The Great Doughnut Hunt
Written by joythebaker on October 13, 2008 – 11:11 pm -
There are endless things for a young, single girl to do in a big city like Los Angeles. There’s shopping on Melrose. There are afternoons at the beach in mid October. There are concerts, countless happy hours to attend, and an array of ridiculously pretentious clubs to try to get into.
Yea…. those are all things that most normal twenty something girls might find the time to do. I’d like to consider myself a special breed. When I had a free morning a few days back I decided to go doughnut hunting. Yes, I made up a new sport. It involved just a few things: doughnut shops, milk or coffee, and an empty and willing stomach.
Wanna play? The beauty of this game is that you can do it in any city on any given morning.
This year’s doughnut hunt was inspired by the crazyinsane (new word) doughnuts I made a few months back. They were painfully good and inspired me to… well… bring doughnuts back into my life any way I could.
I picked five Los Angeles doughnut eateries (I only made it to three before my pants button busted) and put my doughnut tasting skills to the test. Here’s what happened (before my pants burst).
Say hello to the Doughnut Hut in Burbank. They’ve got a clever retro sign and colorful, tiny little shop. The outdoor seating is charming and incidentally, bee infested. Seeing as this was my first stop, I opted for not one, but two fine doughnuts: one standard sprinkle and another orange colored find.
It turns out orange colored, passion fruit- esque doughnuts are not exactly the way to go. The troubled look on my face was only intensified when I realized that this particular doughnut tasted like an old churro, if a churro were a shoe. Not ok. The sprinkle doughnut, however, was perfectly cakey, and divine with milky coffee.
I stopped at the Donut Prince simply because there was the cutest old couple sitting in the window. Old people know doughnuts. They’ve been around long enough to know. They’ve eaten more doughnuts that I have. It’s simple mathematics.
It turns out that old people do have doughnut wisdom. I, on the other hand, should not have ordered two more doughnuts. Despite the shoe like taste of the passion fruit doughnut at the previous shop, I did manage to devour it.
Not sure if I can make it through these two doughnuts. Like a true champion- I do. Doughnut count: 4.
No doughnut adventure would be complete without a trip to Krispy Kreme. But, Krispy Kreme Drive- Thru!? Oh the sheer gluttony. Even after 4 doughnuts, two cups of coffee and a mini carton of milk, I managed to get out of my car to eat more doughnuts. Success!
Walking into Krispy Kreme is like walking into doughnut Disneyland. It’s just magic. Somehow, no matter how many doughnuts I try, Krispy Kreme is always my favorite. They’re perfectly over sweet and literally melt in your mouth. I think I went through at least two in the blink of an eye. Ahhh…. sweet sweet doughnut adventure.
I literally have to hold my heart after a bite of Krisy Kreme doughnuts. Is there such a thing as soul mate doughnuts? Doughnut count: 7 ok…. probably more like 9.
I should make it known that shortly after this picture was taken, I fell into a deeply satisfying doughnut coma. Thank you Carsen for being my able photographer and eager doughnut tasting partner.
My doughnut adventure inspired a new doughnut flavor. It’s today’s most popular cupcake flavor transformed into doughnut form. I’ll share soon.
So…! When’s your doughnut hunt?
Tags: doughnuts, Joy the Baker, los angeles
Posted in Bread, Breakfast, Thoughts | 65 Comments »
I actually had a glazed pumpkin spice donut from Krispy Kreme last week. . . it was a very satisfying cakey donut. . . I do miss toasted coconut donuts from Dunkin’ Donuts back on the east Coast.
Fratelli’s in Beverly Hills makes a nifty donut as well http://www.blogsoop.com/la_rid_20295.html
Ha it was a really entertaining post. I enjoyed reading it
especially caue where I live we don t have donut shops. There s only one type of donut and you cant find it that easily. By the way I don t even like it. Wish to try the crispy creme though 
next time I visit US i m gonna try it. That may be long though 
Can you imagine a place without donuts? I live there. (snooky doodle, I’m with you on this!)
