Krispy Kreme is giving fall a fresh flavor this year, putting apple cider at the center of its newest seasonal drop while still making room for pumpkin spice, maple, and football season.
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According to Krispy Kreme’s September 9 announcement, the Apple Cider Original Glazed Doughnut officially arrived at participating shops on September 10. The new doughnut uses apple cider dough seasoned with cinnamon before getting the company’s signature glaze. It joins the new Fall & Football Dozen, a box designed around both autumn flavors and game day.
“Following the success of Krispy Kreme’s Original Glazed Blueberry Flavored Doughnut offered in July, the new Apple Cider Original Glazed Doughnut brings another craveable seasonal flavor to Krispy Kreme’s signature glaze,” the company said.
“Made with apple cider dough, spiced with cinnamon and finished with Krispy Kreme’s iconic glaze, it delivers the warm, nostalgic taste of apple cider in every bite,” the description added.
The Krispy Kreme fall lineup also comes with a limited promotion. Per the company’s launch announcement, customers who purchase any dozen at regular price can get a dozen Apple Cider Original Glazed Doughnuts for $5 at participating shops from September 10 through September 13.
The Fall & Football Dozen takes the seasonal theme even further. According to Krispy Kreme, each dozen includes four football-shaped doughnuts filled with white Kreme, dipped in chocolate icing, and decorated with white icing laces. The box also includes three Pumpkin Spice Cake Doughnuts, two Maple Cheesecake Doughnuts, and three Original Glazed Doughnuts. The Maple Cheesecake version features cheesecake Kreme, maple icing, graham-flavored crunch, and maple drizzle.
The apple cider release follows Krispy Kreme’s short summer experiment with fruit-flavored glaze. According to Krispy Kreme’s July blueberry release, its Original Glazed Blueberry Flavored Doughnut was available for just four days in July. The company called it “a berry delicious twist on the iconic Original Glazed that captures the sweetest moments of summer in every bite.”
“It’s the perfect way to celebrate the sweetest stretch of National Blueberry Month before the season slips away,” the earlier release said.
Krispy Kreme is far from the only major chain stretching the definition of what fall flavor looks like in 2026.
According to Starbucks’ official fall menu announcement, the coffee giant brought its Pumpkin Spice Latte back on August 25 alongside Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew and several additional pumpkin drinks. Starbucks also added an Iced Banana Bread Latte, Iced Banana Bread Chai, and Chaider, a chai drink built around cider-inspired cinnamon and sweet spice flavors. Its food lineup includes the returning Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffin and a Hedgehog Cake Pop.
Starbucks is not finished. According to a separate company announcement, three Mini Pies are scheduled to arrive on September 29 in Apple Crumble, Pecan, and Pumpkin flavors. That combination puts apples, nuts, and pumpkin together in another menu clearly designed to cover more of the fall flavor spectrum.
Dunkin is taking an equally packed approach. Per Dunkin’s 2026 fall menu announcement, its seasonal lineup includes the returning Pumpkin Spice Signature Latte and Pumpkin Donut alongside new options such as the Pumpkin Cloud Dunkalatte and Pumpkin Pie Coffee Chiller. Dunkin also introduced a full tiramisu drink collection, including a Tiramisu Cloud Latte and Tiramisu Shakin’ Espresso, while bringing Maple Sugar Bacon back to several breakfast items.
Even Dairy Queen is leaning into the same expansion beyond basic pumpkin spice. According to Dairy Queen’s fall collection announcement, its seasonal menu includes a Brown Sugar Cookie Dough Blizzard, Toasted Marshmallow Mocha DQ Coffee Cooler, and the returning Pumpkin Pie Blizzard. The chain also opened in August with a Caramel Apple Cheesecake Blizzard featuring cheesecake pieces and caramel apple topping.
Taken together, this year’s menus show fall flavor moving well past one pumpkin drink. Apple cider, caramel apple, maple, pecan, brown sugar, banana bread, and dessert-inspired coffee flavors are all competing for seasonal attention. Krispy Kreme’s bet is that the familiar taste of cider, wrapped in its most recognizable glaze and paired with football season, can earn a spot in that increasingly crowded fall ritual.
