Krispy Kreme X Pop-Tarts Doughnut Review: A Fun Unity Of Two Breakfast Favorites

Krispy Kreme has made mornings more delicious since 1937. In modern times, the brand has branched out exponentially, being served up in McDonald's, and doing all kinds of collaborations with the likes of Dolly Parton, Ghostbusters, and even The Olympics. In 2025, it's teaming up with another breakfast titan for a collaboration that is being self-branded as "Crazy Good." That other a.m. staple is the ubiquitous warm pastry that the fine folks over at Kellanova (formerly known as Kellogg Company) has given eaters something to really toast since 1964 — Pop-Tarts. 

The result is the Krispy Kreme x Pop-Tarts Crazy Good Doughnuts Collection, which comes in three flavors — Chocolatey Fudge, Frosted Brown Sugar Cinnamon, and Frosted Strawberry Doughnut. The hope, for the two companies and eaters, is to bridge the two together as a delicious duo. In a statement, Jessica Waller, the general Manager of Kellanova Away From Home said, "Krispy Kreme has done an incredible job bringing this opportunity to life, combining their iconic doughnuts with the beloved flavors of Pop-Tarts to create a truly one-of-a-kind experience for fans of both brands. We're proud of this partnership to bring Crazy Good to doughnuts and doughnut lovers in unexpected ways."

So, is Krispy Kreme x Pop-Tarts Crazy Good Doughnuts Collection the stuff sugary dreams are made of, or just a half-baked idea, setting a sour note to start 2025? On behalf of The Takeout, I took a dozen out to find out where the truth lies with this collaborative Pop-Tart mash-up.

The Krispy Kreme x Pop-Tarts Crazy Good Doughnuts Collection launched on January 6. It is a limited time offering, while supplies last, until January 26.

The three doughnuts in this collection — Chocolatey Fudge, Frosted Brown Sugar Cinnamon, and Frosted Strawberry Doughnut — are available to purchase in person at participating locations, and in some cases, as a 6-pack box delivered fresh daily to select retailers. In person, the can be purchased individually, as a specialty 3-pack, or a specialty dozen, which includes three of each flavor, plus a trio of Original Glazed Doughnuts. Prices vary per location, but at a Midtown Manhattan location, it costs $2.89 for one, $8.19 for the 3-pack, and $22.19 for the dozen. In-store, doughnut orders can be placed at a counter, kiosk, or drive-thru where available. They can also be ordered for pick-up or delivery in advance using Krispy Kreme's app or website. All three doughnuts contain food allergens egg, milk, soy, and wheat.

Not sure if the Frosted Chocolatey Fudge Doughnut somehow didn't get the memo, but out of the three doughnuts in this collection, this is the only one that didn't include a mini-Pop-Tart adorning its top. I didn't want to judge it on that fact alone, but that omission remained glaring long after my taste test concluded. I even circled back to Krispy Kreme's website to re-confirm it didn't come with a mini Pop-Tart. Alas, I peered at what was in front of me, and it looked like a pretty straightforward cake doughnut with frosty and fluid chocolate icing. A closer look reminded me of a batch of soil with some freshly scattered pellets of white fertilizer strewn about. Maybe a mini Pop-Tart would grow out of it later?

When I first bit into it, I was not overly impressed with the results. It didn't taste like anything out of the ordinary. Just no real wow factor. It was simply a chocolate-laden doughnut, that leaned a bit more cocoa-like than normal, with the added texture of some minuscule nonpareils. A closer examination of the ingredients' highlights includes several helpings of cocoa, modified tapioca starch, and chocolate liquor, which apparently didn't add up to much.

A single Chocolatey Fudge Doughnut nets 330 calories, 140 calories from fat, 16 grams of total fat, 7 grams of saturated fat, 160 milligrams of sodium, 46 grams of total carbohydrates, 1 gram of dietary fiber, 31 grams of sugars, and 3 grams of protein.

Next, I tackled the Pop-Tarts Frosted Brown Sugar Cinnamon Doughnut. I automatically thought it would fare better, as it had a mini Pop-Tart resting in a pile of a wavy brown frosting. In general, this was definitely a far more ornate affair than its Frosted Chocolatey Fudge Doughnut brethren. It almost looked like a fancy door-knocker that welcomes a visitor to a Victorian home. As I started to work my fingers around the doughnut, I was met with two textured fronts — a minefield of sugar dusting that covered most of the doughnut, and the cream cheese-based frosting that decorates its top. That frosting was even more fluid than the Frosted Chocolatey Fudge frosting, and felt almost like wet sand. A simple touch knocked the frosting from its perch, leaving essentially a naked sugary-doughnut behind.

