Every Item On The Dunkin' Fall 2022 Menu, Ranked

Fall fanatics run on Dunkin'. It's still well over 80 F every day in most places across the U.S., but if you're anything like us, the season of nippy breezes, swirling leaves, and all things pumpkin is close on the mind. Fortunately, Dunkin' seems to be a fall fanatic too, since the Dunkin' fall 2022 menu was officially launched on August 10th (though its secret menu is always in season). The actual first day of autumn is still just under a month away, but the Dunkin' lineup can transport your tastebuds right to the apple orchards and corn mazes in the meantime.

There are six featured drinks on the Dunkin' fall menu this year: the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew, Signature Pumpkin Spice Latte, Pumpkin Chai, Nutty Pumpkin Latte, and, for those unimpressed with pumpkin, the Blood Orange Refresher. Joining this tasty lineup are the Pumpkin Munchkins, glazed Pumpkin Cake Donut, Pumpkin Muffin, Maple Sugar Bacon Breakfast Sandwich, and the Maple Sugar Snackin' Bacon. Also returning for the season is Dunkin's pumpkin K-cups. Here are our thoughts on the whole Dunkin' autumn roster.

The Pumpkin Swirl Frozen Coffee belongs somewhere in the space where it's over 75 F during the day but drops to a cool 50 F at night. Coffee drinkers who gravitate to milder flavors should steer clear of this one; Dunkin's pumpkin drink in frozen coffee form is a slap in the face of pumpkin and coffee flavor, not to mention its belly-aching sweetness with its 89 grams of added sugar in the small size, according to nutritional information from Dunkin'.

Maybe the Arabica extract that Dunkin' uses for its Frozen Coffee line has a more potent taste than its espresso — that would explain the robust coffee flavor when frozen coffee drinks are normally less so due to them often having more dairy, sugar, and flavor add-ins. No matter the case, we think something needs to be scaled back, be it the coffee, sweetness, or pumpkin. You could ask for half coffee or half pumpkin to tame the affronting flavors here.

Having fewer donuts is either a major pro or a major con depending on the person, which creates a great point of debate around the little round pastries known as donut holes. We are solidly pro-donut, but these little guys weren't bad. For those who aren't familiar, Munchkins are Dunkin's donut holes and can come in minimum orders of three, four, or five, according to local Dunkin' staff, or in larger orders like 25- or 50-piece boxes.

While a bit on the dry side, the pumpkin flavor was mild and pleasant, and not too sugary. Our Munchkins didn't have much of a glaze on them at all, so we sadly missed that indulgent sweetness associated with donuts. The reined-in sugariness combined with the slightly tough, dried-out texture likened the Munchkins more to the texture of cornbread or hushpuppies. They were far from unpalatable, however, and we certainly didn't throw any Munchkins in the trash. We do recommend Dunkin's other pumpkin pastries over these, but perhaps we got a bad batch.

There's no other way to put it: This drink is a dessert and should be reserved as an after-dinner treat. The wallop of sugar took us out on the first drink. We are not sure how the flavoring syrup ratios differ in the iced drink from the hot one, but we think there is way too much of something in this recipe. If we were to ever order a pumpkin chai over ice from Dunkin' again, we'd for sure make it dirty — the smoky bitterness added espresso will mellow out some of the sugariness and make the drink more palatable beyond more than just two or three sips.

If you prefer to drink your dessert at 7 a.m. on a Thursday, you might find this beverage to be a sweet start to your day. However, we just couldn't delve into any of the flavors of this drink because all we could discern was sugar. We will have to give this one a pass while there are other, more balanced drinks to get at Dunkin'.

An unexpected member of the bottom tier is the genesis of the fall coffee fever, the pumpkin spice latte. Despite the "basic" reputation that follows wherever it goes, the pumpkin spice latte is a craft espresso adored by many. The Dunkin' Signature Pumpkin Spice Latte can be ordered hot, iced, or as a frozen coffee, but since we appreciate PSLs for bringing a little warmth to rainy November days, we started with the classic hot pumpkin spice latte.

