National Donut Day falls on the first Friday in June, but I missed the holiday this year due to unforgivable negligence. I’m remedying my error one month later with the help of Little Debbie, our snack cake queen. Her newest offering—Little Debbie Chocolate Old Fashioned Donuts—joins last summer’s successful original flavor variety.
Old Fashioned Donuts are cake donuts known for ridged, crispy exteriors and tender, dense interiors. They lack yeast, relying on baking powder for rise, and often have a slightly tangy flavor due to buttermilk or sour cream. Like an ill-proofed yeast donut, these Little Debbie creations haven’t quite reached their potential.
The exterior texture is spot on. The craggy surface of the donut has plenty of nooks to catch the generous glaze. The heavy glaze has dried smoothly, contributing its own soft crust that does not turn sticky and ruin your keyboard as you try to communicate your thoughts about donuts to the world.
The dense, crumbly interior is not as successful. It is just too dry and thick to do justice to a donut’s cake-like texture. The melt-in-your-mouth glaze gives the donut an illusion of moisture, but generally the interior is more reminiscent of a stale brownie.
The flavor is fine: very sugary from the glaze coat with cocoa-y flavor that is noticeable, but not strong or rich. There is a little artificial aftertaste that may be trying to mimic a buttermilk tang, but it hits a sour note.
These donuts are available in 3-oz single-serve packages or in a big pack of six. The donuts are, as advertised, big—hence the higher price point. They would be easy to share or use towards greater extravagance—heat them up in the air fryer, add ice cream, and make a sandwich. There are no limits on National Donut Day.
Luckily, National Donut Day can be any day if you keep its holiday spirit in your heart all year long. Despite their well-textured exterior and sweet glaze, Little Debbie Chocolate Old Fashioned Donuts didn’t quite scratch my itch for celebration.
Purchased Price: $5.49
Size: 15.43 oz package (6 donuts per box)
Purchased at: Wegmans
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (per 1 donut) 380 calories, 25 grams of fat, 13 grams of saturated fat, 0 gram of trans fat, 15 milligrams of cholesterol, 250 milligrams of sodium, 37 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 25 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.