Hybrid pastries, frankenpastries, food portmanteaus – whatever you wanna call them, they’re taking the world by storm. Everyone wants to get their hands on the original duffin, brookie and townie, but there are plenty of imposters out there.
Lemme give you the low down – here are the bakeries that began these famed pastries and will forever be the kings of the hybrid world.
Alidoro (New York City, NY)
Photo courtesy of nydailynews.com
Alidoro opened in late 2014 and their creation, the donnoli, spiked their business and created a new member of the frankenpastries. You get the fluffiness of a donut on the outside with the sweet ricotta filling of a cannoli on the outside.
Although the original location is in SoHo, only the Midtown location serves breakfast and the donnoli… So don’t screw that one up.
The Bagel Store (Brooklyn, NY)
Photo courtesy of The Bagel Store
This is one hybrid that has a ton of imposters, so watch out. Its not the crogel or the baissant–the cragle from The Bagel Store in Williamsburg, Brooklyn is the real deal. This is the most practical hybrid, cause, honestly, who doesn’t debate between a croissant and a bagel? NO ONE.
Bagel dough and croissant dough–mix it all together and you know that it’s the best of both worlds (yes, I still rock out to Hannah Montana… so what?)
Photo courtesy of The Bagel Store
Not totally sure if this one is officially offish yet, but The Bagel Store has got this thing they call the pookie–pie+cookie–sandwich. Pie crust and cookies just sound like a match made in heaven, but then you add that “cannoli cheese” to the middle… oh baaaaby.
Williamsburg’s Bagel Store is where it’s at for hybrid pastries.
BAKED (Brooklyn, NY)
Photo courtesy of BAKED
Just look at that brownie cradling that cookie. Matt Lewis of Brooklyn’s BAKED bakery, you created the yummiest mash-up that we have seen yet. The brookie might be a sugar overload, but it’s ridiculously worth it.
Bea’s of Bloomsbury (London, United Kingdom)
Photo courtesy of Bea’s of Bloomsbury
Hybrid pastries are even the craze across the pond, thanks to Washington D.C. native Bea Vo. This donut-muffin (duh) mash up is a cakey muffin with a jelly filling. If you think at you are being healthy with this pastry, you are just fooling yourself. Sorry not sorry, cause the calories are worth it.
Whatever you do, don’t fall for the Starbucks rip off. #duffingate
Photo courtesy of Bea’s of Bloomsbury
After her success with the duffin, Bea continued making hybrid creations. Combine the American brownie with the European tart and you get the most delectable townie evaaa.
Hold up. Wait a minute. Put a little chocolate in it. A fudgy chocolate center with a sugar crust on top… A trip to London is def necessary.
The Bruffin Cafe (New York City, NY)
Photo courtesy of missbuttercup.com
The bruffin is the first savory pastry to enter the hybrid game (but don’t get me wrong they do have sweet flavors, too). This brioche-muffin mash-up has lots of character as each bruffin is stuffed with ingredients representing countries around the world.
The Italian bruffin is stuffed with… wait for it… pesto, parmesan and pepperoni. Say whaaaat? There are 12 savory and 4 sweet bruffins to choose from, so get to Gansevoort Market and take your pick.
Clafouti Patisserie & Café (Toronto, Canada)
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Oh Canada, oh Canada, you are home to one of the most genius frankenpastries ever. The crookie is a croissant stuffed with Oreo cookies. But not just any Oreo cookies… Double Stuf Oreos mixed with icing sugar. Need I say more?
If you somehow make it to Toronto (or are lucky enough to live in the vicinity), you’ll want to order at least a dozen. Take my word for it.
Crumbs Bake Shop (New York City, NY)
Photo courtesy of foodandwine.com
When Crumbs Bake Shop reopened last fall, they also debuted their own hybrid pastry–the crozel. This one seems a little unnecessary, but when they add Nutella to it… everything changes. Nutella makes everything better, we all know that.
Hey Crumbs, I hope you don’t close again cause everyone needs to get their hands on a Nutella crozel.
Dana’s Bakery Mac Bar (New York City, NY)
Photo courtesy of Dana’s Bakery
Dana Loia was bored of the traditional macaron, so she decided to pair her two favorite sweets. Imagine the love child of a French macaron and a Mallowmar and you have a Mallomac. Dana’s Bakery Mac Bar in New York City is where to get your hands on one of these babies (or just have them delivered to your doorstep).
Oh, and the mallomac is gluten free. V important.
Dominique Ansel (New York City, NY)
Photo courtesy of nymag.com
If you haven’t heard of the Cronut, you’ve been living under a rock. Dominique Ansel is home to the famous Cronut and this croissant-donut hybrid has taken the pastry and insta world by storm.
If you need any more of a reason to pick up your monthly (okay, weekly) Cronut, each month is a new flavor and July is Rum Caramelized Banana and Brown Sugar Ganache.
Photo courtesy of Dominique Ansel
Don’t forget about the infamous cookie shot–a cookie shot glass filled to the brim with milk. Life’s favorite combo in a few small bites. Whether you use the sip and bite technique or the drink then eat technique, there’s no wrong way to enjoy this treat. If ya wanna try and DIY this one, Spoon will teach ya how here.
Aaaaaand, then Dominique Ansel does it one more time. His newest creation is the waffogato: a hybrid of a waffle and an affogato. The best part is that that waffle… wait for it… is made out of ice cream. Yeah… ice cream.
Vanilla ice cream with tapioca balls and bits of Belgian waffle is shaped as a waffle and a maple syrup espresso is poured on top like a traditional affogato. Oh, hell yes.
This better be your first stop after you get off work.
Endgrain Restaurant (Chicago, IL)
Photo courtesy of thrillist.com
In the midst of the Cronut craze, Caleb Simpson, chef and owner of Endgrain with his brother Caleb, was creating something unheard of. Simpson became the mastermind behind the doughscuit – half doughnut, half biscuit.
Just think about how good a biscuit would be if it was fried like a doughnut. The kitchen is a magical place, my friends.
Frog Hollow Farm Cafe (San Francisco, CA)
Photo courtesy of Frog Hollow Farm
Now this is one I would have never thought of. With the shape of a muffin and the dough of a scone, the scruffin will keep you energized while making you feel pretty good about yourself (cause it’s made with whole grain flour, flaxseed and minimal butter).
Can’t forget about the ooey, gooey fruit center which very well may have made it as successful as it is. You will have the best bet finding one of these at one of the Bay Area’s many farmers’ markets.
Mr. Holmes Bakehouse (San Francisco, CA)
Photo courtesy of popsugar.com
Welcome Holmes, sweet Holmes. From strawberry milkshake to fluffernutter, this bakery is cranking out this croissant-muffin hybrid in all sorts of flavors, cause people are going bananas for them. So bananas that they have limited sales to two items per customer. You knoooow you wanna get baked in San Fran.
Cruffins come out at 9 am at Mr. Holmes Bakehouse and they close when they sell out. That’s how you know they’re fresh.
Tartine (San Francisco, CA)
Photo courtesy of businessinsider.com
The OG franken-pastry is the morning bun from Ovens of Brittany in Madison, Wisconsin. They created the perfect hybrid of a cinnamon bun, a croissant, and a kouign-amman (a round, crusty cake with flaky layers, like a puff pastry).
Yo, Ovens of Brittany, we’re sad that you’re closed, but thanks for inventing the game. Tartine in San Fran is keeping the name alive and doing it just as good as you did. Head there to get your fix.