Before I went vegan, I would love the Sunday trips with my dad to the local Dunkin’ to pick up a few donuts for my family. The smells (mostly the coffee- which at that age I was allowed to have) filled my lungs and made me feel so overjoyed for this occasional treat.
There are a few factors one should look for in the ideal donut: flavor, consistency, and overall experience. Although you might say that “no donut is a bad donut,” I can assure you that there are certainly some terrible donuts out there. That being said, here are the my rankings of the top 22 classic Dunkin’ flavors- from worst to best!
22. Strawberry Frosted Donut
In last place, we have the infamous strawberry frosted donut: it’s for people that like eating ChapStick for breakfast. You might see it on the rack at your local Dunkin’ and think “hey, that looks appetizing! I should try it.” Don’t.
21. Cinnamon Old Fashioned
Old fashioned donuts are quite deceiptful. You look at them and think of a real, traditional donut. But when you bite in, it’s clearly way too heavy and unbalanced to be a tasty option. The cinnamon spiced old-fashioned donuts always taste stale and aren’t top on anyone’s list.
20. Powdered Sugar Old Fashioned
For the reasons noted above, and the caught-in-the-back-of-your-throat feeling of powdered sugar.
19. Original Old Fashioned
Who eats these things- seriously? They’re something your grandpa would enjoy.
18. Coconut Old Fashioned
Maybe I’m just saying this because I’m a fan of coconut, but I think that they’re a small step up from the original old fashioned. The coconut is sweet and flakey without being too overpowering.
17. Old Fashioned Stick
The only reason why the old fashioned stick donut scored higher than the regular donut is because of the crispiness of it.
16. Jelly Stick
If I ate a jelly stick from Dunkin’, I would wonder where the jelly was. They’re not filled with nearly enough jelly, so it’s probably just better to get a glazed stick and move on.
15. Bavarian Cream Donut
Bavarian cream (powdered sugar exterior with vanilla custard interior) are delicious- but only when the custard (or what Dunkin’ should call “frosting”) isn’t sickeningly sweet. Their Bavarian creme is forgettable.
14. Original Glazed Stick
I don’t understand glazed sticks, even when it’s a yeasted dough! I think it’s much more portable and easy to carry a small circular donut rather than this awkward mess of a donut stick.
13. Glazed Chocolate Stick
Stick donuts can be very dense, which is why most of them did not score high on my list. However, the chocolate base of this stick was emblematic of the chocolate cake donut, which made me very happy. I think that this donut might be good only when paired with coffee.
12. Vanilla Frosted Donut
Vanilla frosted donuts are like the kind we serve at summer camp- and kids absolutely love. They’re definitely not an adult’s favorite donut because of how sickeningly sweet they can be.
11. Jelly Donut
Jell donuts can easily go very wrong due to a lack of filling. Dunkin’ is no exception. Although I think the tang of a raspberry jelly complements the sweetness of the donut, there needs to be a greater jelly-to-donut ratio.
10. French Cruller
French Crullers are easily recognizable for their twisted, nostalgic pattern. They’re light and fluffy, but can sometimes be too airy. I’d rather just get a classic glazed!
9. Chocolate Glazed Donut
This donut has a traditional chocolate, cakey base with a light glaze over it. I prefer these donuts in Munchkin’ form because of how dense they can be!
8. Boston Cream Donut
If you’re not from New England, you might not recognize the iconic Boston Cream donut. It’s a round, custard-filled donut with a chocolate glaze. This donut would score higher on the rankings if Dunkin’ added a little more custard filling.
7. Classic Glazed Donut
How could you ever go wrong with a glazed donut? The glazed donuts at Dunkin’ aren’t as good as Krispy Kreme (in my opinion), especially if they’re not baked fresh. But, a donut is a donut!
6. Chocolate Frosted Donut
If you frequented Dunkin’ as a kid, chances are that you enjoyed a chocolate frosted (with sprinkles) at one time or another. The yeastiness of this donut along with the sugary, crackle frosting on top makes this a classic pick.
5. Blueberry Cake Donut
This donut would easily be higher on my list if it wasn’t as heavy. I think the sweetness and flavors really make the blueberry donut stand out, especially when dipped in a warm cup of coffee.
4. Maple Frosted Donut
Would I be a true Vermonter if I didn’t say maple frosted deserved a spot on my top list? Although Dunkin’ maple tastes like sugary plastic, it’s still a nice taste.
3. Butternut Donut
This is probably my favorite nostalgic donut because it tastes like an almond Good Humor ice cream bar! My mom used to love Butternut donuts and order them whenever we went to Dunkin’ as a kid. I also think that because donuts are such a heavy food, they need a textural reprieve.
2. Double Chocolate Donut
This donut seems to have a cult following- and for good reason. It features a thick, dense layer of chocolate donut with a creamy chocolate icing. Most Dunkin’ shops also add more chocolate with the addition of sprinkles. Is it a dessert or a breakfast?
1. Blueberry Glazed Donut
It’s my favorite donut offering at Dunkin’ and for good reason! I can’t ever eat a whole blueberry muffin, so these are a great substitute. Although the blueberry flavor is somewhat artificial (we are eating donuts nonetheless), it’s a very sweet and filling option. The glaze coating also takes the texture to a new level. Hey Dunkin’, can we get a blueberry glazed munchkin flavor?