'Horrible' — The Hostess Snack Customers Agree Took A Massive Nosedive In Quality

Iconic brand Hostess has a wide range of snack cakes and treats we all grew up eating. Unfortunately, the powdered Donettes are one item that disappointed customers on Reddit claim have suffered a massive nosedive in quality lately. In fact, one user stated emphatically, "They taste horrible now." Another was more specific, recalling, "The past several bags I've gotten the texture and taste has been off [...] The powdered sugar isn't fully powdered. Chewing it feels gritty between my teeth. [...] The powdered sugar taste seems duller, it's not as sweet."

Half the fun of powdered donuts is the delectable cloud of sugar that rises off them when you take each bite. But, according to one Redditor, "With the new iteration, the 'powder' is practically glued to the donut." The powdered sugar seems to be the biggest offender, but Hostess lovers also had qualms with the donut itself, likening it to drier, hardened dough. At best, fans felt they tasted stale but most agreed that "the powdered [Donettes] are not the fresh and soft donuts I remember." Redditors attribute the horrible new Donettes to a change in ownership. 

"Hostess went out of business and its product lines were sold," one such user asserted." The new maker probably changed the recipe to make more money." Indeed, as of 2023, the J.M. Smucker Co. acquired the Hostess Brands lines, which notably include Donettes, Zingers, Ding Dongs, and Twinkies, to name just a few. While we applaud their attempt to reduce Hostess' carbon footprint by changing the Donette packaging, they have messed up royally by changing the recipe.

The powdered Donettes aren't the only Hostess product that have reportedly gone downhill in recent years, as another Reddit thread bemoaned the decline of their siblings, the chocolate Donettes. Whereas the powdered coating was dull and gritty, Redditors described the chocolate coating as a waxy film that stuck to the tongue and teeth, remaining a textural and chemical-flavored nuisance even after they brushed their teeth. Additionally, customers complained of an artificial tang, causing many to believe they were unsafe for consumption. Even the honey-glazed Donettes were deemed waxy. So, you might want to think twice the next time you reach for a package at your local grocery or convenience store. 

Luckily, there are plenty of other powdered donuts worth buying. In a taste-test of popular store-bought donut brands, we raved about the mini powdered donuts from Tastykake. Unlike Hostess, these tiny cakes have a rich, chocolatey interior while the powdered sugar remains as powdery fresh as you'd expect. Customers on Reddit were pretty partial to Entenmann's powdered donuts too. However, we were more partial to Entenmann's other snack cakes, especially the mini crumb cakes. Otherwise, you can always check out the fresh donuts from your local grocery store bakery. If you're lucky enough to live in the Midwest, we crowned Meijer's white iced cinnamon donuts as the most delicious grocery store bakery donuts.