We Tried Krispy Kreme’s New Coffee Donut (And We’ll Stick To The Classic)

To mark National Coffee Day this year, Krispy Kreme introduced their Original Glazed Coffee Flavored Doughnut for a limited time. It is essentially the brand’s iconic glazed doughnut, but instead of the standard clear sugar coating, it features a coffee-infused glaze. The item is only available through the end of the day tomorrow; once September 29 concludes, this special offering will be removed from the menu.

As dedicated coffee enthusiasts, we knew we had to sample these for ourselves upon their release. We had several questions about whether the brand could successfully execute the flavor profile and if this addition was even necessary, given the high quality of the original version. We felt compelled to investigate this coffee-flavored mystery. Here is our official review.

Coffee and doughnuts are a timeless pairing. Despite being a cliché, the combination is deeply embedded in our culinary culture. We expected this to be a naturally excellent blend, as we have been conditioned to believe the two belong together. However, Krispy Kreme missed the mark in merging the two. Ultimately, the pairing only succeeds when you can actually taste both components. Who woulda thunk it…

Our primary issue with this doughnut was that it was difficult to distinguish from the standard Original Glazed. The dough itself is identical, which is a positive, but the glaze offered only the faintest hint of coffee.

This isn’t just a matter of personal preference regarding intensity; I consumed half the doughnut before detecting even a subtle coffee aftertaste. If a product is marketed as the complete coffee-and-doughnut experience in one, the consumer should be able to taste both elements. Unfortunately, that was not our experience.

Beyond the lack of coffee flavor, the glaze had an unusual texture absent in the Original Glazed. It appeared cloudier and left a noticeably greasier sensation in the mouth. Ultimately, while the doughnut wasn’t inherently bad, we concluded that we would still prefer a classic Original Glazed paired with a fresh cup of joe.