Duck Donuts is an East Coast chain that specializes in made-to-order donuts. Essentially, they make plain donuts from scratch and then you jazz them up with any combination of coatings, toppings and drizzles that you like.
After doing the math, I calculated that there are 308 possible types of donuts you can create (assuming you select a coating, topping, and a drizzle). I spoke to the manager of the local Duck Donuts to ask about her personal favorites. Three of the donuts I ordered are her recommendations, two of them I created myself, and one is a seasonal flavor.
1. Blueberry with Powdered Sugar
The manager recommended that I try a donut with blueberry icing and powdered sugar, and I can’t say I’m disappointed. The blueberry icing is a nice change from your classic chocolate or vanilla, and the powdered sugar offers a dusting of sweetness, plus it looks like it snowed on your donut.
2. Lemon with Raspberry Drizzle
Another one of the manager’s recommendations was a donut with lemon icing and raspberry drizzle. This combo is great for those who like fruity flavors. The tangy lemon and sweet raspberry balance each other and create a donut that’s in perfect harmony. This mashup is also a throwback to the glory days of summer when lemonade was all the rage and berries were in season.
3. Chocolate, Peanuts, and Salted Caramel
The last donut that the manager suggested was a combination of chocolate icing, chopped peanuts, and salted caramel drizzle. She said that it tasted like a candy bar, and she was right. The saltiness of the peanuts and the caramel contrast the sweet chocolate. This donut offers a trifecta of flavors that is perfect for anyone who loves sweet and salty.
4. Maple Bacon
I’ll admit that as a vegetarian I wasn’t able to try this donut, but I heard people rave about it so much that I knew it had to be included in this list. The maple icing combined with the bacon pieces offers a dynamic duo of sweet and savory. I would also imagine that the bacon offers a different texture to break up the breadiness of the donut.
5. Vanilla, Oreos, and Hot Fudge
The inspiration for this donut was cookies ‘n cream, and the results were on point. You can never go wrong with crumbling a cookie on top of a donut. This is the perfect donut for you if you have a sweet tooth for this combination of vanilla icing, Oreos, and hot fudge drizzle. It’s also great for those who can never decide between chocolate and vanilla.
6. Pumpkin Pie
Last, but certainly not least, is the pumpkin pie donut. It has pumpkin icing, cinnamon sugar, and vanilla drizzle. It’s seasonal, so you have to try it soon and savor every bit of pumpkin you can get before winter arrives. If you’re like me and love all the foods that fall has to offer, I 10/10 would recommend that you try this donut.