Tag: Dunkin

REVIEW: Dunkin’ Mike’s Hot Honey Sandwich

Erin 1 Comment

Ever since Mike’s Hot Honey debuted in 2010, it’s been oozing its way onto pizza, ice cream, and everything in between. Dunkin’s menu is the latest to fall into Mike’s sticky fingers with its new Hot Honey Bacon Sandwich, Wake-Up Wrap, and Snackin’ Bacon. The sandwich stacks hot honey bacon, a fried egg, white cheddar, and a hot honey drizzle on a brioche bun. Honey seems like a perfect condiment for a breakfast sandwich, so this collaboration is a no-brainer, and I’m surprised it didn’t happen sooner. Dunkin’ might be a little late to the game, but there’s no reason this shouldn’t be a slam dunk.

Upon unwrapping this sandwich, I took note that it looked like a lot of buns and not much else. The cheese was visible, but that was about it. I don’t typically feel the need to dissect my food before eating it, but sometimes it can be helpful when reviewing to make sure you actually have all the correct ingredients since (this will come as no shock to my fellow fast food purchasers) plenty of times – you don’t.

Opening the sandwich revealed everything that was supposed to be there, albeit none of it looked very appealing. The cheese wasn’t well melted, the bacon mediocre, and the egg looked squishy, perhaps due to sitting on the bottom bun that was soaked in the hot honey glaze. I reassembled things, which did make for a more complete picture. Although unfortunately not a better eating experience.

For having both hot honey bacon and a hot honey drizzle, there is zero heat present in this sandwich. I couldn’t detect any whatsoever, and if I hadn’t seen the employee who made it using a bottle with a Mike’s label, I would have thought it was regular honey, and maybe the location ran out of the real stuff. My dad is the kind of spicy food-averse person who starts coughing if they look at a red pepper flake, and I think he could eat this with no problem. Dunkin’ must have mellowed out the pepper content in hopes of a more universal appeal to its sweet-leaning fanbase, but it’s disappointing to expect a sweet/hot combo and lack half of it entirely. Trying the bacon on its own, I found it to be serviceable fast food bacon with a honey flavor, but the heat is still missing. The egg was as unpleasantly squishy as its appearance promised. I didn’t expect a great fried egg in this situation, but a spongey, sweet one does not help things. Perhaps if a more viscous honey drizzle was used or if it was placed elsewhere on the sandwich, it would work better, but as it is things just get soggy.

When I tried this, there was a deal in the app to get it for $3, and it’s definitely not worth more. Fans of hot honey and good breakfast sandwiches should get their fix elsewhere because Dunkin’ dropped the ball on this one.

Purchased Price: $3.00 (app offer, normally $5.99)
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 600 calories, 29 grams of total fat, 12 grams of saturated fat, 0 gram of trans fat, 265 milligrams of cholesterol, 1210 milligrams of sodium, 61 grams of total carbs, 2 grams of dietary fiber, 23 grams of total sugar, and 24 grams of protein

REVIEW: Dunkin’ S’mores Cold Brew

Erin Leave a comment

The classic summer flavor of s’mores has descended on Dunkin’, so if you’re the kind of person who enjoys campfire-melted candies smashed between graham crackers, get ready to mix all that up in your coffee. The S’mores Cold Brew combines Dunkin’s classic cold brew with s’mores flavored syrup and is topped with marshmallow cold foam and graham crumbles.

Before I get into how this drink tastes, I must say I’m absolutely smitten with its visual appearance. The initial presentation was pleasant enough with its thick layer of cold foam. But after a few minutes, as the foam cascades down and mixes into the cold brew, the drink divides itself into three neat sections of white, tan, and brown, looking like some sort of s’mores-inspired candy corn cup. Just carrying it around, I feel like I’m holding a special treat. It could taste like garbage and I would still not be angry that I purchased it because it brought my eyes several moments of joy. Luckily, it’s more than a pretty picture.

The drink is topped with a hefty layer of cold foam that is so distinctly marshmallowy in taste and texture. It’s not just foam that’s vaguely vanilla or marshmallow flavored; in fact, it’s less like foam and more like you’ve scooped half a jar of marshmallow fluff on top of your coffee. It even has the slightly sticky consistency you’d expect of any gooey marshmallow product, and while stickiness may sound like an unappealing quality in a drink, I assure you it isn’t here.

