Review: Krispy Kreme's Ghostbusters Collection Is Very Sweet But Perfect For Super Fans

In 1984, the world was introduced to Peter Venkman, Ray Stantz, Egon Spengler, and Winston Zeddemore, aka the Ghostbusters. The spooky comedy was not only a smash box office success, spawning a never ending franchise, but a touchstone for popular culture that is still celebrated to this day. In honor of its 40th anniversary of the film's release, Krispy Kreme is rolling out five new treats to honor their good name, featuring many ghoulish creatures that haunted the original film. Dave Skena, Global Chief Brand Officer for Krispy Kreme, said in a press release, "Yes it's true, these treats are no trick. When it comes to Halloween this year, you know who to call." Kripsy Kreme is no stranger to iconic collaborations, like a past one with the movie "Elf," and even the brand Reese's. 

There are flour doughnuts (which is how Krispy Kreme spells the word; if you're used to seeing it as donuts, you're not alone) — Ghostbusters Cookies N' Creme, Ecto-Sprinkled, and a Stay Puft Marshmallow Man Pull-Apart, as well as a vibrant green drink called Slimer's Slime-ade available in this new "Ghostbusters" collection. Are these treats worth calling upon, or rather something to be afraid of, and should be locked up in a ghost trap? The Takeout checked out this new spirited "Ghostbusters" collection and are ready to spin a few ghost stories about each item. This chew and review is based on taste, "Ghostbuster"-ness, and overall lovability.

The Ghostbuster Collection is currently available at participating nationwide Krispy Kreme locations, for a limited time only. The doughnuts can be ordered at the counter, or in advance using Krispy Kreme's app or website, and for delivery, where available.

The four doughnuts can be ordered a la carte, or in two special boxes. The Ghostbusters Speciality Collection features 11 doughnuts, two of the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man Pull-Aparts, and three each of the rest. There is also one called the Ghostbusters Speciality 3-Pack, which includes one of each doughnut, except the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man one. Prices will vary by location, but at the Manhattan Krispy Kreme where I purchased mine, a single doughnut cost $2.99, the Stay Puft one was $3.39, the three pack went for $8.19, and the Specialty Collection would set one back $23.19. For those who can't make it to a Krispy Kreme location, select nationwide grocery stores are offering a limited time Krispy Kreme x Ghostbusters 6-count Assorted Doughnuts box that features the Ghostbusters Cookies N' Creme Doughnut made with OREO, Slimer Doughnut, Ecto-Sprinkled Doughnut, and Chocolate Iced with Halloween Sprinkles.

Frozen Slimer's Slime-ade is available to order in three sizes — small, medium, and large. The price at my nearest location for each size was $4.39, $4.89, and $4.89 respectively.

Who could truly be afraid of ghosts when the ubiquitous and friendly Ghostbusters logo, designed by Michael C. Gross, has been such a pleasure to look at for over 40 years. That logo is the centerpiece of this Cookies N' Creme doughnut. It's a rubbery and thin piece of candy that looks like an eraser straight out of the '80s kids' pencil box. It has a flimsy, gummy-like texture, that when bitten, was reminiscent of Fruit Stripe Gum, minus any real flavor. It just tasted like sugar.

The candy logo sat in place atop a dollop of swirly, gray buttercream. Below the buttercream, lay a bed of what looks like extraterrestrial black soil. Upon a closer inspection, it sort of looked like shattered glass, as if that glass was made up of fine Oreo cookies. The buttercream is luscious, and made for a great combination when eaten in conjunction with the cookie pieces. Don't expect a typical Oreo taste here, as it has a surprisingly sugary pluralized crunch to it. It's almost like eating chocolate rock candy.

One of these doughnuts nets 400 calories, 20 total grams of fat, 9 grams of saturated fat, 150 milligrams of sodium, 54 total grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of dietary fiber, 38 grams of sugar, and 3 grams of protein. This, like the other three doughnuts in the collection, contains the allergens egg, milk, soy, and wheat.

Slimer is the silly green ghost that is essentially the movie franchise's mascot. The Krispy Kreme doughnut that carries his name, and likeness is a loving tribute. A piece of candy depicting him, mouth agape, is the centerpiece of this treat. He sits upon a pile of frozen-in-place slime, which almost looks like a frog's lily pad. The next layer down was a purple icing coating that covers the top half of this oval doughnut.

With such a beautiful design, I almost didn't want to taste it, and just leave it as a visual marvel. Alas, I started with nibbles of green and purple icing. I couldn't exactly place what their flavorings were, but it just had an odd deepness to it. The real actions began once the center creme came into play. Whether you get there by knife or bite, be forewarned that a green ooze is ready to pounce on any unsuspecting eater.

I'm not sure what flavoring I was expecting from this vivid green substance, but what my mouth tasted was a sharp and sour lemon curd. It kind of reminded me of a twisted King Cake (minus the baby inside) that could have benefited from some cream cheese frosting. One of these doughnuts nets 340 calories, 14 total grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat, 130 milligrams of sodium, 51 total grams of carbohydrates, less than one gram of dietary fiber, 30 grams of sugar, and 4 grams of protein.

