Fall came early to coffee chains across the country, and now the holiday season is right behind it. Dunkin' has just released its Holiday Menu with four new items to ring in that seasonal cheer.
A Holiday Cookie Signature Latte, White Hazelnut Bark Coffee, Almond Croissant, and Hash Brown Brisket Scramble were added to the menu on November 1. Plus, starting November 6, Dunkin' is reintroducing Free Donut Wednesdays. Until December 25, members of the brand's rewards program can get a free donut with any drink purchase on Wednesdays.
Other holiday menu favorites are also returning to Dunkin', including the king of Dunkin's 2022 Holiday Menu, the Cookie Butter Donut. The holiday staple Peppermint Mocha and Toasted White Hot Chocolate Signature Lattes are also making a comeback. Just as quickly as retail stores start shoving aside the pumpkins in favor of snow-dusted trees, Dunkin' is ready to put the Halloween Munchkin Buckets and Potion Macchiato away. I tried all of the new items on the Holiday Menu to see which ones are worth your time.
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The Holiday Cookie Signature Latte is priced at $3.49 for a small hot cup, and the White Hazelnut Bark Coffee is being offered for $2.49 in the same size. As for the new food items, you can snag yourself a toasty Almond Croissant for $2.89 and a cup of hot Hash Brown Brisket Scramble for $4.59. Prices may vary depending on where you live.
These limited-time items will only be available through the holiday season, so if anything catches your eye or your wallet's interest, you should hustle over to your nearest Dunkin' to partake in the holiday cheer. Do you remember the Munchkins Skewers on the DunKings menu? No? That's because they were gone in a flash.
Before getting into the nitty gritty of the coffee's makeup, I will caution that it is fairly difficult to screw up sweet holiday coffee. As long as a few sips warm you up, the holiday mood is hard to avoid.
That being said, the Holiday Cookie Signature Latte is a clear winner. It's a sweet beverage with a zing of espresso to both warm you and wake you. Without modifications, the drink has three pumps of brown sugar cookie syrup, three pumps of toasted almond flavoring, whole milk, and espresso. That's topped with whipped cream, caramel drizzle, and cookie butter crumbles. The crumbles are a bit hard to detect in the hot version of the latte, but overall this is a wonderful holiday coffee.
As for the White Hazelnut Bark Coffee, it's pleasant but not anything shockingly special. The roast is Dunkin's original blend combined with cream and sweetened with hazelnut and toasted white chocolate flavors. This coffee's a little less dessert-like for those with a not-so-sweet tooth.
This might be an isolated issue, but the Almond Croissant I received at Dunkin' was more than toasty on the outside. Some of the almonds looked blackened, and I doubt that was the coffee chain's intention when adding the croissant to the menu.
On the bright side, while I anticipated the croissant being extra dry and potentially stale, the inside tasted pretty good. The Almond Croissant was doughy on the inside and filled with almond paste, which helped add to the buttery flavor. However, the burnt exterior pretty much ruined this item. The almond slivers did add some crunch to the croissant, but it's not something I was looking to add crunch to, and their charred flavor detracted from the overall experience. The Almond Croissant was the biggest miss on the Holiday Menu.
The real surprise star of this holiday menu is the Hash Brown Brisket Scramble, which is packed with hash browns, shredded brisket, scrambled eggs, smoked cheddar cheese, poblano peppers, and caramelized onions, all topped with cheddar queso. I'll admit the thought of brisket served by Dunkin' gave me pause, but a bowl filled with savory ingredients and melty cheese is hard not to enjoy. The shredded bits of brisket are sort of scarce, but the hash browns and other ingredients make up for the skimpiness of the meat. This savory little bowl is like the fast food version of a skillet at a local diner. This is a big holiday winner.
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