Today was the perfect day for me to review Dunkin’s new limited edition (it’s only around this summer) Ice Cream-Inspired Frozen Coffee: I had to wake up at 5 am, I had free time in the afternoon right as my energy was starting to fade, and it was hot as heck outside. Motivated by these conditions that basically begged for a mixture of caffeine and frozen dessert, I perused the three flavor options—Cookie Dough, Mint Chocolate Chip, and Butter Pecan—and opted for Butter Pecan.

I sometimes get nervous when purchasing new items that employees might not be familiar with yet, but the ordering process went smoothly… at least until I was handed a bald Frozen Coffee, missing the luxurious whipped cream, syrup swirl, and crunchy crushed waffle cone topping that solidify this drink as “Ice-Cream Inspired.” Being someone who dreads even mild confrontations, I immediately broke out in a sweat so cold I no longer required a frosty beverage to cool down, but I knew I would have to speak up.

The things I do for you, dear Impulsive Buy readers! Fortunately, after I sheepishly showed a picture on my phone (and apologized for the inconvenience about a dozen times), I was rewarded a few minutes later with a new Frozen Coffee looking as glamorous as the one in the marketing materials.

It tasted pretty glamorous, too! It approached the border of “overly sweet” without quite crossing it, which is just how I prefer my coffee. There was a toasty, generally nutty flavor that I might have identified as almond or hazelnut, but a buttery undertone sealed the deal as living up to its Butter Pecan name. The waffle cone topping lived up to its name as well—as with most ice cream cones I can recall, it was more textural than tasty, a bit bland when sampled on its own, but it provided a welcome crunch as part of a larger experience. (Note that it was best in small doses: when I chomped down on a large, slightly soggy cluster that had sunken to the bottom of the cup after finishing my drink, it was a tad overwhelming.) Luckily though, the butter pecan-flavored swirl perked up the neutral-tasting crunchies right up, providing a perfect pop of sweetness without being laid on too thick. And the whipped cream was light and airy, practically melting in my mouth, which added to the summery feeling.

Another thing I appreciated was how well-blended the drink was. While it clearly was frozen, the sips weren’t gritty, going down as smoothly as regular iced coffee. Though there was a substantial chunk of ice left at the end, I didn’t mind; mixed with the melty remnants of the whipped cream, syrup, and waffle cone pieces, the treat took on a snow cone texture in the final mouthfuls, which may not have been intentional but was still pretty fun.

Truthfully, the Butter Pecan Ice Cream-Inspired Frozen Coffee wasn’t that different than any of the other frozen and/or sugar-bomb drinks Dunkin’ already has on offer. But between its playful seasonal vibe, thematically appropriate toppings, and perfect balance of being both sweet-but-not-cloying and frozen-but-still-drinkable, I’d suggest it for anyone looking to power through a heatwave, an unpleasantly early wakeup time, or just a good old-fashioned sugar craving.

Purchased Price: $5.11
Size: Small
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 590 calories, 22 grams of fat, 13 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 grams of trans fat, 70 milligrams of cholesterol, 250 milligrams of sodium, 92 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 84 grams of sugar, and 6 grams of protein.

On the cusp of summer, Dunkin’ has brought back its popular pistachio swirl, this time featured in the Pistachio Signature Latte. Available hot or iced, the drink combines espresso and milk with a sweet pistachio flavored swirl and is topped with whipped cream, caramel drizzle, and waffle cone pieces.

I don’t know about you, but when I think of summer flavors, pistachio doesn’t exactly spring to mind. Then again, I’m not sure I want watermelon in my coffee (a quick search tells me that watermelon coffee is actually a thing – shows what I know!). What does come to mind is ice cream, and perhaps this is where everything comes together.

I recently had a delicious pistachio gelato that actually tasted like pistachios, but I’ve enjoyed pistachio ice cream plenty of times, and my general expectation for it is that it will be tinted green but otherwise mostly just taste like ice cream. Considering this, it didn’t surprise me when my first thought after sipping the iced version of the Pistachio Signature Latte was “this tastes like ice cream.” Since I’d put a straw in the drink and not encountered any waffle cone pieces yet, I don’t think I can chalk that up to being influenced by cone bits. There’s a rich, creamy sweetness that I associate with ice cream, but there isn’t much in the way of real pistachio flavor. It makes sense to me that it leans more into the pistachio ice cream realm because of Dunkin’s association with Baskin-Robbins and the fact that Dunkin’ is typically a bit more mainstream and doesn’t try to step too far into the gourmet zone. The chain has chosen to top this drink with waffle cone pieces instead of chopped pistachios, which I think tells us where their heads were at.

Speaking of those pieces, they are a great addition. They provide a fun, toasty-sugary crunch that I didn’t expect would make such a difference in how much I enjoy this drink. Should you opt for the iced version and don’t take a million years to drink it, they’ll probably stay sitting atop the whipped cream and remain somewhat crunchy. If you get the hot version, they’ll sink into the drink and take on a texture like slightly sogged cereal pieces. I’m aware how unappetizing that sounds when we’re talking about something we’re drinking, but for whatever reason, it works here, and I couldn’t stop sipping on this. It’s definitely more of a treat than a morning coffee, but it still managed to strike the right balance of sweetness without being overpowering.

If I’m reaching, and knowing it’s supposed to be pistachio flavored, I could say that it has some nutty notes, but if this were a blind taste test, I would never have guessed this is pistachio flavored. What it is is a very tasty drink, and in the spirit of summer, Dunkin’ should call it what it is: the Pistachio Ice Cream Signature Latte.

Purchased Price: $5.64 (Small Iced), $5.42 (Small Hot)
Size: Small
Rating: 8 out of 10 (Iced), 8 out of 10 (Hot)
Nutrition Facts: (Small Iced) 310 calories, 11 grams of total fat, 8 grams of saturated fat, 0 gram of trans fat, 35 milligrams of cholesterol, 150 milligrams of sodium, 44 grams of total carbs, 0 grams of dietary fiber, 38 grams of total sugar, and 8 grams of protein.