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Wendy's / Allrecipes
Sure, the square, fresh-never-frozen burgers may hog the spotlight, but we all know the star of the Wendy’s menu is a Frosty. After all, the Frosty has been on Wendy’s menu since Dave Thomas opened the doors of the first location in 1969. For decades, the Chocolate Frosty was the only creamy, chilled treat on said menu. But that all changed in 2006, when the Vanilla Frosty was added. Since then, the hits keep coming, with seasonal offerings like Triple Berry, Orange Dreamsicle, and Salted Caramel, to name a few.
And this year, Wendy’s introduced the biggest innovation in the Frosty’s 56-year history. For the first time ever, the chain announced it was adding mix-ins to the menu in the form of Frosty Swirls and Frosty Fusions.
The Frosty Swirls built on the success of last year’s Spongebob-inspired Pineapple Frosty and the wildly successful (and delicious) Thin Mints Frosty. Frosty Swirls launched back in mid-April with three flavors: Strawberry, Caramel, and Brownie Batter, each of which could be added to the Chocolate or Vanilla Frosty. (Psst—if you want our full review of the Frosty Swirls, you can find that here.)
While the Swirls were certainly exciting, Frosty Fusions were by far the more headline-worthy innovation. Why? Because they include collaborations with Oreo and Pop-Tarts. And now, Frosty Fusions have finally launched.
Wendy's Frosty Fusions Are Finally Here
Frosty
Wendy’s Frosty Fusions combine a Vanilla or Chocolate Frosty with both a sweet sauce and a crunchy mix-in. Each of the Fusions flavors builds on one of the Frosty Swirls offerings, with a new added mix-in. The Frosty Fusions come in three flavors:
- Pop-Tarts Strawberry Frosty Fusion: The ultimate snacker's dream come true, this Fusion features sweet strawberry sauce with chunks of strawberry-flavored Pop-Tarts Crunchy Poppers mixed into a Chocolate or Vanilla Frosty. It marks the first time Pop-Tarts are officially being offered as a mix-in for a fast food frozen dessert.
- Oreo Brownie Frosty Fusion: This Fusion features the classic Vanilla or Chocolate Frosty swirled with the chocolatey Brownie Batter sauce from the Frosty Swirls, as well as crunchy Oreo cookie pieces.
- Caramel Crunch Frosty Fusion: The final Fusion blends the classic Chocolate or Vanilla Frosty with crunchy toffee pieces and a sweet caramel sauce.
Wendy’s has officially entered the fast food milkshake wars on a whole ‘nother level—joining the likes of McDonald’s Oreo McFlurry, Chick-fil-A Cookies & Cream Milkshake, and Dairy Queen’s beloved Blizzards. But how do the Frosty Fusions stack up against the fast food frozen dessert giants?
I tried all three (technically, six) Frosty Fusions. Here's my honest review.
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My Honest Review of the New Frosty Fusions
Courtney Kassel/Allrecipes
I'll be perfectly honest, my Frostys arrived via delivery on a rainy, dreadful day. So I took the texture with a grain of salt and focused on the flavor. I have faith in Wendy's to deliver on texture when it comes to Frostys, in all their signature smooth and slurpable, yet thick enough to eat with a spoon goodness.
The first one I tried was the Oreo Brownie Frosty Fusion, and let me just say—McDonald's and Dairy Queen, you've officially been put on notice. The Frosty Fusion was chock-full of Oreo chunks that were somehow still crunchy, and the pleasantly gritty texture of the Brownie Batter-swirl added even more textural contrast and chocolatey richness. I preferred the Vanilla Frosty version over the chocolate; the vanilla allowed all that chocolate flavor to shine, whereas it got a little muted and lost in the chocolate-on-chocolate-on-even-more-chocolate version.
The next up was the Pop-Tarts Strawberry Frosty Fusion. I was both the most excited and most nervous to try this one. Would it be cloyingly sweet? It’s not not sweet, but it’s certainly not cloying. I definitely couldn’t eat a whole one by myself, but the strawberry flavor absolutely popped in the Vanilla Frosty, and the chunks of Pop-Tart were delightful. My biggest complaint with a Pop-Tart is that the edges, or crust, are pretty flavorless, so the fact that these Frostys are made with the extra-stuffed Crunchy Poppers really helps ensure each bite is packed with nostalgic, jammy strawberry filling. I also preferred the vanilla version, which was reminiscent of strawberry shortcake, but the chocolate gives total chocolate-covered strawberry vibes.
Finally, the least flashy: the Caramel Crunch Frosty Fusion. The toffee pieces were delicious and reminded me of a Heath bar, with a slightly salty aftertaste, and the caramel swirl added even more sweet, buttery caramel flavor. It’s probably the most understated of the bunch, but I can safely say caramel lovers will not be disappointed by this one. For this one, you can’t go wrong with chocolate or vanilla.
There were no misses, but I can safely say the Oreo Brownie Frosty Fusion stole my heart. The slightly malty flavor and silky-smooth texture of a Frosty set this apart from the run-of-the-mill drive-thru milkshake. It’s not as rich as a Blizzard—I would not recommend trying to flip one—but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. These Frosty Fusions mark the start of a new era.
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