International Dunkin' Flavors We Wish We Could Try

Although Dunkin's trademark claim that "America Runs on Dunkin'" specifically calls out its domestic fan base, its reach extends far beyond American shores. Indeed, this mega-chain has a robust international reach, fueling the people of 36 countries with their daily dose of coffee and donuts. In addition to what many say are some seriously consistent products and fast service, Dunkin' also has the adaptability and social media savvy to interact with global consumers in meaningful and memorable ways (via 1851 Franchise).

From its sardonic, pithy, and eminently shareable Twitter feed to its innovative and regionally relevant flavor combinations, Dunkin' seems to have the formula for delicious donut domination down pat. It also shows no signs of slowing down, at least not any time soon. According to Statista, Dunkin' and its subsidiaries are going strong, with tens of thousands of locations and $1.32 billion in revenue in 2018. 

Dunkin's international menu seems to be a crucial part of its success, but unfortunately, to try most of the creative and mouth-watering global options, you'll have to hop on an airplane and really rack up those miles. If you can undertake such a journey, however, seriously consider doing so. These international flavors open up a whole new taste dimension of donuts and might just make you rethink your early morning treat.

While there are plenty of unique Dunkin' donut flavors that you can only get in China, pork floss donuts are in a sweet and savory league of their own. Although the combination might seem strange to Western palates, Gastro Obscura points out that this delicate meaty topping, made of pork bits that have been candied and stir-fried, is ubiquitous across many parts of Asia. So, it's only natural that China's take on Dunkin' would capitalize on the popularity of pork floss, crowning its commercial donuts with some of this unique ingredient.

According to The Beijinger, pork floss is the most popular donut flavor amongst Chinese diners, though it's often considered to be the least favorite of foreigners. Whether it's pork floss' dainty wool-like texture or the fact that it's candied meat, newcomers to this ingredients have a difficult time wrapping their minds around these meaty confections. But maybe they should give it a chance, considering that Americans aren't total strangers to sweet and salty pairings, as the "Bacon Mania" of the early aughts made clear (via The Guardian).

Visit the Indian subcontinent for some seriously special Dunkin' donut varietals, including guava, chili, and white chocolate, milk cake, and Kesar Badam, a vibrant gold and emerald-flecked, saffron and pistachio work of art based on a traditional milk-based drink (via The Atlantic). This Dunkin' delicacy has a whole lot going on, including a saffron-tinged donut base, plenty of velvety topping, pistachios, and almonds. It's unlike anything you'll find in the United States and may well be worth a ticket to Delhi to try one.

News 18 notes that Kesar Badam milk is lauded for its health benefits precisely because of its potent saffron content. Saffron has plenty of manganese, for one (via WebMD). Whether or not you think the drink has all the benefits some claim it has, the flavorful joy of sinking your teeth into a Kesar Badam donut should be reason enough to try one.

According to India Retailing, crafting custom donuts for Indian tastes was high on Dunkin's priority list, so the company partnered with a team of chefs and Indian partners to get the flavors just right. Kesar Badam fits the bill with its nods to traditional Indian flavors and the balance of soft donut to rich, sweet icing.

According to Dunkin', the company is laser-focused on expanding rapidly across the European continent, bringing steaming cups of delicious coffee to more than 240 European locations, not to mention donut flavors you just can't get in the U.S. According to Manchester Evening News, Dunkin's international flavors include Lotus Biscoff, strawberry, and Rocky Road.

It's no exaggeration to say that Rocky Road, based on the popular ice cream flavor, is one of the most decadent varieties of Dunkin' donut out there, with a tapestry of yummy flavors including chocolate cake, fudgy frosting, cookies, and a few artfully placed marshmallows. If you aim just right, you can get a bit of all those tastes in each bite.

Nostalgic and scrumptious, it's no wonder that Rocky Road made it into the hallowed halls of Dunkin's Seven Donut Wonders, but it's downright cruel that Dunkin's top brass is holding out on those of us in the U.S. For now, Rocky Road donuts are a strictly UK and European-based Dunkin' confection, so if you've been planning that bucket-list trip to the Alps or London, you have yet another reason to hop on a plane.

According to 1851 Franchise, Dunkin's kimchi donuts are a triumphant nod to South Korean tastes and another example of how masterfully this chain can walk the line between popular food and regional flavor. Kimchi is a tangy, savory combination of fermented vegetables (via Britannica) that pairs well with just about any dish. As Dunkin' illustrates, that includes donuts.

South Koreans lay claim to the intense and satisfying dish, though they're in a fierce culinary battle with China over the question of who actually developed kimchi (via BBC Travel). Many claim that it's several thousand years old and was originally designed to stave off starvation during South Korea's barren winter. These days, kimchi is thankfully less of a survivalist staple and more of a tasty add-in for savory and sweet dishes.

To achieve the ideal kimchi donut, Dunkin' takes its standard donut and fills it to the brim with salty, savory kimchi, which balances with the mellow, sweet base and adds a nice crunchy texture. Although kimchi donuts are a must-savor if you find yourself in the streets of Seoul, less adventurous eaters have other options. They can always sample some of Dunkin's Korea-specific coffee items, like its Caramel Macchiato Coffee Cube, with vast chunks of coffee-flavored cubes and plenty of decadent caramel (via Dunkin').

