As fall arrives, it’s pretty common to see pumpkin spice flavored products pop up in coffee shops, grocery stores, and all other sorts of places where you might find warm drinks or baked goods. Even at my job, we have ushered in a new seasonal pumpkin series. In my opinion, it’s quite addictive. Yet, pumpkin flavored treats can often be a hit or miss. For example, I like pumpkin spice, but I have a special hatred for pumpkin pie – maybe because my grandma made a two-ingredient version every year that I was always required to eat.

So I get it, pumpkin definitely isn’t for everyone, but it is perfect for the autumn season. In terms of trying some goods off the pumpkin bandwagon, Little Debbie’s pumpkin donuts instantly caught my eye. These little pastries (if you can even classify them as that) weren’t quite what I was expecting. The exterior is dusted in a generous coating of fine cinnamon sugar, which is a bit too sweet for me and has that cooling effect powdered sugar tends to have. It also has a vibrant orange color on the inside, which makes me wonder how much dye they add into the dough. Also, the texture is more cakey than traditional donuts. It’s flavor is quite fruity and strong, plus it emits a very noticeable scent that I can’t quite describe. 

Overall, I love fall. It might even be my favorite season. However, I can not say the same for these donuts. They aren’t horrible and I would not call them a waste of money, but they are a bit too sugary and a bit too fruity for my liking. The pumpkin flavor is very artificial and I would much prefer a traditional cinnamon donut with apple cider to celebrate the season rather than these kind of sad little orange circles.