Last year, there was one food item that was all the rage and generating global headlines: the cronut, a fried, cream-filled croissant-doughnut hybrid developed by Dominique Ansel Bakery. The $5 cronuts were so popular that they even created a black market for those who wouldn’t want to wait 90 minutes in the lineup, or spend $5.
Dunkin’ Donuts has finally cashed in on the craze. Beginning Nov. 3, the doughnut and coffee chain will sell their croissant doughnut for $2.49 each, which will be $1 more than its other doughnuts, but they will be sold in limited quantities and be available across the country for only a brief period of time.
The Croissant Donut will be covered with the same glaze used for its Glazed Donut, but will refrain from filling it with cream. The company will consider inserting fillings and other glazes in the future.
Here is a mouthwatering, savory description of the croissant-doughnut mix from a company executive:
“Dunkin’ Donuts’ baking heritage goes back nearly 65 years and we are proud to extend our bakery lineup with the addition of our new Croissant Donut,” said Jeff Miller, Dunkin’ Brands Executive Chef and Vice President of Culinary Innovation, in a statement. “The Croissant Donut has 24 layers of buttery dough and is covered with the same sweet distinctive glaze used on our Glazed Donuts, creating the ultimate pastry that is crisp on the outside and soft and flaky on the inside. We look forward to bringing this new, unique bakery item to our guests nationwide.”
The food item was first tested out in New Jersey, which was successful. It also launched croissant doughnuts in South Korea and dubbed the product the “New York Pie Donut.”
Is Dunkin’ Donuts merely copying a New York bakery? John Costello, Dunkin’s president of global marketing and innovation, told the Associated Press that bakers have been mixing croissants and doughnuts for at least 20 years, adding the company regularly monitors the current trends in baking and what the consumers want.
Ansel had registered a trademark for the cronut and has threatened lawsuits for any types of copycats. Although it’s likely that the underground economy has produced other cronuts, some companies have openly created similar cronuts, including a California doughnut shop’s DK Double Decker O-Nut, which was initially named the “Dkronut.”
When will you be tasting the Dunkin’ Donuts Croissant Donut?
