It seems as though most chains have been busy creating new menu items, and of course we are here to try them all. Up next on our list are Dunkin’s new donuts, the Spicy Pepper Donut and the Spider Donut (which was back for Halloween). The first donut we tried on our trip was the Spicy Pepper Donut, described as the “first-ever pepper-packed donut served nationwide [that] brings the heat with strawberry flavored icing, featuring a bold cayenne and ghost pepper spice blend,” according to the website. The Spider Donut “is frosted with orange icing with a sweet eight-legged donut creature on top, made from a glazed chocolate Munchkins donut hole treat with chocolate drizzle for the spider legs and white drizzle for the eyes,” according to the website. 

John Fornagiel

I will be frank: I think that the new spicy donut coming out from Dunkin was absolutely terrible. Unfortunately, I admit that I was definitely intrigued by the idea of a spicy donut, but once I tried it I regretted every ounce of interest that I ever displayed for such an abominable disgusting excuse for a donut. Those who know me know that I will almost never turn down food. In fact, I will often be the one to gobble down any leftovers if my friends or family have not finished their food. So you know it must be serious when I only took one bite of the donut before spitting it out and rinsing my mouth with water. The flavors do not mesh well together at all. When I bit into the donut, I was not only greeted with the slight sugary and dough flavor but then also a strong pepper flavor. Although I should have expected this, the flavor combination was appalling and not something I would ever welcome into my mouth again. Overall, two out of 10 from me.

The spider donut was, in my opinion, undeniably better than the spicy donut. It was decorated very creatively, in a way that put a smile on my face. The frosting and deep-fried dough was very sugary and delicious, reminiscent of many of their other donuts. In addition to this classic recipe, brown frosting is shaped such that it creates the legs of the spider, and a chocolate munchkin sits atop the center, forming the body of the spider. Before (or after) you take a bite into a Dunkin’ Donuts classic, you get to pop in a chocolate Munchkin! What’s not to like? Eight out of 10 from me on the spider donut.

Sasha Skarboviychu

I thought the spicy donut was interesting but weird. It does not taste bad; it tastes like a regular donut with pink frosting, but then just as you are done chewing, you feel a slight spice on your tongue. I don’t think the spices had a huge effect on the flavor of the donut itself, and I really don’t understand why John found the donut so disgusting. Personally, I am not a fan of flavor combinations such as sweet and salty or sweet and sour, so as you can imagine sweet and spicy is also not something that is up my alley. But I do think that John’s feelings for the donut are way too strong: It is not that bad. Overall, I would give the donut a seven out of 10: I don’t know if I would buy it again, but it was not terrible. 

The spider donut was just a fun play on a classic donut. I am not a huge fan of donuts (in fact, pumpkin and apple cider donuts are probably the only ones I actually like), so I really did not have too much to say about this one. The donut tasted like a regular donut. Honestly it was nothing special. What I did find weird is that the glaze that they used to make the “spider legs” had a very weird flavor to it, and honestly it kind of ruined the donut. I cannot find the words to describe what was wrong with it, but it was just not very good, so much so that I didn’t even finish my half of the donut. I did, however, really enjoy the “spider”: Chocolate Munchkins are pretty good. Overall, I would also give the donut a seven out of 10. 

All in all, we agree that Dunkin definitely intrigued us with their new donut; however, it really did not live up to our expectations. Hopefully Dunkin’s next donut experiment works out better.