Dunkin’ Donuts To Sell Cronuts Starting Monday, Just Don’t Call Them Cronuts

Tomorrow begins the latest “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery” with Dunkin’ Donuts release of the Croissant Donut.

No, it is not a Cronut, according to Dunkin’ Donuts.

The Daily News is reporting that Dunkin’ Donuts’ croissant donut (that’s what they’re calling it) is part croissant, part donut, but seems to be a more decadent version of Dunkin’ Donuts’ bow tie or glazed donuts.

The product that will hit stores on Monday is a donut made of 24 buttery, flaky croissant layers, coated in a sweet glaze. It has been more than a year since Dominique Ansel launched his Magnum Opus breakfast treat. He has since had his masterpiece trademarked. Grocery store chain Stew Leonard created a similar donut, but called it a Cro-Do. Far different.

Dunkin’ Donuts states they are not infringing on Ansel’s copyright, since their croissant donut doesn’t have the cream filling Ansel’s creation. A Dunkin’ Donuts in South Korea created something similar that did have the creme filling, but called it a New York Pie Donut. Far different.

What is far different was the reaction of testers of the two products. While the staff at the Daily News could tell the difference between the two creations, they didn’t mind the Dunkin Donuts version. Their non-employed taste tester, however, were quite staunch in their rejection of Dunkin Donuts’ version.

The Consumerist is reporting that when Dunkin Donuts announced the release of their version of this creation, one superfan of the original Ansel delight was willing to try it. Mark Marino, a writer for People, decided to try the new concoction.

“The company claims it’s not ‘copying a specific bakery in New York’ with its holey creation, and I believe them,” he writes, “mainly because the Duncrodonsant… looks and tastes nothing like a Cronut.”

Marino compares the culinary experience to that of when parents attempt to placate a child by trying to replace a recently-departed family pet parakeet.

“[Y]our parents run out and buy a new one but try to convince you it’s the same bird even though it is bigger and has different markings and bears no resemblance the original bird,” he writes. “It’s kind of like that.”

Marino’s biggest gripe is the use of glaze at all. On Ansel’s culinary joymaker, it’s topped with a layer of frosting then dusted with powdered sugar on all sides. Marino’s biggest gripe, though, are the 24 buttery flaky layers, which he claims are just “dense, yeasty layers” that end up “just tasting like a regular glazed donut.”

Overall, Marino said the Dunkin’ Donut disc is okay, but “I definitely wouldn’t wait in line at 5:30 a.m. for one. Unless I had to kill time waiting for PetSmart to open so I could buy a replacement parakeet.”

Consumers can try for themselves starting tomorrow morning for $2.49 each. Or you could wait for Ansel’s, which go for $5 each. Bon Appetit!

[Image courtesy of Asbury Park Press]