Most important is the latte's flavor: The espresso is well balanced with the pumpkin and frothy steamed milk. We wish we could have given a fall landmark a higher spot in our rankings, but there, unfortunately, doesn't seem to be anything signature about Dunkin's Signature PSL. It's not particularly sweet, and we also didn't get much of the warming cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves that give us that comfy-cardigan, cookies-in-the-oven flavor of fall. Dunkin's Signature Pumpkin Spice Latte may be a simple classic for many, or an underdressed beverage for others. Liven up this latte with a swirl of caramel or white mocha sauce, or ask the barista if they'll steam some cinnamon in with the milk.

A glass of smooth cold brew crowned with a pillowy layer of cold foam is, in our opinion, one of the best coffee products you can get. The first few sips are delectable and creamy, but coffee slowly reclaims the spotlight as the cream melts down. Dunkin's menu offers multiple cold foam/sweet cream cold brews, including the classic Sweet Cold Foam, the recently-released Salted Caramel Cold Foam, and the Brown Sugar Cream that just hit the roster back in June. We had high expectations for the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew, and while it fell just a hair's breadth short, we will be back to Dunkin' to order it again.

The only thing we didn't like about this one is that the pumpkin cream was not as sweet and luscious as other sweet creams are at Dunkin'. With how intense cold brew can be, we think a deliciously dessert-like cold foam is important to balance the flavor. This could be because pumpkin itself is not super sugary by default, but we'd like to see a more indulgently sweet flavor in the cream since those first few sips, we think, should be as rich as a pumpkin dessert. You can always dress up this feature with some caramel drizzle, but if you prefer your beverages with a more robust coffee flavor and would rather they not be reminiscent of candy, the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew is perfect for you as is.

The chilled version of Dunkin's first-ever Nutty Pumpkin Coffee — made with Dunkin's Original Blend Iced Coffee, pumpkin spice swirl, hazelnut flavor, and cream, per the brand's site — is a strong contender for the best cold coffee of the Dunkin' Donuts fall season. However, there are a few reasons that we feel the iced version just doesn't fill the shoes of the hot Nutty Pumpkin. Since this drink is made with iced coffee and not cold brew, the coffee flavor is not as powerful as it could be, so it doesn't harmonize as well with the pumpkin and hazelnut. We would love to see the same drink made with a cold brew so that the coffee isn't drowned out.

The iced Nutty Pumpkin isn't for the coffee lovers that like the sweetness of their drinks at a level 20 on a one-to-10 scale, but it is a fantastic drink where two monument fall ingredients come together. If you find it not sweet enough the first time around, try adding caramel or an extra shot of pumpkin swirl.

We challenge you to name a better fall combo than chai and pumpkin. Chai brings the spices to the pumpkin that sometimes aren't punchy enough in a pumpkin spice syrup alone. Those of us that can't or don't drink coffee don't have to miss out on all of the autumnal Dunkin' goodness; the Pumpkin Chai Latte is sweet, warming, and creamy. The cardamom and ginger in the chai create a tinge of heat in the back of the throat, but the sensation is pleasantly nostalgic of fall ciders and pies. We do, however, think there's a bit more chai than there is pumpkin and wish there was just a bit more balance between the two flavors.

The pumpkin chai is very sweet, but in a hot latte form, it is palatable because of the small sips you are forced to take. There are plenty of ways to jazz a pumpkin chai up if you need some variety in your drink. Ask for a flavor shot of vanilla or hazelnut, a shot of espresso, or oat milk instead of dairy milk to change up the way you chai.

We had to make sure we included an option for easy coffee at home, and Keurig pods are about as easy as it gets. Dunkin' has several offerings in single-serving cups, including its Original Blend, Columbian, dark roasts and espresso roasts, flavored roasts, and even hot cocoa (via Dunkin'). For the fall season, the coffee giant has released two limited editions: Pumpkin Spice and Falling for Maple. The aroma of a cup of Dunkin' Pumpkin Spice brewing is warm and comforting, as are the flavors of cinnamon and clove that are strong in each drink.

