Tag: Dunkin Donuts

This was a hard review to write, and by that, I mean I gave in to the temptation to take a tiny taste of cold foam immediately after leaving Dunkin’ and then had to exert a downright colossal amount of willpower to make the suddenly-excruciating three-minute walk home without downing the entire thing.

First, I need to shine a spotlight on the lid that delivered this sweet sneak peek. If you’ve had a drink with cold foam before, you’re probably already familiar with its wider-than-usual opening that serves a mouthful of intact foam with each no-straw-required sip (before the foam inevitably melts, anyway).

Next, I need to thank said lid for allowing me to experience such a delicious flavor. The Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew name is predictably accurate, as right off the bat, the foam packs a mix of salt, caramel, and cream flavors. Interestingly, though, while I don’t usually think of either salt or caramel as being subtle, they were not what stood out to me in my sampling. That honor goes to the foam’s creaminess, and I don’t just mean its soft, luxurious texture. The flavor that it most reminded me of was actually Twinkie filling. Sure, its rich, sweet taste played a large part in that, but so did the sheer feeling of comfort it brought me. Coffee tends to get a bad rap through its association with the stressed out, overworked, and under-slept, but this saccharine cold foam had me feeling childlike wonder.

The cold brew (which I ordered black, though you can opt for cream) felt pretty standard with its dark, almost chocolatey flavor profile. While it was velvety and milder than a brew of the non-cold variety, I didn’t get much of the tang of saltiness nor the buttery richness of caramel from the drink itself. Notably, it performed a bit of color-changing magic. Remember that inevitably melty foam? The coffee started out a very deep brown but ended up practically tan from foam seepage, which presumably contributed to its rich, silky taste. I’ve witnessed the occasional schism between “serious” coffee drinkers who prefer a plain and simple experience and those like myself who welcome every frilly flavor out there, but I don’t think this offering is any less elegant for its sweetness, achieving a middle ground that can appeal to both sides.

I will say, I’m not sure why this is specifically a spring menu item. Maybe I’m just distracted by the thought of caramel apples, but the flavor strikes me as autumnal, if anything. So it’s a bit of a seasonal stretch, but eh, tomayto, tomahto (or cair-a-mel, car-mel).

Ultimately, if you’re not already a cold brew fan, I don’t think this will be the drink to convert you. But if you are a curious connoisseur — or if you’re just looking for some extra pep in your step and want a smooth, multifaceted flavor to help you achieve it — I’d recommend checking this one out.

Purchased Price: $5.00
Size: Small (12 oz)
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 140 calories, 2.5 grams of fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 10 milligrams of cholesterol, 75 milligrams of sodium, 28 grams of total carbohydrates, 27 grams of total sugars, 0 grams of fiber, and 1 gram of protein.

What is Dunkin’s Roasted Tomato & Hummus Toast?

A little over a year after the debut of its Avocado Toast, Dunkin’ brings a new item to its expanding toast menu. This variety starts with the same sourdough bread but has hummus as the spread and is topped with oven-roasted tomatoes. It’s then finished with a generous dusting of za’atar seasoning (oregano, thyme, sumac).

How is it?

I genuinely feel like Dunkin’ must be reading my diary because this item feels made for me. Hummus is one of the foods you will always find in my fridge, and za’atar is a pantry staple. Admittedly, I was a little worried the quality of both would be lacking since the Avocado Toast was a letdown. The first bite, however, was delicious. The hummus has a strong but not overpowering garlic flavor that works well with the sourdough. Za’atar adds a kick that elevates the entire item.

The oven-roasted tomatoes honestly reminded me more of sun-dried tomatoes in the sweetness they had. They felt like rehydrated sun-dried tomatoes (if that’s even possible?), and it was a pleasant surprise. I wish the tomato pieces were a little smaller, as taking a bite with them meant you were committed to a whole tomato chunk.

Anything else you need to know?

From now until March 22nd, if you order the Hummus & Roasted Tomato Toast through the app, you will get 2x the points. If you don’t like tomatoes, you can request just the hummus and za’atar on the toasted sourdough.

Conclusion:

The Roasted Tomato & Hummus Toast is an absolute win for Dunkin’. The price is a little high for what amounts to a snack, but it feels worth the cost because of the quality of ingredients and size of the item. It feels like a slide out of the breakfast zone and more into a midday snack you can grab when you get your afternoon caffeine boost. Just make sure to have some gum or mints after to curb that hummus breath.

Purchased Price: $3.99
Size: N/A
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 piece) 300 calories, 13 grams of fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 690 milligrams of sodium, 39 grams of carbohydrates, 6 grams of fiber, 5 grams of sugar, and 8 grams of protein.

Strawberry and coconut are two of the most delicious fruits on Earth, yet I don’t think I’ve ever had them mixed together.

How’s that possible?

At this point in my life, I feel like I’ve tried almost every fruit duo you can throw at me, yet here I sit, wracking my brain, and I can’t think of a single snack, candy, juice, cocktail, pastry, ice cream, whatever, that prominently features a combination of strawberry and coconut.

I didn’t even have that realization until I saw this Pink Strawberry Coconut Refresher in the Dunkin’ app. Then it hit me like a brick. Why haven’t I had this before?

I’ve actually been pretty mixed (no pun) on Dunkin’s line of “Refresher” drinks as a whole, but I had a good feeling about this one. It’s strawberry. It’s coconut. This one had to work, right?

Oh, it worked. I think this might be my favorite non-coffee drink Dunkin’ has ever released.

As it turns out, “pink strawberry,” is actually a concoction of strawberry and dragonfruit. While it’s most definitely an overpowering strawberry flavor, the dragonfruit adds a tart kick that levels off the sweetness you’d probably get from straight strawberry concentrate. Toss in the mellow creaminess of the coconut milk, and you’ve got a perfectly blended drink.

I genuinely don’t like to use the word “mouthfeel” (*shudder*) … but they really nailed the mouthfeel.

There’s no indication that the coconut milk is flavored, but I could be convinced there was a tinge of vanilla sweetener. If you’ve ever had Italian Ices mixed with vanilla custard – not sure what they call that around your way – it reminded me of one of those. I used to get Watermelon and Vanilla as a kid, and I was whisked back to those days*.

I also love when these drinks have that oil and water style separation. The way the coconut milk sat atop the vibrant pink juice and slowly cascaded down made me feel like I was drinking some kind of crazy theme park creation.

I gotta say, this lived up to its “Refresher” name. It gave me an energizing pep in my step, but if I had to dock it slightly, I would say this is more of a midday “pick me up” type drink. I don’t know if I’d ever order this in the morning over my standard coffee, as I tend to try and stay away from too much sugar to start my day.

I really enjoyed the flavors and the boost this Refresher gave me. This is definitely the proper use for coconut milk. I tried one of Dunkin’s coconut milk lattes and didn’t even wanna finish it. In this format, I wish I got a larger size. I’ll one hundred percent be a repeat customer.

So, I guess I’ve had strawberries mixed with coconut now. If anyone can tip me off to any other product that combines those two flavors, I’d appreciate it.

*Oh, and if anyone from Dunkin’ sees this – Watermelon Coconut Refresher. Let’s do it.

Purchased Price: $3.69
Size: Medium
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 170 calories, 4.5 grams of fat, 0 gram of trans fat, 3.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 mg of cholesterol, 65 milligrams of sodium, 31 grams of total carbohydrates, 28 grams of sugars, 0 grams of fiber, and 1 gram of protein.