I Battled for Krispy Kreme’s Pokémon Doughnuts – And One Was Surprisingly Worth It
The internet nearly broke yesterday when Krispy Kreme announced its limited-edition Pokémon doughnuts to celebrate the franchise’s 30th anniversary. The frenzy was real, with many reporting that the pre-ordering system crashed almost instantly. I, too, lamented my inability to secure a box of these coveted treats. But this morning, against all odds, a small window of opportunity opened. I frantically placed an order and raced to my local Krispy Kreme, hoping to snag some before they vanished again.
A Doughnut-Fueled Frenzy
The store was surprisingly calm when I arrived, save for one intense customer locked in a heated debate with an employee about the availability of “hot ‘n ready” glazed doughnuts (apparently, they were sold out). An older woman proudly presented her grandson with a Pokémon doughnut, while he eagerly pointed out the remaining Squirtle doughnuts to me. The poor employee behind the counter seemed overwhelmed by the promotion, juggling pre-orders and spilling coffee in the process. I hope she’s doing okay!
It felt like we were among the lucky few to secure some of the last doughnuts available. True to form, the website quickly reverted to “Sold Out” within half an hour of our departure. We managed to walk away with a “Pokémon Dozen” and a limited-edition “Dots Cup Combo” for $29.95. I also indulged in a pumpkin spice coffee, bracing myself for my annual reminder that I secretly dislike pumpkin spice.
At Zack’s house, we gathered with our partners, ready to sample each flavor. The “Pokémon Dozen” included one each of Squirtle, Bulbasaur, Charmander, Jigglypuff, and Pikachu doughnuts, a bonus second doughnut of one of those five (we got a surprise Jigglypuff!), two Poké Ball doughnuts, and four regular glazed doughnuts. The “Dots Cup” was a Pikachu-themed plastic cup filled with ten doughnut holes coated in what appeared to be shiny gold…something. They were essentially glazed doughnut holes.
Taste Test: From Poké Balls to Pikachu
Below are Zack’s and my honest thoughts on each doughnut, along with comparisons of what was advertised versus what we actually received. Krispy Kreme deserves credit for accurately representing the available doughnuts in their photos, although quality might decline as the promotion continues.
Original Glazed Gold Doughnut Dots (10-Count)
Description: Original glazed and tossed in gold dusting.
Reb: Let’s just call these doughnut holes. I know you don’t want anyone to say “Pokémon holes,” but it’s fine.
Zack: They were golden. I prefer Dunkin’s munchkins. The cup was cool, though.
Poké Ball Doughnut
Description: Sprinkles, vanilla-flavored icing, and chocolate icing drizzle.
Reb: This generic, unremarkable doughnut could have easily been left out of the box. Just give me two more glazed ones. The sprinkles are a non-feature.
Zack: Donut with sprinkles. Tasty. Good.
Jigglypuff Doughnut
Description: With strawberry-flavored buttercream.
Reb: I can’t explain it, but if this had been a filled doughnut with the same ingredients, I might have liked it better.
Zack: Good, but you need to like strawberry.
Squirtle Doughnut
Description: Cotton candy-flavored buttercream.
Reb: I can’t say that Pokémon Squirtle screams cotton candy, but you do you. This was fine.
Zack: Edible, but a bit too sweet for my morning meal.
Charmander Doughnut
Description: Caramel iced with chocolate marshmallow-flavored filling.
Reb: We split this between four people, and one person (Zack) got all the filling. I couldn’t tell that the top icing was caramel; it just tasted like doughnut.
Zack: Chocolate-filled doughnuts are fine. This is fine. I don’t want to eat it again, though.
Bulbasaur Doughnut
Description: Vanilla-flavored icing.
Reb: I actually kind of liked this one, and I can’t explain why. I spent several minutes trying to guess what flavor it was supposed to be before I realized it was just vanilla.
Zack: Not really sure what this was supposed to taste like beyond warm sugar. Eh.
Pikachu Doughnut
Description: With lemon-flavored kreme [sic].
Reb: The inside filling was like a lemon cream cheese sort of thing? This is the only doughnut of this specialty batch I’d go out of my way to buy on its own. It’s genuinely pretty good.
Zack: I hate Pikachu. He’s the Elmo of Pokémon. But this is a damn fine donut. I’d order it again.
Glazed Doughnut
Description: It’s a glazed doughnut; what more do you want?
Reb: Weirdly, this is the second-best one of the bunch. Turns out a glazed donut is still awesome. If it ain’t broke…
Zack: A glazed donut is awesome. If it ain’t broke…
Final Verdict
My verdict? Don’t spend $30 on doughnuts. Go to your local doughnut shop and spend about ten bucks for a big box of the good stuff instead of emptying your wallet on air and sugar. But I am glad I got this sick Pikachu cup, though.
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