Early in the 1970s, Munchkins Donut Hole Treats first appeared on Dunkin' menus. As a child, I can still recall using money from my paper route to purchase Munchkins Donut Hole Treats for myself. They were developed as a means to use up the extra dough that had been removed from the donuts' centers and rapidly turned into a hit with customers. The term "munchkin" was coined by author L. The tiny people who call Munchkin Country home were created by Frank Baum and first appeared in his 1900 book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. One tradition claims that Gregory just didn't have anywhere to put his doughnut while driving the ship in the middle of a storm, so he stuck it on the spoke of the ship's helm. Gregory went to sea eating "whole doughnuts" and returned with "holed donuts." A hole appeared when he pulled it off!