The pumpkin taste is much stronger in Dunkin's single serving cups than in other brands, which is certainly worth a few points. However, we did find that this coffee has a slight acidic tang, making it not everyone's cup of tea (or, rather, coffee) especially when drinking it black. Adding half and half, sugar, or your favorite sweet cream creamer will cut the acidic bite and bring the at-home coffee closer to one-handed right to you from a Dunkin' barista.

Not interested in anything to do with pumpkin? Dunkin's got your back with the new Blood Orange Dunkin' Refresher, making an appearance on the menu for the first time this year. According to Dunkin', this drink is made with blood orange, cranberry, and "subtle notes of fall spices." With citrus flavors falling to the wayside by late summer, we were happy to see Dunkin' keep it around, and think the brand did an extraordinary job of bridging the summer flavor of blood orange with the fall flavors of cranberry and spice.

The Blood Orange Dunkin' Refresher can be made with one of two bases: green tea or coconut milk. If you go with the green tea option, you'll get a tarter, punchier Refresher that's more blood orange forward. The cranberry and fall spices seem to be somewhat muted with the use of green tea as a base, which overpowers those elements with its floral overtones, but this refresher did feel more hydrating than the coconut milk version.

Iced espresso drinks are an entirely different art than hot espresso — just look at how the culture of iced coffee varies by hopping across the ocean to Italy (via Italy Magazine). It makes sense, then, that drinking an Iced Signature Pumpkin Spice Latte from Dunkin' is an entirely different experience than drinking it hot. This is one of our favorite drinks from Dunkin' so far because of the intensity of the pumpkin and spice flavor; many other PSL attempts seem to focus on one or the other. The resulting flavor is complex and well-rounded, like a bite of pumpkin pie. We only wish Dunkin' brought this heat in the hot latte, too.

On the other side of the coin, some may not enjoy the volume of this pumpkin flavor. It is a lot, but there may be ways to tone that down: Ask for half flavor, an extra shot of espresso, or a milk alternative like almond or oat so that the subtle nut flavors can cancel out some pumpkin.

Dense and decadent, the pumpkin muffin is a rich treat topped with streusel and icing drizzle. You'll want to take the wrapper off of this bad boy very carefully, and don't do it in your new car; our muffin was incredibly fragile and crumbled at the slightest touch. We were also disappointed to see that the toppings were scarce and didn't even coat the whole muffin top — there was about half with just streusel and half with just icing. We dunked Dunkin's muffin by a rank spot because of the messiness, but don't let its sloppy presentation fool you. This muffin is your grandma's secret Thanksgiving pie recipe in a breakfast pastry.

Each bite of the Dunkin' Pumpkin Muffin was fluffy and moist, bursting with savory pumpkin. A gooey center is a textural surprise, but a flavor delight. This is definitely the sweetest of Dunkin's fall features, and probably the most unforgiving calorie-wise (featuring 550 calories in one muffin, per Dunkin'). We wouldn't opt for the pumpkin muffin every day, but it's the perfect delicacy to brighten up a blustery fall morning.

Have you ever wanted to eat eight pieces of bacon? What if they were coated in maple sugar and served to you in an easy on-the-go bag? That's exactly what you get with Dunkin' Maple Sugar Snackin' Bacon. Fortunately, the slices are snack-sized, making it (a little) less likely to get the meat sweats before your first morning meeting.

While we think a bag of bacon as a snack is a bit unusual, this bacon earned a spot high up on our rankings. We weren't sure what to expect. Will we be handed a soggy bag of soppy, greasy bacon? Will it be coated in a thick, chewy, syrup-like coating? Surprisingly, none of these uncertainties were the case. The meat wasn't greasy in the slightest, and the maple sugar coating creates a sweet first taste until you crunch through to the salty, savory bacon. It's all of the best flavors in one bite — and it certainly wasn't difficult to finish the bag.

