We Tried Krispy Kreme’s Entire Pumpkin Spice Menu (And We’d Rather Eat A Candle)

Krispy Kreme’s leading the way this year with the integration of its fall menu items, beating Starbucks and Dunkin’ to the launch. Naturally, we knew we’d have to see if this slightly premature launch meant that they had a perfect menu that just couldn’t wait a moment longer or if they should’ve taken some extra time to work out any kinks. August 11th is pretty early to start off the fall season after all. So, without further ado, let’s get into the official Sporked review.

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Did They Stick The Landing?

Krispy Kreme’s fall launch included four fall-inspired doughnuts, two of which are never before seen from Krispy Kreme. Additionally, their fall latte lineup got a new addition to accompany the classic Pumpkin Spice Latte.

New Maple Cheesecake Donut ― For as much as I love maple syrup, I despise the flavor of artificial maple. Granted, that is definitely a personal preference, but the flavor is just so overpowering and aggressively sweet. The thing about this doughnut is that it’s like the intersection of artificial maple and butterscotch pudding. Not only is the flavor just unpleasant, but it is so sweet that after just one bite I could feel the cavities forming. The texture of the filling is just so gloopy, too, that it makes the doughnut have basically no redeemable qualities. The standard shell of the donut is of course good, but it’s not like you can’t even taste it with everything else going on in the donut. 

New Cafe Mocha Donut ― This doughnut is pretty fantastic, especially considering it’s really just their quintessential chocolate glazed doughnut with a swirl of coffee frosting on top. First, you get an aggressive hit of the coffee flavor, and while it’s a bit artificial, it’s not repulsive or deterrent. But overall, the flavor comes together well and tastes properly like what they’re advertising.

Biscoff® Cookie Butter Donut ― If you like Biscoff, then you’re going to love this doughnut. But if you have any sort of issue with its flavor, then you’re gonna wanna stay far away from this. It is Biscoff-heavy to almost a fault. Since it’s made with the Biscoff spread, it’s quite stodgy and honestly overwhelming. I can’t say you can even taste the doughnut at any point in eating it. But again, if you’re the type who gets a jar of Biscoff spread and can eat it by the spoonful, then you’ll probably be the donut’s biggest fan.

Pumpkin Spice Cake Donut ― The texture of the pumpkin cake doughnut is surprisingly light and tender. And despite looking incredibly dry, it is actually pretty moist. Where it falls distinctly short is its flavor. As opposed to the natural warming flavors of false spices, this tastes more like the artificial flavors of a Yankee candle. And while that might smell great, it’s not so impressive on the palate. 

New Apple Crisp Latte ― A warm apple crisp is one of the most undeniably satisfying desserts. It’s luscious, fruity, warm, and spicy. Everything that makes an apple crisp good was entirely not present, or just artificially represented in this latte. The apple and spice tasted like they came straight out of a candle and better yet you couldn’t even taste if there was coffee in the drink.

Pumpkin Spice Latte ― Sure, it’s basic, but I still love a pumpkin spice latte at the end of the day. Is it the best drink in the world? No. But, does it immediately get you into the fall spirit? Yes! So I was excited to try Krispy’s version of the classic latte. That excitement was short-lived though. It’s just too artificial and too sweet. Again, the flavor itself was candle-like and the coffee itself was not impressive either.