CHICAGO — McDonald’s Corp. is adding Donut Sticks to the breakfast menu for a limited time beginning Feb. 20. The product features strips of sweetened dough that are fried and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. McDonald’s described the texture as light and airy with a crispy, crunchy exterior.

“Donut Sticks are the perfect complement to our existing breakfast lineup and pair deliciously with our fresh brewed premium roast McCafe coffee,” said Linda VanGosen, McDonald’s vice-president of menu innovation. “We initially tested them in select Illinois restaurants in early 2018, and then again in October 2018, as it was critical that we perfected them before we brought them to our customers nationwide. 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.”

McDonald’s also has tested premium bakery items, including Muffin Toppers and coffee cakes to pair with coffee in select restaurants. The fast-food chain recently began refocusing on breakfast to improve its existing lineup and introduce new offerings as competition during the daypart heats up. This past October, the company introduced its first new breakfast menu innovation since 2013. Triple Breakfast Stacks feature two slices of American cheese between two sausage patties, topped with bacon and an egg and served on an English muffin, biscuit or McGriddles cakes. The inspiration for the product came from a “Secret Menu” of customized orders submitted online, according to the company.

McDonald’s also has made improvements to its existing items, including a switch from margarine to butter on breakfast sandwiches, including the Egg McMuffin, removing artificial preservatives from the breakfast pork sausage patty and committing to cage-free eggs in the United States and Canada by 2025.

Competitor Dunkin’ last year launched a similar product, Donut Fries, which featured individual pieces of buttery, croissant-style donut dough tossed in cinnamon sugar and served warm.