The History of Dunkin’ Munchkins

Dunkin’ Munchkins debuted in 1972. They were originally created as a way to use the excess dough that had to be cut out of the centers of the chain’s regular donuts. For a while, that excess food was simply thrown away, but eventually management decided to repurpose it and Munchkins were born! Reportedly, the name was inspired by The Wizard of Oz. Soon after Dunkin’ Munchkins were released, Dunkin’ created a special tool to make cutting Munchkins out from the regular donuts an easy and uniform process. (Today, they are no longer hand-cut but rather made using machinery.) Flavor options included plenty of classics, such as Glazed Old Fashioned, Glazed Chocolate, Old Fashioned, Jelly, Cinnamon, and Powdered, and the donut holes quickly became a hit. Due to their small size, Dunkin’ Munchkins became popular among kids and quickly became a favorite treat to share at classroom birthday celebrations and youth sporting events. Adults also fell in love with the diminutive donut holes and would often bring them into their offices to share with coworkers. Today, Dunkin’ Munchkins remain a beloved, shareable treat and are now available all over the world.