things moist all around, and the flavor combination had my taste buds dancing.
Handmade Moon Pie
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I don't think I've ever had a handmade moon pie before receiving this box, and I haven't had many moon pies in general. For those that are unfamiliar, it is kind of like a s'more in that it's two graham crackers sandwiching a marshmallow filling and then coated in chocolate. I would have enjoyed more marshmallow filling due to the dryness that comes from graham crackers and also because of who I am as a person, but this was still really, really good.
Handmade Raspberry Pop-Tart
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I ate way too many Pop-Tarts when I was a teenager in high school- why were they so readily accessible? I can't tell you the last time adult Jessica had a Pop-Tart, so I definitely felt the nostalgia when I saw this as one of the items in this box. I appreciate how you can tell this was a homemade pastry instead of a mass-produced one- I find it charming. I really, really liked the raspberry filling, but I didn't think there was enough of it considering how much crust this pastry had. Because of that, this wasn't my favorite dessert in the box.
Macadamia Nut Cookie, 1/3 lb
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This macadamia nut cookie is a big boi- I don't have a food scale at home to see if it truly weighed one-third of a pound, but it was hefty enough that I believe it because I definitely did not eat all of this cookie in one sitting. Even though by the time this cookie got to me it was at least a few days old, it still had that soft-baked quality we know and love in a good cookie. There were plenty of macadamia nuts scattered throughout, and I thought the sweetness level was just right.
Nutella Cookie Butter Cups, 2 ct
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I love a Reese's peanut butter cup, so I was intrigued by these small-batch Nutella cookie butter cups! I'm not the craziest Nutella fan, but I've never tried the iconic flavor mixed into cookie butter cup form before. I liked the size of these- they felt like a really solid size where eating just one was enough to satisfy my sweet tooth. I thought the sweetness level on these were on point, and overall, I really enjoyed them.
Oatmeal Cream Pie
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Those Little Debbie oatmeal cream pie cookie sandwiches had a vice-like hold on me as a kid, and if I am exposed to them as an adult I still can't say no (I just avoid the grocery store aisle that has them for my overall health and wellbeing). Phivi's version was like a cousin instead of an exact replica- the cookie portions were much more dense whereas I remember the Little Debbie oatmeal cookies being flimsy, and because of that I felt like the frosting to cookie ratio was slightly off. That being said, I still really, really enjoyed this- I think anyone who likes oatmeal cookies would be a big fan.
Sno Ball Cake
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I have a very random but specific memory of going to work with my dad when I was a kid, and when he went to the Circle K across the street for a refill of his coffee, he grabbed a package of pink Hostess Sno Balls and brought them to the back of his work where I was hanging out. I think that was actually the first time I had ever tried a Sno Ball, because I don't remember having had the cream-filled chocolate cake covered with marshmallow frosting and coconut before that random core memory. This Sno Ball cake from Phivi tastes remarkably similar. The coconut flavor was very prominent (even more than any potential marshmallow icing), which paired really nicely with the moist chocolate cake.
Handmade Zebra Cake
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A zebra cake is a yellow cake with cream filling, white icing, and fudge stripes. My handmade zebra cake had the top layer of frosting get stuck to the lid of the container it came packaged in, which is why it may not look as familiar to your eyes (but to my tastebuds once I scraped the frosting off, it was definitely familiar). The cake itself was moist, and while I could have used a little more frosting, I don't know if that's a sentiment the general public would agree with (I love frosting).
One of the things I like about this subscription is it gives you slices of cake to have handy for random occasions you need to celebrate, like your cat's birthday. Goose turned one, y'all! Don't worry, I'm the one who actually ate the cake 🙂
Can you skip a box or pause if you sign up for a subscription?
Yes, you can skip a box in your subscription by contacting the Phivi team. Their goal is to tailor your box experience to you as much as possible, so be sure to give them adequate notice- they can't skip your box if it has already shipped, for example. If you need a longer break, you can pause your subscription by contacting the Phivi team, too.
How is the box shipped?
According to Phivi, during the summer or when shipping to warmer locations, our boxes are always shipped in an insulated liner with cold gel brick via FedEx 2-Day Express or FedEx 1-Day Ground.
Can anything tried in the subscription box be ordered in a larger quantity?
Yes! Anything sent in the subscription box can be ordered again in a larger quantity for an event, as a gift or just to treat yourself- just email the Phivi team at [email protected].
My Final Thoughts
If you're like me and have a sweet tooth, I think you'll really find joy in this box. The price is definitely on the higher side compared to what you may spend for individual cake slices at the grocery store, but Phivi really shows some creativity in sticking with their chosen theme of the month, and all of the items are small-batch, artisanal, and made right before your box ships. Most importantly, all of the desserts in this box tasted good. Could I go and buy a whole cake for the cost of this box? Yeah, but then I would eat a whole cake, which is really not the solution I am looking for. I think the ideal Phivi subscriber is someone who appreciates handmade baked goods with a flair for creativity, and they like that each dessert comes individually portioned. If the cost of this subscription feels too much like a splurge for a personal expense, I think it would be a great gift for someone in your life who loves sweets, too.
Keep track of your subscriptions by adding this box to your subscription list or wishlist!
What do you think of Phivi Box? Would you be interested in seeing another review of their artisanal assortment box? What about their macaron-lover or cookie and brownie box?
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