America Runs on Dunkin’...Or Runs Away From It
Coconut shavings, jelly-filled pastries, and sticky sweet glaze—oh boy, it’s time for everyone’s favorite coffee shop! With so many options to choose from, some are bound to fall by the wayside, which is why we’re officially ranking the best and worst this chain has to offer.
1. French Cruller
The French cruller’s a love ‘em or leave ‘em item—but we’re on the leave ‘em side. It’s a good thing these guys are only available by location because they’re a far cry from the delicious pastry we remember. Doughy, lackluster taste, and way too sweet, we mourn for the crullers from our childhoods.
2. Vanilla Creme
On the surface, this donut appears to offer all the powdery, cream-filled deliciousness we crave from Dunkin’. But that first bite rips off the mask to uncover what truly lies beneath: an overly sweet pastry that’s not only messy but basically tastes like grocery store frosting.
3. Bavarian Kreme
If vanilla cream won’t do it, this strange concoction certainly won’t either. It comes with the filling of a Boston Kreme but the powder of a classic donut—and falls prey to the same problems as both: a little too messy and way too sweet.
4. Strawberry Frosted With Sprinkles
When we think about donuts we often picture this exact one: a perfect pastry topped with oozing strawberry glaze and colorful sprinkles. (Hey, Homer thought of that too!) However, to actually indulge is to be disappointed by the sickly sweet, artificial taste.
5. Maple Frosted
Our Canadian friends might appreciate a good maple glaze, but this donut’s pretty hit-or-miss. With so many better options available, it’s hard to reach for those buttery toffee notes, especially when it’s that sweet. Then again, there is something oddly inviting about this and we can’t blame anyone who indulges at breakfast.
6. Boston Kreme
We’re sure to ruffle some feathers coming for the beloved Boston Kreme, but we can’t help it! We get the appeal of all that chocolate and cream but it’s still a bit too decadent to properly enjoy. That said, we appreciate the balance of this donut over the sickly sweet powdered options.
Leonora (Ellie) Enking from East Preston, United Kingdom on Wikimedia
7. Lemon Donut
We love a good lemon pastry as much as the next customer, but Dunkin’s option is low on our list. It suffers the same fate as the strawberry glaze: a noticeably artificial flavor. Top it off with dense, powdered dough and we’re good to skip this one.
8. Powdered Donut
As you can probably imagine, we aren’t fans of the powdered stuff—not when other pastries do it better. Without any filling or any aesthetic appeal like glaze or sprinkles, we’re left with a pretty bland donut that gets everywhere and has a wonky texture.
9. Vanilla Frosted With Sprinkles
This little guy isn’t the biggest problem on Dunkin’s menu. It’s perfectly fine for what it is, and we appreciate that it isn’t half as fake as its strawberry cousin. That said, it’s a little boring. Whether it needs more flavor or a generous glaze, this one is just…fine.
10. Jelly Donut
It’s not that the jelly donut is inherently bad, it’s that Dunkin’s menu has better choices. We could take or leave granulated sugar over the powdered stuff and its apple-raspberry jelly doesn’t always hit the spot. We have to be in a serious mood to make our way through the messiest pastry on the board.
Alright, now that we’ve burned through some of our least favorites, it’s time we sunk our teeth into our top picks.
1. Sour Cream
We’ll never forgive Dunkin’ for discontinuing this gem at certain locations. If you’re lucky enough to get your hands on one, though, it’s time to indulge! It’s crispy and thick without being dense, it boasts a slight tang, and in our humble opinion, no other donut holds a candle to its perfection.
2. Old Fashioned
Don’t let its name fool you—this classic donut is anything but bland. It may not have all the bells and whistles of its competitors, but its simplicity is part of the charm. This crunchy cake donut isn’t as messy as the others and its airy taste is great for anyone who wants a modest choice.
3. Glazed Blueberry
You wouldn’t think we’d score this one so high. After all, it’s sweet and runs the same risk of artificial fruit flavoring…but unlike the others, it does it right! Don’t get us wrong, the blueberries are definitely fake, but they also bring a certain Sunday morning charm that puts it a step above the rest. The subtle glaze also makes it easier going down.
4. Double Chocolate
Look, we can’t help it. Chocolate is good—and double chocolate is even better. It’s essentially a chocolate cake donut topped with a chocolate glaze. It’s dense, it’s sweet, and while we know it’s too much for some, true sweet tooths will risk the cavities.
5. Glazed Chocolate
We hope you like chocolate as much as we do because we aren’t done with it yet! Funnily enough, this donut is much lighter than it looks, making it a great option for modest chocoholics. The basic glaze doesn’t make this too sweet and we enjoy ripping into this one for an airy snack that hits the spot. 
Evan-Amos on Wikimedia
6. Chocolate Frosted With Sprinkles
You didn’t think we’d forget about the chocolate frosted donut, did you? Though we’re not the biggest fans of its siblings, this fan-favorite has actual cocoa in the frosting, giving it an added punch. All in all, it’s nice and thick without any synthetic flavors.
7. Coffee Roll
Dunkin’ may call it a coffee roll but it’s actually more of a cinnamon bun—and that’s okay because we’re still fans of this guy. The cinnamon taste isn’t overpowering and despite a full glaze, it isn’t sickly sweet either. The spiral shape is also fun!
8. Glazed Stick
Ah, the glazed stick: a perfect option when you want a dense, delicious donut for dunking. Sure, it’s a bit calorie-heavy (with nearly double the calories of a regular glazed donut) and it doesn’t have a classic donut shape, but this little guy has all the taste we want with the added bonus of fitting into our cup.
9. Marble-Frosted
Say what you want about marble-frosted donuts but they remain a beloved option on Dunkin’s menu. All that vanilla frosting with a hint of chocolate drizzle? It’s practically a two-for-one we drool over every time.
10. Toasted Coconut
We know this classic donut remains a polarizing option but we can’t imagine why! Though coconut isn’t for everyone, the toasted bits offer a different flavor than your standard shavings, giving a bit of extra chewiness to the already delicious taste. We’re also fans of the regular coconut donut, which is just as delightful; it’s dipped in a modest glaze and then tossed in flakes for a tasty, fluffy pastry.
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