Manjar is a decadent, super-sweet concoction made from condensed milk (via Collins Dictionary) that hails from Latin America. It's got a layered, buttery flavor, making it the ideal partner for Dunkin's donuts. According to Araucania Noticias, Boston Manjar donuts are the ultimate Chilean treat, a darn-near transcendent donut experience with a massive following in South America. Dunkin's Boston Manjar joined other regionally-inspired treats like Arequipe and Chicha-flavored beverages in Central and South America, where the chain has hundreds of locations (via Boston Herald).

As Araucania Noticias reports, Chileans gobble up donuts by the millions but have a particular soft spot for Boston Manjar. This is a donut filled to the gills with sweet manjar filling and then topped with a thick layer of chocolate in a regional riff on the North American favorite of Boston Cream. This kind of donut alchemy is what makes Dunkin' international so successful. We can only hope the good folks at Dunkin' might consider bringing this stuffed gem farther north.

Choco Butternut donuts are such a massive hit in Southeast Asia, particularly the Philippines (via Coconuts), that Dunkin' was able to use them as an April Fool's joke to rile its fans. In a 2019 Facebook post, Dunkin' teased that it was discontinuing the wildly popular flavor, then immediately backtracked, calling all Choco Butternut lovers to grab as many munchkins or donuts as they wanted, though some were so upset that they called the prank a "sick joke" (via Yahoo News).

Lauded on Reddit, Choco Butternut donuts are nothing short of a Filipino phenomenon. What's so life-changing about these orange-covered chocolate donuts? For starters, the sugar and butternut mixture leaves a slightly crunchy shell on the otherwise cakey donut, giving you textural interest alongside a burst of toffee, caramel, sugar, and chocolate flavor. The result is a familiar but, for new tasters, somewhat out-of-the box flavor profile that we'd love to try for ourselves.

Nutella lovers on Reddit are jealous of the donuts at German Dunkin' locations, which feature a few different riffs on everyone's favorite hazelnut and chocolate spread. They represent a slight twist on your standard chocolate-topped or filled donuts, but don't let that subtlety pass you by. These Nutella donuts have a sophisticated, nuanced taste that has us wondering why these delights haven't made the hop across the pond yet. After all, Americans are already very familiar with the dense and dreamy deliciousness that is Nutella (via Daily Beast), so what gives?

Nutella has a fascinating history dating back to the Second World War (via Nutella) and is an exceptionally popular sweet spread. In fact, Nutella has such a loyal fanbase that people have even tried to name their children after it, according to The Local (though a French judge ruled that the parents in question couldn't take their love of the hazelnut spread quite that far).

Although we may never know why an entire ocean must separate us from our precious Nutella donuts, there is one small consolation: You can use a Dunkin' secret menu hack to order a Nutella iced coffee. Alternately, you can go traveling in Germany and perhaps visit Ramstein Air Base, where Dunkin' has had a presence since 2016 (via Stripes).

According to Dunkin', chewy, delectable date donuts are popular in the Middle East. These glorious iced donuts have a sweet little date drizzle on top, plenty of cream, and a plump, juicy date crowning the whole thing. If you're traveling through Saudi Arabia or the UAE, you're bound to come across date donuts. They're so popular that the chain's Twitter had a thread celebrating the date-topped delights.

Although date-infused or topped donuts might seem like a surprising international donut flavor, especially to Western palates, dates are a well-known food in the Middle East. According to Arab News, dates are both a delicacy and a religiously significant food for Muslim diners. The prophet Muhammad reportedly ate dates to break his religious fast, and dates are now commonly associated with Ramadan, thanks in part to the religious connection as well as their robust sugar levels and ability to sate appetites.  

Given the religious and cultural significance surrounding dates, it's no surprise that Dunkin' chose to salute them in donut form. Now, if only they would bring this tasty donut to the States!

Before Dunkin' South Korea rolled out its ode to fried chicken, Dunkin' Thailand was already on the sweet and savory poultry bandwagon with Kai Yong. Kai Yong donuts feature a fluffy base, sugary glaze, a drizzle of fiery Thai chili paste, and plenty of chicken. Like China's pork floss donuts, Kai Yong's addictive success is thanks to a cornucopia of different flavors and textures that artfully balance savory chicken, spicy chili paste, and sweet donuts.

According to Day Translations, Kai Yong is one of many Dunkin' Thailand varieties. Other donut flavors, like Fruity Paradise and Mango, are slightly more standard, but Kai Yong is the true regional star by feature a dried, shredded meat. According to the Bangkok Post, Dunkin's presence in Thailand continues to grow, with new locations popping up all over the country. Clearly, Dunkin' is doing something right, and that something might just come in the form of a sweet donut topped with chicken.

Travel virtually anywhere in Southeast Asia, and you're bound to come across the sweetened rice-based treat known as mochi in one form or another, including donut varieties. While Dunkin' previously promoted and sold mochi-flavored donuts in Southeast Asia, there is good news for American diners: the chain has recently made the fantastic decision to start offering mochi donuts in the U.S., at least in Nashville, Tennessee. According to The Street, Dunkin' made the wise call to produce mochi donuts for American audiences (though in limited markets) after considering the popularity of other traditionally Asian flavors in the states, such as matcha.

Mochi donuts are light, rice-based morsels covered in various flavors and toppings. While they taste similar to your conventional donuts, most consumers will note the airy texture and slightly nutty flavor. Since this is one international Dunkin' flavor that you can try almost immediately, we recommend that you scarf down as many different mochi varieties as you can, just in case they disappear from your local store.