Krispy Kreme + Cheerwine = Tasty?

Gourmands of North Carolina rejoice! Two of the state’s iconic, sweet concoctions have joined forces. Starting today, Krispy Kreme plans to sell Cheerwine-flavored, cream-filled doughnuts. Apparently Krispy Kreme customers have long clamored for the pairing. The alliance between the Winston-Salem baker and Salisbury soft drink manufacturer will last through at least July and you can find these delectable (at least to some) treats at grocery stores in North and South Carolina.

The new flavor got us to thinking about other possible pairings between Krispy Kreme and North Carolina products. One North Carolina Collection staffer (he shall remain nameless to protect his reputation as purveyor of good taste) wondered about Texas Pete-flavored Krispy Kremes or adding Goody’s sprinkles to the classic glaze-covered doughnut. How about a Pepsi-flavored topping? Ideas anyone?

And while your tickling your taste buds with a Cheerwine Kreme Filled Doughnut (or two or three), how about some stimulation for your brain? All that sugar may have kicked it into high gear.

Cheerwine flavored cake, anyone?

How long has that “Hot Now” sign been burning?

Does the recipe for Krispy Kreme’s success include more than sugar?

19 thoughts on “Krispy Kreme + Cheerwine = Tasty?”

  1. I’m pretty certain if you check enough of the church cookbooks in the North Carolina Collection you’ll find a recipe for a Cheerwine Congealed Salad. And if you do, please share it with us!

  2. Ever the supporter of North Caroliniana, I did my patriotic duty last night and purchased 6 Cheerwine Kreme Filled Krispy Kreme doughnuts. I have not eaten one (yet), but I brought them into work today to share with my fellow NC Collectionites. I told them that I would share one with them if they commented on the blog with their evaluation of the double-dip of NC products. They should be coming soon.

  3. Fellow NC Collectionite here reporting in. If fizzy had a taste, this is what it would taste like. Though I only braved a half of one, I am satisfied with the results. There is no mistaking this is a Cheerwine doughnut. The taste is stronger than you may think. Top it off with chocolate icing and sprinkles and you have one doughnut that is not for the faint of heart (or sweet tooth).

  4. The chocolate icing distracts from the bold flavor of the Cheerwine filling. The doughnut would be better if the baker doubled up on the Cheerwine filling and just did a light dusting of red and white sprinkles (Cheerwine colors!) on the top. I think Krsipy Kreme lost its nerve by tarting up this doughnut with the chocolate icing–the Cheerwine filling alone can carry this taste treat.

  5. Thank you, NCC staff, for making it possible for ex-pats like myself to enjoy the Cheerwine Krispy Kreme experience vicariously through your reviews. Keep ’em coming!

  6. Okay, even though I have not had the pleasure of eating one of these AMAZING items, I do think that the chocolate icing should be dropped for someting more appropriate: Cheerwine icing. And, yes, I have made it before:

    Cheerwine icing:

    1/3 cup Cheerwine soft drink
    2½ cups powdered sugar
    ½ cup margarine
    ¼ tsp almond extract
    ¼ cup cocoa
    1 cup chopped nuts

  7. Jason, I’m shocked to see you encourage the destruction of such rare and significant North Carolina realia…..
    Surely before month’s end at least one of these landmark doughnuts could be put aside for freeze-drying… or bronzing?

  8. Truth in…blogging. When I wrote the post last week I had not tasted a Cheerwine Kreme filled doughnut. Thanks to Jason’s largesse (I hear he left his wife and children starving in order to provide us said doughnuts) I have now tasted one. In the spirit of oenophiles around the globe, the doughnut has a sugary bouquet and a mere hint of Cheerwine. Translation? The Cheerwine taste is not as overwhelming as I had feared.

  9. Lew:

    I trust someone, somewhere, is collecting advertising ephemera related to this cultinary phenomenon.

    Now, what’s next? Texas Pete flavored slim jims? Mount Olive pickles stuffed with Goody’s headache powders? Bannana pudding flavored with a bit of Wilkes County’s finest?

  10. When I heard the story about the marriage of two uniquely North Carolina sweets on WUNC last week, I figured that Willy Wonka and Paula Deen had finally gotten together. I was intrigued, but I wasn’t completely sold (similar to my impression of Deen’s Krispy Kreme bread pudding recipe). Because I haven’t had a soda in over ten years, I was a little bit apprehensive to try the Cheerwine doughnut this afternoon. Like Alison said, there is the familiar fizzy-ness of pop that I think is impossible to forget. I do think that Kevin’s recipe for a Cheerwine icing would serve the treat well (maybe Krispy Kreme is going for a cordial-like taste?). All in all, my taste buds are happy and it has reminded me of why North Carolina is a fun and inventive state.

  11. Kevin, Slim Jims seem to have chosen Tabasco for their extra-spicy version.
    At one time Lance sold Texas Pete-flavored sausages, hot fries and pork skins, but I haven’t found any mention on the Lance site. Discontinued?… I’ll check the shelves next time I’m at Whole Foods.

  12. Bridget, we have one doughnut left. If I could figure out an easy way to get it all the way up to where you are, I’d ship it this morning. Sorry….that’s one of the penalties of leaving NC and the NC Collection!

  13. One left??? Shouldn’t it be placed in an air-conditioned container and deposited in the Gallery’s collection?????

  14. No, I’m saving it for the NC Collection’s true doughnut connoisseur…Harry McKown. Hopefully his comments are coming soon. I’m not sure the library’s conservators will let us store this “artifact” in the building for more than its normal shelf life!

  15. I too am one of the lucky staff members who experienced this original NC taste treat and must concur with Eileen that the chocolate icing was overkill and detracts from the Cheerwine flavored filling which could be a bit more pronounced. I found the texture of the doughnut itself to be a too dense and doughy for my palette, preferring the light and airy texture of the original glazed Krispy Kreme doughnuts since there isn’t at Tim Horton’s here yet.

  16. Concept is great. Execution is not so great. My doughnut was low on Cheerwine flavor, I suspect because it was short on filling. I vote with the no-chocolate icing folks and think Kevin’s idea of a Cheerwine icing is dead on.

  17. I LOVE LOVE this doughnut! Went to KK on a whim one day…..havent been in a lonnnnnggg time and there is this wonderful dougnut on display! I would love to have the recipe for the filling!!!! Any ideas? Anyway, South Carolina is thumbs up for this NC piece of heaven! 🙂

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