Dunkin' Donuts-Inspired Pop-Tarts Actually Taste Like Coffee
If you've ever dreamed of biting into a warm coffee-flavored Pop-Tart, straight from the toaster, you're in luck. Starting this month, you'll be able to find Dunkin' Donuts-flavored Pop-Tarts in a grocery store near you. According to a press release sent to Extra Crispy via e-mail, "Pop-Tarts and Dunkin' Donuts are joining forces for the first time ever and launching two new, limited edition coffee-licious pastries: Frosted Chocolate Mocha Pop-Tarts and Frosted Vanilla Latte Pop-Tarts." The first flavor, Frosted Chocolate Mocha, is a Pop-Tart "filled with chocolatey-espresso goodness and topped with whipped cream-inspired frosting." Meanwhile, the Frosted Vanilla Latte Pop-Tart will have a "rich, sweet vanilla flavor and coffee-frosting swirl."
Of course, I had to try these coffee-flavored Pop-Tarts to find out what Dunkin' Donuts-flavored Pop-Tarts taste like, since I have a soft spot for both coffee and toaster pastries—and Kellogg's was kind enough to send us some sample boxes.
Though I was excited to taste them, I was also a little skeptical, because I've had less than stellar experiences with drink-inspired Pop-Tart flavors in the past. I'm talking specifically about two soda-flavored Pop-Tarts: Frosted Crush Orange and Frosted A&W Root Beer. These were, in a word, sweet. Like, too sweet. The kind of sweet that sticks to the inside of your mouth for hours afterward. I was worried that the new coffee-flavored Pop-Tarts would have the same too-sweet effect.
However, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that neither of the new coffee-flavored Pop-Tarts suffered from the same flaws as the soda-inspired flavors. And though these Dunkin' Donuts-inspired Pop-Tarts are still Pop-Tarts, packed with 16 grams of sugar per pastry, the overwhelming flavor isn't sweet. They actually tasted like actual coffee. This shocked me and most of my coworkers who, at this point, are something of Pop-Tarts connoisseurs. (Have you seen our comprehensive Pop-Tarts bracket?) That's because Pop-Tarts, especially those flavors that stray from the berry-based fillings, have a tendency to beat you over the head with sweetness. The filling of those A&W Root Beer-flavored pastries, for instance, really tasted like straight sugary root beer syrup.
But the coffee flavor here is more subtle than that, though definitely still present, and it really smells like a freshly brewed pot of coffee. The Frosted Chocolate Mocha Pop-Tarts were overwhelmingly the office favorite and were described both as not-too-sweet yet chocolate-y with a warming espresso aftertaste. They reminded me of the Frozen Mocha Coffee Coollatta from Dunkin' Donuts, served with an extra shot of espresso. If you're looking for a somewhat equivalent Pop-Tart flavor, they were compared to S'mores Pop-Tarts, with an added hint of coffee, and though we tasted them after toasting for about 30 seconds, they would also probably be delicious frozen.
The Frosted Vanilla Latte Pop-Tarts were a bit more divisive. The biggest complaint was actually that it wasn't sweet enough, and the coffee flavor was too subtle. Our office's barista even compared the taste to marshmallows rather than a vanilla latte. It wasn't bad, though, and I'd definitely eat this coffee-inspired Pop-Tart again.
Really, my biggest complaint is that these Dunkin' Donuts-inspired Pop-Tarts weren't also caffeinated, so you could just enjoy your coffee and Pop-Tart in one fell swoop without fear of spilling liquid on yourself in the morning. Though if you're ready to give these a shot, don't go racing out to your local grocery store just yet. The two flavors only started shipping out across the United States this month, so it might be a bit before you see them on shelves. But once you see them, you'll probably want to stock up, since they're only going to be around for a limited time.
