I recently drove past a billboard promoting Dunkin’s new Brown Sugar Cream Cold Brew, and I gotta say, it left me a little baffled.

Besides a nice doctored-up photo of the new brew, there were four words – “Iced Cold Liquid Hustle.”

I couldn’t help but wonder, “What the heck does ‘iced cold liquid hustle’ mean? Is that the new hip reboot of ‘America runs on Dunkin?’ Did I miss that memo? Why am I talking to myself?”

I drove a few miles down the highway, still thinking about those four words when I saw a Dunkin’. Well, let’s just say the ad worked because I hung a hard right into the lot, parked, and even decided to enter the building like some kind of hypnotized time traveler, unaware drive-thrus exist. I was about to find out what “iced cold liquid hustle” was all about.

So, was my Brown Sugar Cream Cold Brew iced? Yes. Yes, it was. Cold? Well, yeah, that’s implied. Liquid? Thankfully, it was liquid. But was it hustle? Um, ya know what? I hustled to get it, so yeah, I guess it was also “hustle.”

Dunkin’ left one word off, though – delicious.

Seriously, this is one of my favorite Dunkin’ additions in a long time – maybe a little too dessert-like to be an everyday coffee, but a satisfying treat.

My first sip transported me back to childhood because the flavor immediately reminded me of the original Coffee Coolatta. I honestly don’t even know if they’re still around because I haven’t had one in 20 years, but that sense memory immediately flashed back into my head.

It had an almost coffee ice cream flavor with slight notes of caramel and cinnamon. If there was a perfect center on a scale of black coffee to dulce de leche, this would be it.

I get the chain’s sweet cream from time to time, and this was the thickest and smoothest application to date. Usually, the foam melts into the watery cold brew within a few sips, but here it held a nice sturdy head until I finally shook it into the coffee. I think it might be Dunkin’s best tasting cream, which is saying a lot because I truly enjoyed the Pumpkin flavor from last fall.

I should note I use oat milk as my dairy, so that could have made this a bit thicker and creamier, but it paired so well. I won’t pretend the overall flavor is extremely different from adding a pump or two of caramel to your iced coffee, but it’s definitely an improvement on that. If this flavor remains permanent, it’ll probably become my one shot go-to.

I’d love it if Dunkin’ made a donut with this same flavor profile. A nice brown sugar, cinnamon, and caramel cake concoction would instantly vault to the top of my donut list.

I guess advertising works. I mean, I’m a caffiend™, so I was almost definitely trying this at some point, but Dunkin’ got me that day, and I’m glad.

Next time you’re in the mood for some iced cold liquid, hustle into Dunkin’ and give this one a try. It’ll be there all summer.

Purchased Price: $3.25 (G.O.A.T. Milk is 25 cents extra)
Size: Medium
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 180 calories, 3 grams of fat, 0 gram of trans fat, 2 grams of saturated fat, 10 milligrams of cholesterol, 50 milligrams of sodium, 36 grams of total carbohydrates, 35 grams of total sugars, 0 grams of fiber, and 1 gram of protein.

I didn’t know exactly what to expect when I ordered Dunkin’s new Tomato Pesto Grilled Cheese, but I didn’t have particularly high hopes. I was intrigued by the concept, but when a sandwich has only four ingredients, there isn’t much room for error. It seems an especially risky move when you consider that the majority of this restaurant’s foods are round breakfast items whose flaws can be covered in icing or cream cheese. The toasted sandwich features two slices of sourdough bread, nut-free pesto, white cheddar cheese, and oven-roasted tomatoes.

I guess I was wrong to doubt Dunkin’ because this is legitimately good! I ordered it twice in one week, and both times the sandwich was nicely crafted with perfectly toasted bread and melty cheese. It comes in a cardboard box which won’t retain its heat for long, and like any grilled cheese, you should probably try to eat it right away while at peak meltiness.

The bread doesn’t have a robust sourdough tang, but it’s got more heft than regular white bread and a bit more flavor. As someone with a sourdough starter in their fridge (that gets fed as often as a goldfish but rarely becomes an actual loaf), I felt compelled to isolate some bread to taste on its own. You’d probably only be disappointed that it isn’t more sour if you really love sourdough, and I think most people would be pleased with this milder version.

I love a good tomato but find them normally disappointing additions in the fast food world – pale, mealy slices that you fling off after the first bite and wish they’d been left off altogether. Here that problem is solved by oven roasting, concentrating the flavors and bringing out their best sweet and savory qualities. The first time I tried this, the tomatoes were a bit chewy and more akin to the sun-dried variety, but they were tender and juicy the second time. Both were enjoyable in their own ways and definitely not the kind of thing I felt the need to pick off.

Each sandwich has one thick slice of white cheddar, and while some might want more cheese on something that touts itself as a grilled cheese, I found the amount appropriate. I assume no one would order this unless they like pesto, and the spread delivers where it should, on par with most store-bought pestos I’ve tried. It strikes a nice herby balance without being too garlicky. When I lifted my sandwich, I noticed the parts of the bread the pesto had seeped into looked a bit like a science experiment in a petri dish, but hey, I’d rather the pesto be bright green than an oxidized brown.

Overall I found this sandwich to be a delightful surprise. It’s higher quality than I anticipated, and the only real issue is that all the filling ingredients contribute to a pretty oily situation. If you’re looking for something to eat while driving or on the go, this isn’t it. It doesn’t come sliced in half, and while you might manage to keep it from dripping on you, you aren’t going to be able to avoid the grease-slicked fingers. If you’re looking to change up your usual Dunkin’ routine, I highly suggest grabbing some napkins and giving this one a try.

