I Tried Krispy Kreme's Masters Of The Universe Collection, And One Doughnut Has The Power

Given the wide success of the "Barbie" movie in 2023, we probably should have expected another summer blockbuster movie from Mattel, the toy maker that brought both Barbie and He-Man into homes and the American zeitgeist (Is a live-action Polly Pocket movie next?). Never one to pass up a hot collaboration, Krispy Kreme is cross-promoting the new "Masters of the Universe" film, which follows the 1980s hero He-Man and his arch nemesis, Skeletor, in the battle for Eternia. The limited-time promotion features three uniquely flavored and decorated doughnuts that bring characters from the nostalgic action-figure chronicles to your next coffee break.

Whether you're old enough to have watched the "He-Man and the Masters of the Universe" cartoon after school in the '80s or you primarily recognize Skeletor from an overly dramatic meme, there's a good chance you're familiar with the characters showcased in the new Krispy Kreme doughnuts. And if not, that's fine — you'll learn all about them when you see the movie, and the doughnuts can still be enjoyed without knowing their origin stories.

The limited-time Masters of the Universe Doughnut Collection includes the He-Man Caramel Crunch Doughnut, the Cringer Claw Cookie Dough Doughnut, and the Skeletor Double Chocolate Doughnut. Here's what to expect and my honest opinion of the new treats.

As someone who grew up in the South knowing only Krispy Kreme doughnuts, it's fair to say that I'm partial to the brand. Despite having pursued a career making and tasting as many pastries as I can, very few compare to a classic, melt-in-your-mouth Krispy Kreme Original Glazed, fresh out of the oven. So when the new Masters of the Universe Doughnut Collection was released, I optimistically headed to my closest Krispy Kreme location to see how it stacked up against the regular lineup.

When tasting each doughnut, I considered the sweetness and richness, the success of the flavor combinations, and whether the limited-edition flavors actually tasted like what they were marketed as. I also assessed how well each doughnut aligned with the "He-Man and the Masters of the Universe" theme. While I didn't factor price and nutrition into my overall opinion of the limited-time doughnuts, that information is noted below for anyone who wants it.

Beginning with the least complicated of the limited-time doughnuts, the Cringer Claw Cookie Dough Doughnut takes the Krispy Kreme Original Glazed doughnut that we all know and love and tops it with a layer of bright green cookie dough-flavored icing and a few orange stripes. The colors and pattern are meant to mimic those of He-Man's tiger companion, Cringer. There is no actual cookie dough on or inside these doughnuts, just a hint of toasted, buttery flavor in the colorful frosting.

Somehow, the additional cookie dough flavoring — as mild as it is — makes the sweet frosting taste a little more balanced. There's no strange or off-putting synthetic flavor or aftertaste, either. The more restrained flavor isn't all that surprising, given that Cringer is a bit of a layabout in his everyday form, eschewing his Battle Cat form whenever possible. 

Pillowy soft, just like the classic Krispy Kreme doughnut, this is an easy option for anyone who wants to enjoy a themed treat without committing to a more complex Masters of the Universe doughnut flavors. It's also the only one of the three doughnuts that doesn't include an edible character piece on top, so you'll just have to imagine what the green tiger looks like if you haven't seen him before.

It's 1988. You're home from school in time to catch a rerun of your favorite "He-Man and the Masters of the Universe" episode. You grab your Skeletor action figure and head to the fridge in search of a snack. There, you find a tray of newly popular dirt pudding cups your mom brought home from the PTA bake sale — you grab two because no one is home to tell you otherwise. Life is good.

The Skeletor Double Chocolate Doughnut is practically an edible time machine to this very moment. The unglazed doughnut is filled with a custardy chocolate pudding and topped with just enough chocolate icing to hold the piles of Skeletor-colored cookie crumbs in place. It's about as close to a cookie-covered dirt pudding cup as it gets without actually being one. The doughnut is garnished with an edible fondant Skeletor piece, which really ties the whole theme together.

