Earlier in the summer Dunkin’ announced that they were partnering with Post cereal to come out with cereal that will be made with Dunkin’ coffee. They came out with two flavors: Caramel Macchiato and Mocha Latte, which became available in stores in August. As The Hoot’s resident food critics (and coffee lovers), we had to try them. We found them at Market Basket, on sale for two for $4. We were a little skeptical about the price because it was on sale, possibly suggesting that there were not a lot of buyers for it due to its quality. As we later found out, we could not have been more wrong.
Caramel Macchiato:
The Caramel Macchiato cereal is described as “crunchy cereal pieces and caramel-swirled marshmallows, creating the deliciously indulgent taste of the layered iced coffee beverage” on the Dunkin’ cereal website. It has a rating of 4.7 out of five stars, of the small sample size of 12 (though we have to mention that 11 out of those ratings were fives, with only one of them being one star). Additionally, 92 percent of the reviewers would recommend the cereal to a friend. In terms of nutrition, a serving (which is a cup and a third) is 150 calories, with 1.5 grams of fat, 135 milligrams of sodium, 33 grams of carbohydrates and 19 grams of sugar.
John:
The Caramel Macchiato cereal was absolutely DELICIOUS. If you have ever been to Dunkin’ and bought their hot caramel macchiato, the taste was absolutely identical to the beverage. I have no idea how they did it, but each pebble of cereal was bursting with sugar and flavor, not something that I expected for this cereal at all. Additionally, the little marshmallows added a beautiful little pop of heterogeneity in the cereal, something that I greatly appreciated. I would absolutely recommend this cereal to a friend. I ate this cereal so fast that the moment that I finished it, I needed a second bowl and instantly grabbed another. Also, the flavor that the cereal imbues within the milk is heavenly, and solidified to me that Dunkin’ knew exactly what they were doing when they made this cereal. This cereal gets a nine out of 10 from me.
Sasha:
Just like with most other foods, John and I ended up liking opposite things, so it is no surprise that I preferred the Mocha Latte to the Caramel Macchiato. But that is not to say that I did not enjoy the Caramel: it was a very solid cereal that I would give an eight out of 10. If you have ever talked to me about cereal, you will know that I have very strong feelings about American cereal (though a more appropriate name for most of it would be “sugary garbage,” but this is a story for a different time). Even the Caramel was a little too sweet for my taste: both the cereal and the marshmallows were quite sweet, so I’d even say that the marshmallows were extra. Though I preferred both cereals without the marshmallows. However if you like coffee cereal that is more on the sweet side, you will probably like this cereal more than the Mocha.
Mocha Latte:
The Mocha Latte cereal is described as having “a hint of chocolate and latte-swirled marshmallows in honor of its namesake espresso,” on the Dunkin’ cereal website. It has a rating of 4.1 out of five stars, of the even smaller sample size of seven. Only 71 percent of the reviewers would recommend the cereal to a friend. In terms of nutrition, a serving (which is a cup and a third) is 150 calories, with 1.5 grams of fat, 135 milligrams of sodium, 33 grams of carbohydrates and 18 grams of sugar.
John:
I definitely do not appreciate the Mocha Latte flavor as much as Sasha did, but I still think that it was a great cereal. Between the two of us, for my cereals, I am usually the one to go for the Cookie Crisps, Cocoa Krispies, Corn Flakes and Apple Jacks. In contrast, Sasha usually goes for the Cheerios or Rice Krispies cereal, which are noticeably less sugary. Also, remember that I am comparing this cereal relative to the Caramel Macchiato, which I think is a fantastic cereal. While I do not think that the Mocha Latte compares with the Caramel Macchiato, I still think it ranks above many other cereals. I would place this cereal at around a seven out of 10.
Sasha:
Although I am sad that so many people don’t appreciate the Mocha Latte, I understand why a lot of people prefer the Caramel. The Mocha has a pretty specific taste, and I am not surprised that only a few elite people truly appreciate it for the masterpiece it is. Even though it only has a gram less of sugar, it does not taste as sweet as the Caramel. I do have to say that both cereals were not as sweet as most other cereal available on the market, which I really enjoyed. As John mentioned, I do usually opt for regular Cheerios or Rice Krispies, though that is not because I particularly love their taste, they are just the only kinds of cereal that don’t make me want to throw up afterwards because of how sweet they are. This is largely why I like the Mocha so much: it is sweet, but not too sweet, and at the same time, you can still taste the coffee. I would give this masterpiece a nine out of 10.
It’s safe to say that between us trying the cereal and the writing of this article, both boxes of the Dunkin’ cereal have been eaten. We both must have had it for breakfast every day since we tried it that one fateful afternoon, and it will certainly be back on our grocery list when we go back to Market Basket.
