REVIEW: Dunkaroos (2020)

The 1990s were an incredible time.

The internet popped into our daily lives, the economy was lush, Disney had its animation reawakening, Nintendo and Sony ushered in the three-dimensional era, and fashion was neon and expressive. There was also a flurry of new kid-targeted snack foods — Fruit by the Foot, Gushers, Lunchables, Doritos 3D, Trix yogurt, and…

I need to stop before I start weeping.

While so much that we ate back then was truly frightening and delicious, no snack food may have better encapsulated the feel of the 90s and the hearts of millennials more than the discontinued Dunkaroos.

But they’re back, baby!

For those who missed out during its peak, Dunkaroos is a simple concept – a package of cookies with a small serving of frosting to dunk them in. The original Dunkaroos lineup had several different cookie and frosting pairings. Cinnamon graham with chocolate frosting, chocolate cookies with vanilla frosting, and even one with chocolate chip cookies and rainbow sprinkle frosting.

The 2020 reboot chose to dip just one foot into the pool of nostalgia with one crowd-pleasing flavor – vanilla cookies with vanilla frosting and rainbow sprinkles. Bless you, Betty Crocker!

During its snack dominance, Dunkaroos appeared in many different shapes, the most prominent in my memory being that of Sydney, the brand’s kangaroo cartoon mascot. Betty simplified this decade’s cookie into a classic circle with a bold “D” and little ridges around the sides. The cookies are vanilla flavored, thin with a crisp crunch, and a slightly salty finish, not too far off from a buttery shortbread. I miss the touch of cinnamon the 90s version had, but they’re far from boring and are commendable on their own.

The rainbow sprinkle frosting is a staple of anyone’s childhood. Sweet and vanilla forward with little multicolored chunks that add some texture and playfulness to the action. The frosting is the best part of the whole experience, and if you don’t use your finger to scrape every last bit of it out of the container, we definitely couldn’t have been on the same dodgeball team in 1998.

So this brings us to the ‘Roos classic 90s tagline, “How do you do your Dunkaroos?” I can’t honestly remember exactly how I dunked back in 1997, probably like a total savage, but I have an opinion about how you should dunk in 2020.

The new cookies are a bit thin, and since the frosting is a sacred commodity, the best way to dunk these new-aroos is two at a time with ample frosting. Put them together, back to back, so you have two D’s facing outward and get a sizable scoop of that rainbow chip goodness on your ‘Roo. It’s perfect, with the frosting steering the flavor boat just as it should be.

This Dunakroos relaunch is everything that any of us sentimental millennials could have asked for. From the throwback design of the package with retro colors and logo to the perfectly ridiculous website that teased us into submission – they all rule. Dunkaroos are available first and only as single servings at 7-Eleven, and will roll out to more stores in July. Should you make a trip to 7-Eleven and get these immediately? No duh, dude!

Purchased Price: $1.99
Size: 1.5 oz
Purchased at: 7-Eleven
Rating: 10 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 tray with frosting) 190 calories, 8 grams of fat, 4 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 90 milligrams of sodium, 29 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 18 grams of total sugars, 0 grams of protein.