Noticeably absent from my first purchase of this was the graham crumble topping, and I wondered how much that changed the overall feel of the drink.

Once you get beyond the sweet foam (which may take a few sips if yours came with as much as mine), you’re met with Dunkin’s cold brew mixed with s’mores syrup. The syrup contributes more sweetness but not a whole lot in terms of s’mores flavor. I thought I could maybe detect a very slight suggestion of mocha, but given that s’mores only have three ingredients, and one is chocolate, you’d expect that to be more prominent. I also didn’t pick up anything particularly toasty or graham cracker-like. But I was happy with the smooth coffee taste of the cold brew, and the marshmallow foam continued to be a standout, maintaining some presence even as I got to the end of the cup.

My second attempt came with the graham crumbles, and they’re a welcome addition as far as s’mores authenticity goes. They’re more sandy and cookie-ish than graham crackers exactly, but they bring toasty, honey notes and a slight saltiness that helps cut the very sweet marshmallow-forward beverage. The foam is the star here and your enjoyment will largely depend on your feelings towards those squishy confections. If you love marshmallows, don’t miss this one. If you don’t, I’d probably give it a pass.

Purchased Price: $4.89
Size: Medium
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 390 calories, 20 grams of total fat, 2 grams of saturated fat, 0 gram of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 80 milligrams of sodium, 53 grams of total carbs, 1 gram of dietary fiber, 66 grams of total sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Dunkin’ Chocolate Chunk Cookie

Marvo 3 Comments

Dunkin’ has a new chocolate chip cookie, but this time it’s not giving us the recipe. The new Chocolate Chunk Cookie comes pre-packaged and measures four inches wide.

The coffee and donut chain says the treat is loaded with a generous amount of chocolate and has pretzel bits and notes of savory brown butter. Dunkin’ ain’t kidding when it says “loaded.” Unless you’re a bird or eat like a bird, I guarantee you’ll get a bit of chocolate with every bite. There are huge morsels spotted all over it, but split it in half, and it appears there’s a chocolate layer within it. Generous, indeed, Dunkin’.

While munching my way through it, my molars came upon cereal-sized bits of something crunchy. Since I didn’t read the ingredients or the press release before biting into the cookie because I thought there were just choco chunks baked into them, I was pleasantly surprised by the crunchy bits. After learning they were pretzel bites, I was then confused by them because I didn’t notice a pretzel flavor, just a hearty crunch.

While there’s ample chocolate, the snack seems to be 50-50 cookie and chocolate, so it doesn’t seem like I’m eating a candy bar. It has a chewy texture that reminded me of fudge brownies. Oddly, some bites were noticeably salty. I’m pretty sure it’s from the savory brown butter and not the pretzel bits because I detected more saltiness with bites that didn’t include them. It bothered me a little, but I imagine some might find it to be a little too savory to their liking for a sweet cookie.

Dunkin’s Chocolate Chunk Cookie is an okay pre-packaged offering that has the same amount of saturated fat as a Big Mac if you eat the whole thing. I love the amount of chocolate in it, my sweet tooth enjoyed it, and I was pleasantly surprised by the crunch of the pretzel bits, but it’s not a must buy.

Purchased Price: $2.99
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 370 calories, 18 grams of fat, 11 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 45 milligrams of cholesterol, 440 milligrams of cholesterol, 50 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 28 grams of sugar (including 26 grams of added sugar), and 5 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Dunkin’ Vanilla Frosted Donut Signature Latte

Julie Leave a comment

Dunkin’s summer menu takes inspiration from the fresh, delicious flavors of the season, like watermelon, blueberry, and…donuts? Donuts are an unconventional choice for summer only if you do not celebrate National Donut Day on June 7. If you need a better reason to embark on the spiritual journey known as Hot Donut Summer, reach with me: think of the shape of inflatable pool rings, or the treat you enjoy at work while counting down the days to your beach vacation.

The Frosted Vanilla Donut Signature Latte is a tribute to that besprinkled beacon, reminding you that better times are ahead—even if those times involve only the caffeine-and-sugar-induced euphoria that comes with treating yourself. Available hot or iced, the latte is made with rich espresso, milk, and two kinds of sweet flavoring: vanilla and Donut Swirl, described on Dunkin’s website as having “notes of vanilla frosting, pastry, and donut sugar.” The signature drink is topped with whipped cream, caramel drizzle, and rainbow sprinkles.

