For National Coffee Day this year, Krispy Kreme rolled out a limited-run treat: the Original Glazed Coffee-Flavored Doughnut. In essence, it remains the familiar Krispy Kreme glazed ring, but the usual clear sugar glaze is swapped for a glaze that carries coffee notes. The item is available only until the close of business tomorrow; once September 29—the designated National Coffee Day—has passed, this doughnut will disappear from the menu.
Our Official Take
Coffee and doughnuts have long stood as an iconic duo in the culinary world. No matter how cliché it sounds, the pairing remains deeply rooted in our collective food culture. So we anticipated this would be a superb match in practice. We’re used to hearing that coffee and doughnuts belong together. Yet Krispy Kreme didn’t quite nail the fusion. Ultimately, the magic of coffee and doughnuts only comes through when both elements are detectable on the palate. Who would have guessed…
Put simply, the central flaw was that the doughnut hardly differed from Krispy Kreme’s classic Original Glazed. The pastry itself remained identical, a strong point in terms of texture and form. However, the coffee notes in the glaze were barely audible—a mere ghost of flavor.
And this wasn’t about personal taste alone—the coffee character practically hid itself. I scarfed half the doughnut before any coffee aftertaste even lingered. If a product markets itself as the ultimate coffee-and-doughnut experience, it ought to deliver on both flavors. Regrettably, that did not occur.
Beyond the muted coffee presence, the glaze carried an odd texture absent from the standard glaze. It appeared cloudier and created a oilier mouthfeel. Ultimately, while not objectively off-putting, we would have chosen the classic Original Glazed paired with a cup of joe to cleanse the palate instead.
