As the leaves turn crisp and the scent of cinnamon fills the air, many will begin to start their search for the best treat to pair with their pumpkin spice lattes. This autumn season the “Tribune” tasted six different donuts from Duck Donuts “Fall Favorites” box and scored each flavor according to its presentation, taste, texture, and “Fallness” to yield an average score out of 10.
Here are our rankings for worst to Fall Favorite:
- Choco Coconut Caramel Delight: 5.5 out of 10
Feeling as though the flavors of this donut missed the mark, this Girl Scout themed donut was rated the lowest, earning an overall score of 5.5 out of 10. Although the taste of this donut seemed to be enjoyed by most writers, it lacked true fall vibes, and earned an average of 3 out of 10 points in the “fall-ness”category.
- Bacon in the Sun: 6 out of 10
Not making much improvement in the Ffallness” department, Bacon in the Sun sadly managed only a 5 out of 10 for its “Fallness.” However, despite its poor seasonal rendering, many tasters enjoyed the sweetness of the maple drizzle combined with the saltiness in the bacon topping, earning this donut a 7.25 out of 10 on taste. This donut, although not necessarily a “fall favorite,” was certainly a favorite among tasters and would be enjoyed on a regular basis.
- Vanilla Caramel Coconut Delight: 6.2 out of 10
Returning to the Girl-Scout-themed flavors, this donut majorly missed the fall mark. With its confusing flavor profile, it was hard to place the intended taste of this donut. Most tasters were unable to find the coconut flavor or the caramel flavor and were overwhelmed with the taste of vanilla. Because of this, the Vanilla Caramel Coconut Delight donut was rated one of the lowest in the taste category, receiving a 6.9 out of 10, scoring higher than only its Girl Scout counterpart. Tasters also found it difficult to consider this donut very “fall-y” resulting in a low “Fallness” score of 3.6 out of 10.
- French Toast: 6.7 out of 10
Combining two delicious breakfast items for this flavor, the French Toast donut was enjoyed thoroughly by the tasters. Covered in maple frosting and topped with both powdered sugar and cinnamon sugar, this donut successfully accomplished a french toast flavor and resulted in an average score of 8.4 out of 10. However, like the previous three donuts, this donut failed to be seen as fitting of the title “fall favorite” and earned only a 5 out of 10 in that category. Most tasters would eat this donut again at another time of year.
- Apple Cobbler: 7.6 out of 10
Making a comeback in the “Fallness” category, this Apple Cobbler inspired donut earned an average score of 9 out of 10 in the “Fallness” category, the highest score in this category out of all six donuts. So, if you are looking for a great autumn donut to go with your pumpkin spice latte, this is a great choice. However, if you’re not a fan of mushy apple filling, this is not for you as this donut was given an average score of 6.4 out of ten on texture.
- Bourbon Apple Bliss: 8 out of 10
The highest scoring donut in this “fall favorites” box was the Bourbon Apple Bliss donut. With its vanilla icing, apple topping, and bourbon caramel drizzle, this donut was just as delicious as it looked earning a score of 7.6 out of 10 on taste and 8 out of 10 on presentation, one of the highest presentation scores in the box. This donut tasted like apple pie a la mode, and looked like it too. It is our vote as the best fall donut offered by the popular donut chain. It left our staff feeling as writer Bridget Lockett said: “If fall was a donut, this would be it.”