I ordered a hot Signature Latte on a chilly day. Removing the drink’s lid revealed fluffy whipped cream, melting against the coffee’s heat and decorated invitingly with caramel and sprinkles. In appearance, it reminded me of an ice cream sundae (foreshadowing established) with a strong vanilla aroma.

After a few sips, my notions of Hot Donut Summer had melted away just like the whipped cream. If I hadn’t known the intended flavor, I would have thought I was sipping on an Ice Cream Sundae Latte. The drink was very richly creamy and sweet—a little too sweet, especially where pockets of unmixed flavor syrup lingered at the bottom of the cup. The drink’s vanilla flavor and general sweetness were the most pronounced flavors, although the coffee wasn’t lost. Lacking any bitter notes, the coffee flavor seemed equal in ratio to the vanilla creaminess, which together reminded me of coffee ice cream. I could have dumped my cup’s contents into an ice cream maker, churned for a spell, and transferred the results to a waffle cone for a nice dessert.

As I envisioned this experiment, my mind’s library of useless knowledge released from its archives a lyric from a Beastie Boys song: “I like my sugar with coffee and cream.” If you share the sentiment, the Dunkin’ Frosted Vanilla Donut Signature Latte will be a good match for you: it is sweet, creamy, with elevated vanilla flavor, with extra sweet toppings as the icing on the alleged donut.

Don’t let my ice cream tangent make you think I forgot about the unfulfilled promise of the donut. While combining the longtime colleagues of coffee and donuts into a latte is a fun idea, the resulting product doesn’t remind me of the pastry at all, save their like sweetness. While it may be a sweeter, more dessert-like twist on your usual coffee beverage, the Dunkin’ Frosted Vanilla Donut Signature Latte feels like a missed opportunity for a unique seasonal treat to bask in the summer spotlight.

Purchased Price: $4.39
Size: Small
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 300 calories, 11 grams of total fat, 8 grams of saturated fat, 0 gram of trans fat, 35 milligrams of cholesterol, 140 milligrams of sodium, 43 grams of total carbs, 0 grams of dietary fiber, 39 grams of total sugar, and 3 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Dunkin’ Kiwi Watermelon Refresher

Marvo 14 Comments

“Can I get a Kiwi Strawberry Refresher?”

That’s how I ordered Dunkin’s new Kiwi Watermelon Refresher in the drive-thru, thanks to my mouth, which has said kiwi strawberry or strawberry kiwi so many times that it’s apparently developed muscle memories for saying them. However, despite my mouthy mix-up, the person taking my order didn’t correct me, and I ended up with the correct verdant green-colored beverage.

As I sipped on the new Dunkin’ Refresher flavor, I realized that kiwi watermelon is a rare fruit combination in the beverage world. In fact, I couldn’t even recall a product that had the two-fruit combo. This curiosity led me to delve into my extensive photo library of 26,667 Spotted product images, but my search came up with zilch.

Dunkin’s Kiwi Straw…I mean, Kiwi Watermelon Refresher is available with either green tea or lemonade. I went with green tea because my body doesn’t function well without caffeine; hence, perhaps it’s the reason why I mouthed “kiwi strawberry” instead of “kiwi watermelon” since the beverage was my first kiss of caffeine of the day. Oh, for you lemonade fans, Dunkin’ announced that it’ll now be a permanent offering. So pucker up! A large size with green tea has 132 milligrams of caffeine, which is surprisingly high for something with green tea. I wish Arizona Green Tea had that much.

The grassy green color without a hint of red watermelon gives a clue as to how this beverage tastes. The dominant flavors are kiwi and green tea, and I’m not sure I ever noticed the watermelon. Although there’s a slight sourness, which could’ve come from the kiwi or watermelon. Even though it tasted like it was missing the melon flavor, I thought it still was a delicious and refreshing drink. A kiwi and green tea mix is quite good.

If you need a sweet, tasty beverage that color coordinates with Dunkin’s new Green Goddess Wrap or a pick-me-up that quenches your thirst, Dunkin’s Kiwi Watermelon Refresher is a great option.

Purchased Price: $5.59
Size: Large
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 160 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 20 milligrams of sodium, 39 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 37 grams of sugar (including 37 grams of added sugar), 1 gram of protein, and 132 milligrams of caffeine.