Purchased Price: $5.29
Size: N/A
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 520 calories, 22 grams of total fat, 9 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 45 milligrams of cholesterol, 1110 milligrams of sodium, 60 grams of total carbohydrates, 5 grams of dietary fiber, 4 grams of sugar, and 20 grams of protein.

What is Dunkin’s Cornbread Donut?

Heads up to that one guy who kept pestering Dunkin’ to make a glazed corn cake donut.

Your time has finally come, my friend.

How is it?

Ok, well, I don’t actually know if this aforementioned guy exists, but I certainly didn’t expect Dunkin’ to add cornbread to its menu in any form. I was pretty skeptical, but it’s a tasty little donut.

That skepticism was hard to shake at first, too. I ordered one donut, and the Dunkin’ employee gave me two. Was it because they were so bad no one was ordering them or was it just because of my winning smile? I’m still not entirely sure, but I appreciated it and enjoyed them both.

The cornbread donut is similar in texture and density to Dunkin’s more “cakey” donuts.

It’s glazed and has stripes of white icing, so I expected it to be equal parts sweet and savory, but it’s sweeter than expected, with the cornbread being pretty disguised. I’d say this is 80% sweet, 20% savory.

You’d barely notice the cornbread flavor if it weren’t for that familiar grittiness of the cake. You know that consistency cornbread has, where you can almost taste little bits of sandy cornmeal? That comes through, which I could see being a dealbreaker for some.

I also expected this to be very dry, but it was – here comes that dreaded word – moist.

Anything else you need to know?

Your mileage will vary on this one depending on which type of Dunkin’ donut you prefer. This falls right in line with the glazed blueberry, pumpkin, and the chocolate devil’s food donuts. I love a blueberry from time to time despite how heavy they are.

I’d rank this last among those, but it’s not a huge gap. The sweetness from the glaze and that little bit of cornbread flavor makes it unique enough to stand on its own. At worst, you should grab one of these if you order a dozen.

Conclusion:

I ultimately don’t know if this one will make the cut and be anything more than a limited flavor, but it’s worth a shot. You could even just order one in Munchkin form if you’re scared of wasting food.

I appreciate the idea, and I enjoyed the outcome. If Dunkin’ doesn’t do a banana bread donut like this next, I’m gonna be really bummed.

Purchased Price: $1.35
Size: N/A
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 380 calories, 20 grams of fat, 9 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 10 milligrams of cholesterol, 420 milligrams of sodium, 45 grams of total carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 31 grams of total sugars, and 4 grams of protein.

This was a hard review to write, and by that, I mean I gave in to the temptation to take a tiny taste of cold foam immediately after leaving Dunkin’ and then had to exert a downright colossal amount of willpower to make the suddenly-excruciating three-minute walk home without downing the entire thing.

First, I need to shine a spotlight on the lid that delivered this sweet sneak peek. If you’ve had a drink with cold foam before, you’re probably already familiar with its wider-than-usual opening that serves a mouthful of intact foam with each no-straw-required sip (before the foam inevitably melts, anyway).

Next, I need to thank said lid for allowing me to experience such a delicious flavor. The Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew name is predictably accurate, as right off the bat, the foam packs a mix of salt, caramel, and cream flavors. Interestingly, though, while I don’t usually think of either salt or caramel as being subtle, they were not what stood out to me in my sampling. That honor goes to the foam’s creaminess, and I don’t just mean its soft, luxurious texture. The flavor that it most reminded me of was actually Twinkie filling. Sure, its rich, sweet taste played a large part in that, but so did the sheer feeling of comfort it brought me. Coffee tends to get a bad rap through its association with the stressed out, overworked, and under-slept, but this saccharine cold foam had me feeling childlike wonder.

The cold brew (which I ordered black, though you can opt for cream) felt pretty standard with its dark, almost chocolatey flavor profile. While it was velvety and milder than a brew of the non-cold variety, I didn’t get much of the tang of saltiness nor the buttery richness of caramel from the drink itself. Notably, it performed a bit of color-changing magic. Remember that inevitably melty foam? The coffee started out a very deep brown but ended up practically tan from foam seepage, which presumably contributed to its rich, silky taste. I’ve witnessed the occasional schism between “serious” coffee drinkers who prefer a plain and simple experience and those like myself who welcome every frilly flavor out there, but I don’t think this offering is any less elegant for its sweetness, achieving a middle ground that can appeal to both sides.

I will say, I’m not sure why this is specifically a spring menu item. Maybe I’m just distracted by the thought of caramel apples, but the flavor strikes me as autumnal, if anything. So it’s a bit of a seasonal stretch, but eh, tomayto, tomahto (or cair-a-mel, car-mel).

Ultimately, if you’re not already a cold brew fan, I don’t think this will be the drink to convert you. But if you are a curious connoisseur — or if you’re just looking for some extra pep in your step and want a smooth, multifaceted flavor to help you achieve it — I’d recommend checking this one out.

Purchased Price: $5.00
Size: Small (12 oz)
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 140 calories, 2.5 grams of fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 10 milligrams of cholesterol, 75 milligrams of sodium, 28 grams of total carbohydrates, 27 grams of total sugars, 0 grams of fiber, and 1 gram of protein.