(P.S.: I realize that two comments in a time period of less than ten minutes might be a bit strange, even though they’re on different entries. But – it’s my lunch break and I’m catching up with all my high school friends, err, feeds.)
Ah yes, Krispy Kreme. It most definitely is a fastasy world of donuts. But we are getting a Dunkin Donuts soon and then maybe I can go on a hunt. The Kreme is all we have right now. So sad…
Hilarious. My local KK closed shortly after we moved here. And the displays in gas stations do not do KK justice. I will plan out a doughnut hunt however. Ill get back to you.
Now THIS is a game I could get into
.
I love me some Krispy Kreme doughnuts! There is one very near to work (my waist and hips are thankful that it’s not TOO close). I can’t eat any other kind, spoiled after tasting the Kreme’s warm melt in your mouth doughnuts!
Can’t wait to see your “new” doughnut flavor!
~ingrid
Mmmm, GREAT idea! My 2 favorite donut places in the US so far are Foster’s Donuts in Redlands, CA and Gibson’s Donuts in Memphis, TN. Part of why they are my favorite is that they both have the best apple fritters (one of my all-time favorites) I have ever tried. At Gibson’s you can order a giant donut for a birthday cake. I wish I still lived close to that place!
I adore Krispy Creme. I really think I could go through an entire box in one sitting. Beverly Hills has a “designer donut” shop called Fratellis which is pretty awesome…even if it is in Beverly Hills.
I prefer my doughnuts with a nice chocolate glaze and a dash of sprinkles. the cake ones are just so good
Although I’ve been known to secretly adore the jelly filled ones and custard filled ones too. I used to eat the jelly ones every Sunday morning with my mom… If I ever come down to LA, I say we take on the town and do a big pants-busting pastry tasting tour. What do you say?!
A woman who spends her time exploring doughnut shops?!? Seeing as we’ve never met, would it be inappropriate to just propose now?
You are a real champion. I eat about half a doughnut and have to call it a day.
This might just be a regional chain (I live near Cincinnati), but my favorite doughnuts are from Busken Bakery. They have a cinnamon swirly one topped with maple icing and peanuts. HEAVEN!
I, too, love a good Krispy Kreme. My husband doesn’t, so I rarely get them, but when I do, it is pure bliss!
Hey Joy
I’ve been reading your blog for awhile now and love it! At the moment I am reading it a 5.20am in the morning (all the way over in New Zealand!) after sitting up all night writing an essay eeek. Anyway..I definitely just went and ate two donuts out of a box of Dunkin Donuts one of my flatmates has in the pantry. Kind of gross at 5 in the morning after no sleep..but also totally worth it.
Loves xx
be still my heart…i love doughnuts. chocolate glazed kk’s are my favorite but unfortunately all the kk’s here keep closing and i have to settle for buying them at the grocery store.
Oh man! This post made me hungry! I love a good donut! My favorite is cherry cake donuts.
I also do not care for cruellers. As far as I’m concerned, they shouldn’t be counted as donuts.
There is nothing closer to perfection than a freshly made and still warm Krispy Kreme glazed doughnut. Unfortunately I have only had one in my life… :::sigh:::
Sadly…I now think that all the local convenience stores that sold Krispy Kremes have discontinued them.
This is the most brilliant idea!
Also, if you haven’t already, you NEED to try Stan’s Donuts in Westwood (a old classic donut joint), and The Donut Man in Glendora (where they have donuts filled with fresh strawberries, pumpkin, etc.).
You have to try Randy’s by the airport. The chocolate cake and the crumb cake are the BEST!
I had the best donuts ever this weekend while visiting family in Oak Park, IL an adorable suburb right outside of Chicago. Every Saturday there is a farrer’s market in Oak Park and if you ever get the chance definitely eat the donuts they make as a church fundraiser each weekend. The powdered sugar are the best, but the cinnamon sugar are a close second!
