McDonald’s adding Donut Sticks to breakfast menu

McDonald’s is launching McCafé Donut Sticks nationally for a limited time on Feb. 20.

The new menu offering – crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside — is sprinkled with cinnamon sugar and served warm. Customers can order six or 12 at a time.

“We looked at several donut shapes, tested a variety of doughs and even worked to get the amount of cinnamon sugar just right for the recipe,” Linda VanGosen, McDonald’s vice president of menu innovation, said in a statement.

The McCafé Donut Sticks will be sold only during breakfast hours, which end at 10:30 a.m., the company said.

Prices are determined locally, but the average national price for Donut Sticks is $2.59 for a half a dozen with a small cup of coffee, $1.69 for a half a dozen and $3.29 for a dozen.

A 6-piece order has 280 calories, 13 grams of fat and 9 grams of sugar, according to the McDonald’s website.

McDonald’s had tested the Donut Sticks in certain Illinois restaurants in early 2018 and then again in October, VanGosen said.

While Donut Sticks are the first sweet the chain is selling as a breakfast exclusive, other baked goods are being tested at certain McDonald’s locations, like Muffin Toppers and Coffee Cake, according to the chain. McDonald’s has been a breakfast big wig since 1971.

“Donut Sticks are the perfect complement to our existing breakfast lineup,” VanGosen said.

In late January, Burger King brought back Funnel Cake Fries, originally sold in 2009, for a limited time. And in June, Dunkin’, which officially dropped the word Donuts from its name three months later, introduced Donut Fries.

Zlati Meyer, USA TODAY

Read more at usatoday.com