The Krispy Kreme Doughnut Smoothies That Flopped Hard

In the food wilds, smoothies and doughnuts are natural enemies. But what if there was once a fast food chain that dared to bring these two arch nemeses together? Okay, we know what you're thinking — if SlimFast can pull off a birthday cake smoothie and Jamba Juice can serve up a drink that tastes like a peanut butter cup, a doughnut-flavored smoothie doesn't sound so bad. But what if we told you Krispy Kreme was the one handling the blender (per the Lodi News-Sentinel and Death and Taxes)?

That's right, Krispy Kreme may have released doughnut milkshakes and ice cream cones in 2022, but that was not the first time it tried to turn its famous original glazed doughnut into a frozen dessert (per Food Network). As Mental Floss reports, the chain actually released doughnut-inspired frozen treats in 2004 when it debuted not milkshakes but, frighteningly enough, smoothies. And those who stepped on untrodden smoothie-doughnut ground by trying Krispy Kreme's concoctions were not asking for a refill. Let's uncover the almost-forgotten lore behind Krispy Kreme's failed doughnut smoothies.

The summer of 2004 should have been like any other. Children were playing in the streets and people were looking forward to spending time at the pool. But that's when culinary calamity struck. Maybe the heat had finally gone to doughnut-connoisseur Krispy Kreme's head. Or, after losing stock value, perhaps the company felt pressured to try and create a new product that would put it back in the green (per CNN). No matter the reason, CNN reports that in July the chain launched a line of doughnut smoothies.

To be clear, the only thing Krispy Kreme's discounted smoothies and a matcha smoothie recipe you'd whip up at home have in common is their name. According to The Daily Herald, Krispy Kreme's failed sips were made with nothing more than water, ice, and specially designed flavored powder. These drinks, which the outlet states were meant to make you feel like you were drinking one of the chain's famous doughnuts, came in four different flavors: Raspberry, Latte, Double Chocolate, and of course, Original Kreme. However, despite Krispy Kreme's hopes (and a stamp of approval from The Daily Herald) the doughnut-loving public seemed to reach the same conclusion fast — smoothies and doughnuts should stay 50 feet away from each other at all times.

So, just how un-tasty were Krispy Kreme's doughnut smoothies? Well, according to one food critic in the Lodi News-Sentinel, you can actually replicate the flavor of the smoothies today to figure it out for yourself. All you need to do is down a pre-frozen tube of frosting. Oh, and the critic instructed that you should be sure to break in between sips "to steady yourself against a table." Yeah, not exactly a rave review.

And fast food goers seemed to have the same opinion of these Frankenstein drinks because by the end of the year these smoothies debuted, The New York Times reported that Krispy Kreme's sales had dropped rather than increased. So its doughnut drinks didn't appear to attract customers to its doors the same way iced coffee brings foodies to Dunkin'.

But this story does have a happy ending. While the smoothies were eventually taken off the menu, Krispy Kreme did make a fast food world comeback. In fact, in 2021 Restaurant Business reported that the chain saw an increase in sales after it started serving fans fresh doughnuts every day. Not to mention, Krispy Kreme would, as we noted before, even go on to make doughnut ice cream treats – a far more compatible pair, in our opinion. So after many years filled with delectable new doughnut desserts have passed, maybe, just maybe, doughnut fans have forgiven Krispy Kreme for its diabolical smoothie line.