Where It All Started

Times have changed from the days of the original raised glazed donuts you pick up from the small local bakery after church on Sundays. Now, artisanal donut shops are popping up left and right with crazy flavor combinations and nontraditional takes on classic desserts. The donut craze hit hard a few years ago and before we knew it, festivals were themed around donuts. Weddings had donut walls, fitness buffs were all about “Doughnuts and Deadlifts” and donuts turned from “Plain Cake” to “Lemon Meringue Bismarck filled with Lemon Cream, glazed with Lemon Honey, and topped with Toasted Meringue and Graham Cracker Crumbs.” And for me, that’s why I have acquired such a passion for them.

You can find me searching for and trying new donuts in my free time, on my lunch break, on vacation, and whenever I see the word “Donuts” or “Bakery” on an awning off the side of the road. It started at a young age when my family would pick up donuts after church from the bakery at the local grocery store bakery in Rosemount, MN. Sundays were a routine: wake up, go to church, get donuts, and hang out at Grandma and Grandpa's. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a religious guy, but knowing donuts were on the horizon made going to church that much more enjoyable.

Once that last song was sung, we headed straight to Red Owl and started picking out our favorites. We packed a box full of (almost) everything the bakery had to offer: original glazed, chocolate iced, fritters, danishes and even kolaches. No muffins, cookies, or those impostor circular baked goods known as bagels. Being able to “window shop” and pick out donuts from behind the glass gave me that feeling of joy like a high school girl on a shopping spree at Hollister. Years later, Red Owl was purchased by SuperValu, and unfortunately shut down. Ace Hardware took over the space and for me, they were the jerks that ruined my favorite thing about weekends. Luckily, we were able to find donuts elsewhere and the donut craze boomed years later. Shops were popping up everywhere and I became the donut crazed, splooge loving Jabronie I am today.

The flavor options and mashups are endless and it has almost become a competition for shops to come up with the most unique concepts. The challenge though, is making a donut with flavors that actually work harmoniously together while still having a high quality dough. After the hundreds and probably thousands of donuts I’ve tried, these artisanal donuts are what excite me and captivate me into finding the most distinctive creations out there. However, I still appreciate the classics and the act of biting into a donut that melts in my mouth bringing back the nostalgia of those Red Owl donuts. It’s a feeling that can still make me smile.

The characteristics of a perfect donut are different from person to person. From the insane amount of varieties out there including yeasted, cakes, old fashioneds, fritters, crullers, and cronuts, you’re mileage may vary. I’m always in search of (my) perfect donut, whether it’s simple or nontraditional. The thrill of the chase is what I live for. Now don’t get me wrong, the play on flavors are fun and dandy, but the number one rule when it comes to donuts is holding true to high quality ingredients and preparation.

My perfect donut is pillowy soft, light, buttery and tender. It's both sweet, salty and has a textural element that compliments the dough that raised my eyebrows and puts a smile on my face upon the first bite. A filling or "splooge" is always nice, but not required. The dough itself is whats most important but bland or off putting toppings and fillings can ruin even the best dough. I'm also a sucker for presentation and unique flavor combos. I want to tilt my head like a dog and get that itch to take a bite when I look at a donut and read the description. Toppings and fillings aren't the end all be all. A great donut can be simple with no frills. It can be enjoyed without the accompaniment of coffee or milk and should never leave your mouth feeling dry.

Since yeast plays a factor is raised donuts, so many things can go wrong: over working, under working, under proofing, and over proofing are just a couple elements only an experienced baker can avoid. Un-avoided, the donuts can become dense, stodgy, and flat. But don’t forget, freshness is also a key component. After donuts sit out for too long, the texture does dry, the glaze flakes off and hello trash can; those characteristics of the perfect donut are far gone. It’s truly an art that has to be mastered. Bakers that can embrace a passion to maintain these high standards are dedicated beyond belief. No one can whip up a batter on a whim and expect it to turn out top notch; it just doesn’t happen that easily like cookies and brownies. Trial and error is the key to the perfect donut by mastering the ratio of ingredients, the activation of the yeast, the proofing of dough, and the decoration process. The dedication behind it all is incredibly amazing.

Since donuts come in so many shapes, sizes and varieties like I mentioned before, I have 2 of my All Time Favorite Donuts I'll share with you: 1 Classic and 1 Non-Traditional which you can read about here. Now, follow along with me to discover some of the best I've ever had as well as everything you need to know about donuts and the St.Paul/Minneapolis donut scene!