The "hybrid sweets" boom that originated in New York, USA, is making waves, and Krispy Kreme Doughnuts (KKD) has finally introduced two new sweets that are completely different from conventional doughnuts.

The two new products are " Waffnuts," a hybrid of a Belgian waffle and doughnut, and "Chounuts," a hybrid of cream puffs and doughnuts. Both will be available for a limited time starting June 10.


If I remember correctly, KKD's doughnuts are characterized by their rich texture and American flavor, such as the "Original Glazed," which melts in your mouth. However, the new Waffnut has a "crispy texture and packed flavor," and the Puffnut has a "light and fluffy taste made with puff pastry dough," so I have a feeling that we are about to encounter something new.

So, at a media tasting held prior to the launch, I had a chance to try Wafu-Nut and Shoo-Nut right away!

Crunchy, moist, and three kinds of waffnut

Waffnut is an "authentic Belgian waffle" that is carefully baked one by one by artisans and turned into a doughnut. By frying them after baking, the outside is crispy and the inside is moist.


There are three flavors of waffnut. Each flavor has a different glaze of chocolate, which is poured over the top to prevent air from getting into the waffle's uneven surface, and then dipped into the batter for a "double-dipping" effect.



First, the "Strawberry" flavor is fresh strawberry, which spreads in your mouth as soon as you eat it. The aroma is of sweet strawberries, but the taste is not too sweet, and the sourness of the freeze-dried strawberry topping gives it a well-balanced flavor. It is a classic taste loved by both children and adults.


Next is the "Almond". This one has a savory flavor with a generous amount of glazed chocolate with almond paste kneaded into it. The almond topping adds a salty flavor, while the bitter chocolate adds a bittersweetness that brings out the sweetness of the whole. The mixture of sweetness, savory, and saltiness is exquisite! This was my personal number one among all the sweets I tried this time.


The last one is "Uji Matcha," the only one of the three flavors in which Uji matcha is kneaded into the dough. Both the outside and the inside of the cake are made of matcha green tea, so the aroma is very nice, and when you eat it, a gentle astringent taste rolls over your tongue. The white chocolate and crunchy chocolate flake topping adds a hint of sweetness.


Two kinds of puffed nuts

It took three years to perfect the texture of the puff pastry. The puff pastry is made from puff pastry filled with vanilla beans, and then made into a doughnut. --Mmmm...the fact that it was conceived 3 years ago means that it was born before the recent hybrid boom...?


The puff pastry doughnut is a doughnut cut in half, filled with cream and sauce, and decorated with chocolate sauce. There is a slight difference in the width of the doughnut, but it has a handmade feel to it, which is also charming.



There are two flavors of puffed nuts.

The first is "Double Caramel," a combination of fresh caramel flavored cream and salted caramel sauce. The dough is light and crispy when you bite into it, and soon becomes soft and fluffy. The sweetness and savory flavor of the rich caramel comes out from the inside, but the bitterness of the chocolate follows soon after, so the overall taste is not that sweet.


Another is the "Lemon Cheese," a cheese cream with Setouchi lemon peel and cheesecake sauce sandwiched in between. When you bite into it, the cool lemon aroma quickly passes through your mouth, and the rich, sweet and sour cheesecake sauce melts in your mouth. It is rich, but with a refreshing aftertaste due to the strong acidity of the lemon!


The waffnut is packed with texture, so even one piece is enough to fill you up. On the other hand, the puff nut has a light and fluffy texture, so you can easily eat it...but the cream inside is so rich that one puff nut is also quite satisfying. Both of these doughnuts were the result of considerable time and effort put into their development, and the taste and texture showed the seriousness of KKD's work.

Even those who say they like KKD's doughnuts! Whether you like KKD doughnuts, have never had them before, or haven't had them for a while, we invite you to try the new flavors that KKD has developed with great care and dedication.