When I finally got to the tasting, it too was a bit underwhelming. Sure, it came with the advertised brown sugar cinnamon flavoring, but it left me wanting more. Luckily, I left the mini Pop-Tart for last. It was puffier and doughier than a standard Pop-Tart, and each bite not only tasted delicious, but was just pure fun to tackle. It was sad to see this Pop-Tart go so quickly.

A single Brown Sugar Cinnamon Doughnut nets 280 calories, 130 calories from fat, 14 grams of total fat, 6 grams of saturated fat, 140 milligrams of sodium, 35 grams of total carbohydrates, 1 gram of dietary fiber, 20 grams of sugars, and 3 grams of protein.

I was most intimidated by the Pop-Tarts Frosted Strawberry Doughnut concoction. It had a business to its appearance that reminded me of the Piet Mondrian painting "Broadway Boogie Woogie." The doughnut is overloaded with white crumbles, green sugar flakes, red icing stripes, and thankfully another mini Pop-Tart in tow. That mini Pop-Tart was sprinkled with a rainbow array of what could be described as crushed Fruity Pebbles.

While the other two doughnuts didn't seem to have any innards to them beyond the cake, this Frosted Strawberry one had a blood-red dollop of syrupy jelly within. After reading over the ingredients, I was relieved to see that actual strawberries were included, as well as apple powder, brown sugar, and vanilla. By looks, make-up, and taste, it was a hulky, complex treat, and one well rewarding to any eater who dares to let it enter their mouth. The doughnut alone, with its delightful crumbles, most closely resembled the experience of eating an actual Pop-Tart, and is worth the price of admission. The mini Pop-Tart here doesn't even need to be the star — it's a brilliant bonus that acts as an exclamation point to this crumbly creature. Eventually, I tried the doughnut and mini Pop-Tart in a united bite, and it was a one-two punch of textured awesomeness. Bravo!

A single Strawberry Doughnut nets 340 calories, 140 calories from fat, 15 grams of total fat, 7 grams of saturated fat, 220 milligrams of sodium, 47 grams of total carbohydrates, 1 gram of dietary fiber, 24 grams of sugars, and 4 grams of protein.

Food collaborations will never end, and after seeing and eating a mini Pop-Tart included with a Krispy Kreme doughnut, I hope this one never does end. That mini Pop-Tart is obviously the main draw of this collection, and the reason why the Frosted Chocolatey Fudge flavor one registered as a misstep for missing one. If you want to experience the taste of a chocolatey or fudgey Pop-Tart on a doughnut, you'd be better off crumbling one up directly over a Krispy Kreme doughnut. The Frosted Brown Sugar Cinnamon Doughnut is definitely a step-up over the Frosted Chocolatey Fudge one, but perhaps could have benefitted a bit more with a coating of brown sugar atop the icing to really sell its brown sugar bona fides.

It's no question that the Frosted Strawberry Doughnut is the bell of the ball here. It's the one out of three flavors that brings the true tastes and textures of an actual Pop-Tart into play, and the one I kept gobbling up more and more of. Good thing Krispy Kreme nailed it with the Frosted Strawberry Doughnut, as the Frosted Strawberry flavor of Pop-Tarts remains the ultimate of the entire catalog. I should know, I tried and ranked 24 of them, and it could not be beat. If this collaboration is deemed a success, I hope it one day returns, and perhaps next time with a topping of nothing but mini Pop-Tarts. Who would say no to that?

I purchased a box of a dozen Krispy Kreme x Pop-Tarts Doughnuts from a Midtown Manhattan location of Krispy Kreme in the middle of the day. Not long after purchasing them, I taste tested them with another taste tester on hand at room temperature.

Before taking a single bite, I took into consideration the look and design of each doughnut. I then cut the doughnut into pieces, taking a bite of each flavor, and returned for further bites to reach a conclusion. They were initially eaten in order based on the complexity of their looks. This chew and review of each flavor is based on taste, appearance, deliciousness, how each doughnut captured the essence and spirit of Pop-Tarts, and overall lovability.