I second the recommendation of Donut Man in Glendora. I loved their seasonal strawberry-filled donuts. Peach was good, but not as good. I don’t remember pumpkin-filled but I’d be all over that too!
When in New York, it’s all about the Doughnut Plant – http://www.doughnutplant.com/.
Or Japan or Korea for that matter.
Finally a sport I know I’m good at- Donut Hunting! Sounds like a game I’ll be playing this Saturday….Thanks for the idea!
what a great post, this may be my absolute favorite post of yours ever!
i love krispy kreme’s too, i’d probably spend my whole doughnut hunt there.
‘Old people know donuts.’
Best t-shirt idea ever.
Great…it’s 11 pm DC time and I want a doughnut. And the damn Krispy Kreme is closed
My office held a “donut dance off” competition just a couple weeks ago! Several of us had very strong feelings about our neighborhood donut shops and we each brought in one from the categories: chocolate long john (not everyone knows what those are – do you?), glazed, cake (preferrably blueberry cake) and any specialty donut the shop may be known for. The whole office tasted some of each and judged. It was great! (Results: My shop – Old Town Donuts in Florissant, MO won 2nd in the glazed competition and first in most adorable packaging – a new category. They have the cutest donut man on their box!)
We don’t have any cool old school style donut joints like that in Seattle. : (
Well, theres one- but They’re a little heavier on the “ghetto” side of old school.
I could play this game, but I don’t think I’d make it out of Top Pot (the one good donut joint in town) with out either having a heart attack or going into a diabetic coma. Both would be totally worth it.
Mmmm. Donuts….
What a great post, I really enjoyed reading your doughnut adventures! And that’s also my idea of a gal’s fun day in the city, rather than many other options
Wow! And I thought I was a doughnut fiend! You are fierce! Go Joy! You’ve inspired me to a new level of doughnut madness.
What a terrible job…ha! Fun post! I still need to make your doughnuts. I bet they are the best!
Joy! You should host a Doughnut shop crawl… or bakery crawl! we’ll need to get wheelchairs…. HA!
Hypothetically, let’s say there’s this Asian girl in LA named Julie who wanted to hang out with….. you.. How does one go about doing that?!
For the sheer gluttony of it, nothing beats Dunkin Donuts Boston Creme… but for a companion to a nice cup of tea or DD coffee…nothing melts in your mouth like their french crueller, which is donut shaped, sweet as hell, and melts in your mouth!! Oh the airiness of it!! They also have a great raspberry jelly…and now I’m hungry!
I also think Krispy kreme is the best doughnut place of all. But a very close 2nd best is Stan’s Doughnuts in Thousand Oaks.
658 N Moorpark Rd
Thousand Oaks, CA 91360
(805) 381-1818
http://www.stansdoughnuts.com
Get the Peanut butter filled chocolate doughnut! You can’t go wrong with that one! Also the Lemon curd filled doughnut. Yum
Wow, I am going to have to dedicate a Saturday afternoon doing this! Thanks for sharing!
BTW- I actually tried out your donut recipe you posted a few weeks ago: http://twoalmostmavens.blogspot.com/2008/10/donuts.html
It was quite the project, but it was worth it!
All the donut shops use the same mix when making donuts. They all get it from similar distributors. The difference in donut quality, if you wanna call it that given the above fact, is the quality of the oil and how often they change it. if good quality, fresh oil is used, then you get superior taste.
The only decent donut in all of los angeles is at Donut Man in Glendora. Want proof? Go there at 10, 11, or 12 pm. and they are always busy.
If we got the urge for a decent donut, then we shlep on down from Van Nuys to Glendora…otherwise, we are just settling.
(in best Homer Simpson voice): Mmmmmm, dooooonuuuuts….