Whether you're drawn to Skeletor's villainous ambition to capture Castle Grayskull and conquer all of Eternia or you just love the nostalgia of a dirt pudding cup, the Skeletor Double Chocolate Doughnut is an absolute win either way. Surprisingly restrained in its sweetness, there's enough pudding filling to satisfy but not overwhelm — or come gushing out of the doughnut while you eat it. It's just powerful enough to make you want to help Skeletor become the true Master of the Universe.

Like the Cringer Claw Doughnut, the He-Man Caramel Crunch Doughnut starts with a Krispy Kreme Original Glazed doughnut base. From there, it's topped with a light caramel icing (that's been dyed red for drama), a spiral of cheesecake frosting, graham-flavored crumble, and a small edible He-Man sugar plaque. Because who doesn't want a tiny, blonde-haired, fiercely clad man wielding a power sword on their doughnut?

The cheesecake-flavored frosting swirl on top of the doughnut pretty much just tastes like cream cheese frosting and makes this the sweetest-tasting option of the three new doughnuts by far. But anyone who's already a fan of Krispy Kreme's New York Cheesecake-Filled or Kreme Filled doughnuts shouldn't be fazed by the sugar level. In contrast, the graham-flavored crumble on top is surprisingly salty, providing the perfect counter to the sweet cheesecake frosting and caramel-flavored icing underneath. 

The cheesecake frosting swirl is supposed to channel "the energy of the Power Sword," while the graham crumble brings "a Castle Grayskull style crunch" — but honestly, don't overthink it. Just enjoy your He-Man doughnut and let the sugar rush and nostalgia take over.

As a grown adult, it's a little hard to take yourself too seriously when diving into a box of doughnuts that have little He-Man and Skeletor sugar figures on them, but that's part of the charm of this collection. While I don't know if I'll catch the new "Masters of the Universe" movie in theaters, the nostalgic part of me — the part that remembers thinking She-Ra was the absolute coolest and Skeletor was just a misunderstood villain — really enjoyed biting into each of these doughnuts.

The can't-miss entry in the Masters of the Universe Doughnut Collection is undoubtedly the Skeletor Double Chocolate Doughnut. Not only is it adorably decorated, but it's clear that someone in the Krispy Kreme test kitchen was paying attention to our favorite childhood treats from the '80s and '90s when coming up with it. 

Dirt pudding is such a core memory of mine (and practically every other kid I knew) from that time period, and Krispy Kreme has perfectly transformed it into a doughnut with a thick layer of classic '80s animation and action figure nostalgia. Unlike Skeletor, you couldn't hate it even if you wanted to.

Krispy Kreme has a new limited-time doughnut featured every few weeks it seems; sometimes for a few days, sometimes for longer. Launched on May 26, the Masters of the Universe doughnuts are scheduled to be available in stores until June 14, 2026. The collaboration is meant to promote the new Masters of the Universe movie, which opens in theaters on June 5, so you'll have a little bit of time to swing by for a box over the next few weeks.

On their own, each of the specialty doughnuts costs $2.95 apiece. A dozen featured doughnuts comes in a brightly colored box designed specifically for the movie, and includes three of each of the Masters of the Universe doughnuts and three Original Glazed doughnuts, costing $26.99. Three-count boxes are available for $8.49, and you're free to mix and match the limited-time doughnuts with any of your other favorites from the regular menu. Prices may vary depending on the store location and whether you're ordering online or in-person.

The He-Man Caramel Crunch doughnut has 320 calories, 14 grams of fat, 44 grams of carbohydrates, and 3 grams of protein. The Skeletor Double Chocolate doughnut has 370 calories, 18 grams of fat, 48 grams of carbohydrates, and 5 grams of protein. The Cringer Claw Cookie Dough doughnut has 270 calories, 13 grams of fat, 37 grams of carbohydrates, and 3 grams of protein.