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Dunkin' has unveiled its 2026 holiday programme, introducing a bespoke packaging design titled the Donutcracker alongside the return of its Cookie Butter and Toasted White Chocolate beverage lines.
Commencing nationwide distribution on 4 November 2026, the seasonal campaign replaces standard retail packaging across takeaway hot and cold cups, standard doughnut cartons, and Munchkins doughnut hole boxes with themed illustrations. The visual rollout serves as the lead commercial vehicle for Dunkin's fourth-quarter trading period, supported by limited-time flavour extensions, multi-beverage platforms, and seasonal member activations via the Dunkin' Rewards loyalty programme.
The commercial execution highlights ongoing seasonal strategies across the quick-service restaurant (QSR) beverage landscape, where operators pair branded visual packaging overhauls with high-margin coffee and tea modifications to stimulate footfall during the winter holiday season.
"Dunkin's holiday cups and packaging have become part of the season for so many of our guests," said Jill Nelson, Chief Marketing Officer at Dunkin'.
"The Donutcracker puts a playful twist on a beloved holiday icon. Whether guests are sipping returning favourites like Cookie Butter and Toasted White Chocolate or picking up a dozen doughnuts for a holiday gathering, the Donutcracker brings the joy of the season to life in a way that's fun, festive, and uniquely Dunkin'."
The Donutcracker Design
The centrepiece of the visual campaign is the introduction of the Donutcracker, an intellectual property character platform developed to refresh the brand's annual holiday aesthetics:
🎨 Visual Architecture: Reinterprets the traditional European ceremonial nutcracker figurine with confectionery-inspired detailing, incorporating doughnut motifs, rainbow sprinkles, and the chain's corporate magenta and orange colour palette.
📦 Packaging Footprint: Deployed across the chain's complete front-of-house takeaway container inventory, spanning hot coffee cups, cold drink plastic vessels, six- and twelve-count doughnut cartons, and multi-serve Munchkins boxes.
🏬 Store Execution: Anchors front-counter merchandising, point-of-sale displays, and digital mobile ordering user interfaces across participating US franchise locations.
By integrating branded characters directly across primary food and drink packaging, the company provides visual differentiation that encourages social media sharing while celebrating traditional holiday gifting and gathering occasions.
Cookie Butter Beverage Formulations
Returning for a limited-time operational window, the spiced speculoos-inspired Cookie Butter flavour platform has been engineered across six distinct hot, iced, and blended drink builds:
☕ Cookie Butter Cloud Latte: Combines espresso, Cookie Butter Syrup, and milk, finished with Cookie Butter Cold Foam and crushed cookie butter crumbles.
🥛 Cookie Butter Cloud Dunkalatte: Pairs regional coffee milk with Cookie Butter Syrup and espresso, crowned with aerated Cookie Butter Cold Foam.
🍫 Cookie Butter Hot Chocolate: Rich steamed hot chocolate infused with Cookie Butter Syrup, finished with whipped cream and spiced cookie crumbles.
🍵 Cookie Butter Matcha: Sweetened green matcha tea blended with chilled whole milk and spiced Cookie Butter Syrup.
🫚 Iced Cookie Butter Oat Chai Latte: Spiced black chai tea concentrate blended with plant-based oat milk and Cookie Butter Syrup.
🧊 Spiced Cookie Iced Coffee: Dunkin' standard iced coffee paired with oat milk and sweetened Cookie Butter Syrup.
Toasted White Chocolate Drinks
Complementing the cookie butter range, Dunkin' has reintroduced its Toasted White Chocolate flavour profile, formulating rich confectionery and roasted cocoa butter notes across four beverage architectures:
☁️ Toasted White Chocolate Cloud Latte: Blends espresso with whole milk and Toasted White Chocolate swirl, finished with chilled Sweet Cold Foam.
☕ Toasted White Chocolate Signature Latte: Combines espresso and steamed whole milk with Toasted White Chocolate swirl, garnished with whipped cream, caramel sauce drizzle, and cinnamon sugar.
🌰 Almond White Chocolate Shakin' Espresso: A double shot of espresso vigorously shaken with Toasted White Chocolate swirl, toasted almond flavour notes, and creamy oat milk over ice.
🍓 Raspberry White Chocolate Matcha: Sweetened matcha green tea blended with whole milk, tart raspberry flavouring, and rich Toasted White Chocolate swirl.
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