The Glazed Pumpkin Cake Donut is the long-lost companion to a steamy cup of black coffee on a dreary fall commute to the office. A hearty pumpkin flavor meets dense, moist texture for a treat that is as satisfying as it is heavenly. The glaze on the donut is much less anticlimactic than the glaze on the Munchkins, offering a sugary-sweet contrast to the pumpkin.

The dryness that disappointed us in the Munchkins doesn't seem to impact the donut version and, at just 380 calories per donut (via Dunkin'), it's far easier to work into your daily diet than the mammoth pumpkin muffin. This one is not nauseatingly sweet, easy to eat on the road or at a desk, and pumpkin-y enough to satiate your fall hankerings for the day. There are truly no complaints about the Dunkin' Glazed Pumpkin Cake Donut from us, except that we didn't order two.

A drink that is smooth but not heavy, tart but not mouth-puckering, and fall-ish in essence but not pumpkin all in one does exist; the Blood Orange Dunkin' Refresher with coconut milk. This is one of two varieties of the newest Dunkin' refresher — the other is made with green tea as a base. It comes with flavors of blood orange, autumn spices, and cranberry. It's still pretty sweltering in many places from now through at least mid-September, so it's great to have an option like this that is creamy and somewhat sweet while still being hydrating and not loaded with dairy that'll make your stomach sour in the heat.

In this version of the Blood Orange Dunkin' Refresher, the citrus flavor is much milder. The cranberry and fall spice flavors are given a bit more wiggle room — although no flavor in this drink really speaks volumes besides the obvious blood orange, with even that being quite tame, we saw this beverage as one to rejuvenate, not to invigorate. The refresher is, as we said, at a mid-level sweetness at most, and sort of feels like drinking a blood orange Italian soda. With a flavor this gentle and unassuming, we had to honor the Blood Orange Dunkin' Refresher with coconut milk in our ranks.

A Dunkin' date isn't complete without three things: a coffee, a donut or muffin, and breakfast. This season, the brand's special way to kick off the morning is the Maple Sugar Bacon Breakfast Sandwich, a buttery croissant loaded with a fried egg, white cheddar, and maple sugar seasoned bacon — the same bacon that you can buy by the bag, Dunkin's Maple Sugar Snackin' Bacon.

The maple sugar-coated bacon is a nice touch that softens all the sodium here. Our only complaint is in the eggs-bacon-croissant ratios. There wasn't enough of the former two to cover the latter end to end, so your first and last bites are just croissants and cheese. While we know the two aren't all that bad on their own, is a letdown when you want the best value for what you've just paid.

There isn't anything outrageous or unique about this sandwich, and it's nothing being done that hasn't been done before. What's extraordinary about it is the quality and simplicity of the ingredients, and how they come together: a crispy fried egg, salty-sweet bacon, melty cheese, and a croissant so pillowy you just want to sleep on it. All it is is a really good breakfast sandwich — but sometimes that's all you want. A really good breakfast sandwich.

There are always massive thanks being given to any brand that includes some variety in its fall line. Apple, chai, maple, walnut, sage, and pear are all flavors that whisper the magic of autumn, yet often only an ensemble to pumpkin's starring role. Of course, we are still talking about pumpkin here in Dunkin's brand new Nutty Pumpkin Coffee, debuting on the fall stage for the first time ever. According to Dunkin's press release, Nutty Pumpkin Coffee is an Original Blend of Dunkin' Coffee with the pumpkin spice swirl, a hazelnut flavor shot, and a pour of cream.

Because this is not a latte, there are several important differences in this drink compared to simply asking for hazelnut in a pumpkin spice latte. The flat cream doesn't contain the same froth or sweetness as steamed milk, while still smoothing the edge of black coffee. Without the affront of espresso, the pumpkin and hazelnut are given a chance to deliver stronger flavors. The pumpkin swirl still provides plenty of sugary taste to prevent a bitter coffee flavor. The aroma of this coffee is otherworldly — like you have stuffed pumpkins baking away in the oven. We'd drink this coffee every day, all year long.