All Trick, No Treat: A Spicy Ghost Pepper Donut Review

Dunkin Donuts has released a new flavored donut. I don't know which intern decided on the idea of a spicy donut, but someone better go full Liam Neeson on their ass. What started as a hope of reaching enlightenment through a creative flavor combination ended up being a painfully acidic hurl from the side of my car on the drive home.

I took the first bite and immediately I could taste the sweetness of strawberry jelly, not bad!

Just like the first-ever sip of a Natty Light at 15, it takes a few seconds for it to kick in. The heat crawls onto your tongue and nestles right in between the unsuspecting tastebuds. If you're not prepared for it, it'll creep up on you in the form of a hacking dry cough. It wasn't as spicy as eating an actual ghost pepper, but it was hotter than a Popeye's Spicy Chicken Sandwich. It was like the remains of old, hot mustard found in the back of the fridge at a Chili's.

There’s a mesmerizing tang of strawberry flavor from the frosting that blends with the splendid bit of sweet, crunchiness from the sugar crystals it's sprinkled with. It's a pleasing pairing with the light, tingly sensation that cheers the sweetness.
It takes all but a few seconds for that heavenly tingle to morph into a full wave of spiciness that rolls through and leaves a dusty trail. This is when I started the dry heaves. I just was not prepared for the hellscape in my mouth, and coughed up sprinkles onto my dashboard.

The first bite is deceiving, you could miss the spice entirely or get a mouthful of that ungodly flavoring. The cayenne pepper elements mixed in with the frosting run one way or the other. Some bites weren't hot, but the ones that were had me questioning everything about this deep-fried sugar roll.

The only reason I tried this donut was because I'm a sucker for anything labeled "limited edition". I'm glad I was the guinea pig here, so none of you have to waste your time, money, and well-being on this. As a fan of spicy foods I figured it was worth a shot. I was wrong. I'd much rather have a plain glazed donut over the journey through the ends of hell with this spicy ghost pepper nonsense. There may be people that enjoy it, and that's awesome for them. Personally, I'm ashamed to tell my mother I ever put this in my mouth.