Do you know that you look like a different person in almost every picture I’ve seen on your blog? I don’t know you in real life, and every time you post new pictures you look like another person. It’s not a bad, thing–I actually think it’s very cool, very chameleon of you.
Oh my gosh! I told the husband the other day that I would kill for a doughnut and I wanted it from the local doughnut shop/bakery that I used to go to when I was a kid.
i can’t say that i’ve ever eaten at multiple donut shops in one day, but i love trying out of town donuts at cute places when i travel. and even if there’s not a quirky little local shop, thank goodness for krispy kreme..they make mean crullers and devils food!
You have my respect. Seven doughnuts? Sheesh.
Now I have to see if I can top it. I’ll let my Thanksgiving dinner settle first, though, OK?
yum, I would do the same.
zak- Glazed pumpkin doughnut sounds totally amazing!!! I miss Dunkin Donut coffee for sure!
snooky doodle- You’re missing out on doughnuts? That just means your missing out on doughnut calories!
johanna- I’ll take as many comments as you’re giving! I love to hear from you guys!
evan- Ha! Yes, you do need more than one doughnut shop to have a hunt! I hope that DD opens soon! My boyfriend just brought over a box of 6 Krispy Kreme doughnuts. Soooo sweet, right? I ate one. He ate one, then I sent him home with the rest. I can’t be left alone with 4 Krispy Kreme doughnuts this late at night.
laurie- Let me know how your hunt goes!!
fuji mama- Don’t even get me started on apple fritters! I absolutely love them. Apple pie meets luscious doughnut! It’s absolutely perfect!
esi- Fratelli’s!? I don’t live too far from Beverly Hills. I’ll have to check it out! Thanks!
amanda- Come on down!! Seriously. My door is always open. We would have quite the pants busting time!
brandon- Too soon.
kelly- Busken Bakery? Never heard of it, but that treat sounds like a dream!!
stef- Way to pull an all nighter! I remember those days very well! Hope the essay turned out well!
larissa- Great suggestions! I’ll definitely give those a try!
beansy’s mom- I love Randy’s! My Dad would take me there all the time! It was so cool driving up to that giant doughnut as a kid. Heaven!
I have to catch a few hours of shut eye. I’ll respond to more comments and bring you more yummy treats in the morning!
I’m not sure we have any doughnut shops around here (Vancouver, BC)…but I frequent the Fractured Prune when I’m in PA
how are you not like 400 pounds?? seriously, i LOVE your blog but you talk about eating this stuff and you’re TINY. how? how do you do it?
this question really begs an answer…..
That sounds like a fun game.
I love krispy kreme too! They are so addicting!
you are so lucky to have LA as your research playground. I have the northeast and the horrible Dunkin Donuts.
And Seattle has Voodoo Donuts which is amazing!
I read through all the comments to see if anyone asked this already: who goes with you on your doughnut run(s)? And if you go alone, who’s taking the photos?
I swear this is purely of necessity I ask: All the while I’m reading your post, I’m thinking, Hmmn… I should do this around Chicago (thanks for the Oak Park mention, Jess!). But then I immediately think: how? who takes the photos? do I go alone?
My old hometown (Tucson, AZ) has a decided lack of good donut places (at least it did up until about 8 yrs ago when I left for the Navy). So you can imagine the shrieking that ensued when my mother and I happened upon a Krispy Kreme in Ft. Walton Beach, FL, at 2am. We were in town for her sister’s wedding (2nd husband), and after a night of living it up with the extended family, that glorious hot lamp was just the thing to cure what ailed us (translation: mild hangover).
To this day, I’ll do virtually anything for a lemon-filled Krispy Kreme…
WOw…I don’t know why I was so captivated by your donut hunt, I guess the shear gluttony. I mean you fierce.. My donut hunt in NYC would be Peter Pan DOnut’s and Donut Plant. For some reason seeing your donut hunt just screamed rebel (in a good way.) Maybe because most people wouldn’t dare it that many donuts. But I can appreciate the donut love.