In honor of National Cookie Day, Dec. 4, Dunkin' Donuts conducted its annual holiday survey asking which part of the gingerbread man cookie customers eat first.
Sixty-four percent answered the head. The legs were second, with 20 percent, while the arms garnered 16 percent of the first-bite votes.
More than 500 customers in November responded to the second annual survey.
And, while the question and results may seem frivolous on the surface, Dr. Alan Hirsch, neurological director of the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago, notes they can actually provide deeper insight.
"If one chooses to bite the head first, it indicates an achievement-oriented individual, a natural leader, who won't take no for an answer. If the initial bite is the right hand, it reflects an individual who tends to be skeptical and pessimistic, while those who initially bite the left arm have a flare for creativity and are more extroverted. Those who first choose the legs tend to be more sensitive, reveling in the company of others," he said.
To celebrate the results, Dunkin' Donuts has a holiday line-up strewn with gingerbread items, including coffees and lattes, donuts and muffins.
Also, New Englanders can feast on the chain's new gingerbread man cookie, which is topped with a white icing drizzle.
Dunkin' Donuts, behind the efforts of executive chef Stan Frankenthaler, also has released some gingerbread recipes, helpful for any holiday gathering.
French Gingerbread Toast
Ingredients:
• Whole eggs (large) – 2
• Milk or Cream – 2 Tbsp (splash)
• Water – 1/4 cup
• Salt – pinch
• Allspice – 1/4 tsp
• Dunkin' Donuts Gingerbread Muffins – 6 (use either fresh muffins or day old muffins)
Pre-slice muffins into three even slices – horizontally (like a cake layer), trim off the peak to create a flat top. Crack eggs into bowl, add water and milk – whisk gently until all ingredients are incorporated. Add salt – whisk. Add Allspice – whisk until completely incorporated. Preheat skillet on medium heat. Dip muffin slices into batter, flip. Place onto hot skillet, until golden brown. Flip and cook until golden brown. Place onto plate, slightly overlapping in the center.
Dunkin' Donuts Gingerbread Latte and Donut Trifle
Ingredients:
• 1 large hot Dunkin' Donuts Gingerbread Latte
• 1 box instant vanilla pudding
• 2 Dunkin' Donuts Gingerbread Donuts
• Gingersnap and other favorite wafer cookies
• Whipped cream
Empty contents of pudding package into mixing bowl. Measure 16 oz. of the Gingerbread Latte and add to mixing bowl, whisking for 1-2 minutes until blended according to package instructions. Choose either individual serving containers or a 11/2 quart trifle or souffle dish to layer together the dessert. Divide 2 oz. of pudding into individual serving containers or add 12 oz. of pudding to bottom of larger dish. Crumble Gingerbread Donuts, add a layer of donuts on top of pudding and gently press into custard. Top donut layer with remaining pudding and a layer of crumbled gingersnaps on top. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve. To serve, top with whipped cream and garnish with a gingersnap cookie.
