H-E-B is carrying a line of dessert hummus. Really

I am a lover of all things hummus, but I have never considered it dessert. It’s traditionally savory and full of flavors of the olive oil and garlic mixed in with the smashed and blended chickpeas and eaten on hot pita bread.

But H-E-B has a line of calorieconscious dessert hummus spreads — chocolate, cake batter and sea salt caramel — that changed my mind. The 8-ounce tubs sell for $2.98 each and can be found in the refrigerated deli area.

These are still made with a base of chickpeas, and they have the consistency of softened peanut butter. The chocolate blend has the look and flavor of thick pudding. It was great as a dipper and sweet enough that it might work as a frosting. But we won’t tell anyone if a quick swipe of your finger is the primary agent of conveyance.

Speaking of frosting, the cake batter flavor smells exactly as the name suggests. Large, sugary whiffs hit the nostrils upon opening, and it was a natural spread for bagels, fruits or dry shortbread cookies.

The sea salt caramel pairs well with pretzels, but the saltiness also makes it an ideal ice cream topper or a dip for sliced apples.

And here’s the really good news about all of the spreads: a 2-tablespoon serving comes in at 70 to 80 calories. That’s about half the calories in a standard serving of Betty Crocker vanilla cake frosting, which clocks in at 140 calories. The dips are also free of saturated fats and cholesterol.

So if the craving for something sweet hits you, this line of spreads is something to relish without the guilt.

Chuck Blount / Staff H-E-B has a line of dessert-like hummus spreads with flavors such as chocolate, cake batter and sea salt and caramel that work as great dippers, spreads or any other lower-calorie craving.