Dunkin’ Donuts
Apple Fritter
Granulated Sugar Raspberry Filled Donut
Powdered Sugar Custard Filled Donut
Strawberry Frosted Donut
Vanilla Frosted Donut
Blueberry Muffin
Toasted Coconut Donut
Powdered Sugar Chocolate Crème Donut
Glazed Jelly Donut
French Cruller
Like many Americans this writer’s earliest memory of Donuts come from Dunkin’, and given the company’s feverish East-coast following plus locations around the globe there is no doubt the brand deserves recognition for commoditizing such an iconic Pastry, even if the product falls far-short of gourmet by modern standards.
Trans-fat and Artificial-dye free since 2018, a change that nonetheless sees each par-baked piece of Dough laden with over a dozen “Food Additives,” it was by request that three-dozen were ordered from the drive-thru at 3481 South Durango, a few small mistakes but no “deal-breakers” quickly remedied and compensated by a complimentary Blueberry Muffin.
Opting to revisit old memories, a reluctant decision having visited over 80% of America’s “Best” Doughnut Shops over the past decade, it was sharing with others that Dunkin’s Apple Fritter proved fairly competent and largely greaseless, a limited amount of Fruit remedied by lots of Glaze and swirls of Cinnamon.
Recalling a fondness for DD’s Strawberry Frosting as a youngster, its delightfully artificial taste unfortunately compromised by the flavorless ring beneath, a switch to Cake from Yeast found the Blue-Vanilla specimen slightly better while both Jam-filled Donuts were frankly disastrous and cloyingly-sweet.
Unimpressed also by a Chocolate Crème Bismarck, its inside pasty with perhaps one tablespoon of filling, Custard fared slightly better before finally biting into the aforementioned Muffin with a suitably moist crumb and crunchy Sugar topping.
Already quite sure that rumors of Dunkin’ not frying their Donuts is urban legend, the Cruller removing any doubt as the exterior tasted prominently of Oil, the only Donut which justified its calories was Cake covered with Toasted Coconut, the contrasting textures and subtle sweetness rivaling what one might find at a good mom ‘n pop place.
TWO STARS: Like many iconic American chains it is difficult to argue with decades of success, but with advances in Food science and an abundance of locally-owned Donut Shops in almost every American city the only thing Dunkin’ has going for it nowadays is name recognition and lower-than-average prices for lower-than-average products.
RECOMMENDED: Blueberry Muffin, Toasted Coconut Donut.
AVOID: Jelly Donut, Chocolate Crème Donut, French Cruller.
TIP: Pre-ordering and delivery offered by all the usual Apps and rewards available using the Dunkin’ App on Android or iPhone.
WHAT THE STARS MEAN: 5 World Class, 4 Excellent, 3 Good, 2 Fair, 1 Poor.
www.dunkindonuts.com