One of these doughnuts is not like the others, and the odd man out, at least physically, was the Ecto-Sprinkled Doughnut. This one didn't exactly scream "Ghostbusters," as it was the only one without a character front and center in its design. Guess having a doughnut with the image of Zuul probably would have scared customers away from the Krispy Kreme counter. Still, this doughnut had both a simplicity and business to it, working together.

One half was a simple orange glazed doughnut. The encrusted orange frosting covered a thin jelly-like spread that separates it from the doughnut cake. It thankfully did not have too much of a citrusy flavor, but came off like a richer version of orangesicle. The other half looked like a Mardi Gras party broke out during Halloween. It's ornately decorated with every kind of sprinkle you could think of: jimmies, quins, dragees, nonpareils, and, on a close-up look, even ones shaped like a wavy little ghost.

It was nice to have a 2-in-1 doughnut, even if my heart leaned in favor of just the plain old orange-glazed half. One of these doughnuts nets 270 calories, 11 total grams of fat, 6 grams of saturated fat, 85 milligrams of sodium, 39 total grams of carbohydrates, less than one gram of dietary fiber, 26 grams of sugar, and 3 grams of protein.

The Stay Puft Marshmallow Man is a key figure in the world of Ghostbusters. A jolly, innocent mascot, who later becomes an embodiment of evil, seeking out the destruction of our beloved heroes. Luckily the bakers at Krispy Kreme opted for the kinder version of the Marshmallow Man for his pull-apart doughnut. This doughnut has a unique shape, but doesn't exactly nail the Marshmallow Man's body type. Everything looks a little bit more compact here, with his arms somehow bigger than his tiny torso. Also, instead of smooth skin, here, it looks like a pile of sugar freshly poured from a yellow box of Domino's sugar on top of a doughnut cake.

I pushed the coating with a knife. I assumed it would have been rather solid, but showed to be a substance quite in motion. I tasted the coating as is, and the sugar added an interesting texture that juxtaposed the comely sticky fluff of the marshmallow buttercream. However, once I took a bit of the doughnut as a whole, the marshmallow flavoring somehow all but disappeared from the flavor profile.

That didn't stop this one from being both fun, and yum. One doughnut nets 470 calories, 24 total grams of fat, 11 grams of saturated fat, less than 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 160 milligrams of sodium, 62 total grams of carbohydrates, less than one gram of dietary fiber, 38 grams of sugar, and 3 grams of protein.

I took a peek at the Krispy Kreme employee as he concocted my Slime-ade behind the counter. They took out a pitcher of a green liquid that looks like a juiced version of Soylent Green, and then dumped in a bunch of ice. After a quick blend, it was handed back to me, looking far more comely, with its now new vibrant neon green coloring. The icy slush took up two-thirds of the cup, while the liquidy flavor syrup occupied the bottom third.

My first sip came away with an unmistakable apple flavoring. As I continued on with further sips, the green coloring started to influence my mind to think the flavoring was actually green apple. From there, each encounter brought out a sourness that kind of made it a little less enjoyable as I carried on. I later examined the ingredients of the syrup, and noticed that it contained apple juice concentrate, apple puree, lemon juice concentrate, natural lemon flavor, and lemon pulp. I was glad I only ordered only a small one, as any more this flavoring combination would have probably brought on nausea.

Maybe apple cider instead of apple juice would have made for a tastier, more memorable drink. A small cup of Frozen Slimer's Slime-ade nets 260 calories, 15 milligrams of sodium, 65 total grams of carbohydrates, and 64 grams of sugars.

For the everyday doughnut eater, The Ghostbuster Collection may prove to be too much of a sugary overindulgence, but they are certainly hard to keep one's eyes or hands off of. The Cookies N' Creme Doughnut is easily the best of the lot, with its awesome crystalized crunchy Oreo bits in tow. Apparently I wasn't alone in this opinion, as it was sold out at two Krispy Kreme locations I entered. The Ecto-Sprinkled Doughnut is somehow the least flashy of the foursome, without a Ghostbuster character to its name. Still, with a Jekyll and Hyde-like surface, it had both a quiet and a loud tastiness to it. The Stay Puft Marshmallow Man Doughnut somehow lost its marshmallow mojo when it reached the mouth, but it was certainly fun to gobble him up, with his face smiling back at me while doing so. Slimer's hidden ectoplasm is a physical treat to encounter, even if this doughnut had a distracting a sour aftertaste. As for Frozen Slimer's Slime-ade, I'm just not sure it will satisfy all those thirsty fans looking for another sip of Hi-C's Ecto Cooler.

While the flavors of these doughnuts may have run a bit wild, they certainly celebrate the spirit, and the spirits of the landmark spooky comedy classic. The Ghostbuster Collection's residency at Krispy Kreme is both a fitting, and a filling tribute to the film, and the perfect snack pairing for a re-watch this Halloween season.