Month: May 2018

Uncategorized

Get Your Line Up for National Donut Day – June 1st, 2018

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Untitled design (1)If you haven’t subscribed to donut-diaries.com CLICK HERE to sign up for my guide to National Donut Day. If you don’t see the popup, click follow at the bottom right of the screen. The list includes a super healthy donut option that is nationwide, one-day-only donut treats you can eat with your dinner, and FREE donuts from some of your favorite shops. If you’re having trouble signing up you can email me at mariesdonutdiaries@gmail.com

Make sure you’re following Marie’s Donut Diaries on Facebook and Instagram for all of my National Donut Day info and my trip on the Butler County Donut Trail this weekend 🙂

Donut Reviews

Vanilla Cake Batter Donut – Dunkin’ Donuts – Erie, PA 12th Street Location

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Lovers of super sweet coffee drinks that don’t taste like coffee can start praising the angels that Dunkin’ Donuts’ ice cream flavored drinks are back. I got my medium Butter Pecan Iced Latte with Fat-Free Milk today and was over the moon with excitement. Plus, I had my free donut coupon that I couldn’t use last time I went because their system was down. I ordered my drink from the Order-On-The-Go DD app feature, which is nice because it gives you free drinks! So the bad news is you can’t use any free donut coupons if you order your donut on the app. I learned this the hard way. Also, if you order the donut at the drive-thru and the cashier adds the donut to your order then you get charged and they told me in the past there was “nothing they could do.” So I pulled up to the drive-thru, explained I ordered via app and that I have a free donut coupon I want to use at the window. I thought we were on the the same page…and when I pulled up like every other time, they charged me for the donut automatically. Between their system being down and the glitches in their app – Dunkin’ Donuts has SO MUCH DRAMA. If they were to fall in to a person category they would be a cougar – established, shiny and pretty attracting millennials daily but kind of a hot mess underneath and you might not want to get tooooo close. Luckily, this cashier asked her manager to help refund me and was very kind and apologetic. The manager seemed annoyed – I realize it is only $.99 but um the chances of me paying for a DD donut are slim. Anyway, that’s my gripe. Beware free donut lovers. Don’t get fooled.

Now on June 1, National Donut Day, you will get a free donut with the purchase of a beverage so go live it up and get yo-self a free treat. Like “treat yourself.” That’s a thing people say now to excuse bad behavior like buying $45 lipstick when they can’t pay their rent or eating…a donut.

So onto the donut – Vanilla Cake Batter. I’m sure it won’t surprise anyone that I love to eat dough and batter and anything else sickeningly sweet. One of my favorite delicacies as a child was scooping out some butter flavored Crisco and then coating the Crisco with brown sugar. I still like that and I’m terribly disappointed there is so much negativity around cookie dough and cake batter eating because of the raw egg. Idk what happens? Salmonella? Whatdoesthatevenmean? But to make sure me and the baby stay salmonella free, I have avoided raw dough. 😦 So the good part of this donut is the vanilla cake batter filling **************************AMAZING******************************** It’s sugar shock sweet and textural like a batter or dough might be and I hearted it v much. The bad part is it’s a smaller dollop of filling than a cheap restaurant gives you of a side of guac 😦 Maybe I am a filling fiend but still fiending nonetheless. The dough was DD standard – sweet and light and tasted fresh so all stars there. The frosting was OK tasting but more pretty than anything with the sprinkles that were also OK. I’ll definitely try the chocolate cake batter donut next.

THE BREAKDOWN: Vanilla Cake Batter Donut

Store: Dunkin’ Donuts lives here online

Address: 2545 W 12th St, Erie, PA 16505

Cost: FREE with my coupon after some drama

What they want to highlight: Supposedly not their donuts anymore. I heard they will be called just Dunkin’ and will reduce their donut selection to focus on their drinks. Honestly, as sad as that makes me because I love donuts – they definitely have the right idea. I just wish they would make their donuts BETTER and then the drinks and donuts could live in harmony.

What I thought was the highlight: The Butter Pecan Iced Latte is ALWAYS the highlight. But the filling of the donut was the best part of the confection.

Rating out of 5 stars: 3.5 – if you never find yourself saying “this is too rich” you might give this donut a 4+. It just needed more richness for me lol

Would I buy it again?: Yes! I would “buy it” for free again.

What could make it better?: More filling!

What is your favorite raw dough? Do you think Dunkin’ Donuts’ drinks are better than their donuts? Can you call it just Dunkin’? COMMENT BELOW! And sign up for the mailing list if you haven’t already.

Some glamour shots of the Vanilla Cake Batter Donut from DD.

IMG_0407Official portrait of my breakfast. Looks more regal than the Royal Love Donut, don’t you think?

Donut Reviews

Strawberry Fritter – Mighty Fine Donuts Review – Erie, PA

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I started writing and rewriting this post 10 times because, how do you start talking about the love of your life? Mighty Fine Donuts was the reason I went to confirmation classes, a place to smoke cigarettes and play lottery any time of the day or night, and my all-time favorite donut shop. I’ve been lucky to have a close relationship to the donut store for many years and will never turn down an invitation to go there. Sometimes when I’m alone, I have to stay away because the force of my love is so great I could self-destruct. So after fighting with myself back and forth deciding to go or not to go today – I rationalized to buy their fancy donuts that don’t come in the regular dozen pricing so I wouldn’t go nuts and eat a dozen donuts as soon as I got home.

Mighty Fine’s Fritters are delicious. They contain the balance of crispy outsides and sticky insides that all glazed confections should encompass. I chose the Strawberry Fritter this morning and was served by a friendly lady who shared some of her baby stories with me ❤ I left feeling happy and ready to EAT. I had the shakes when I finally got home and opened the bag. The fritter had the taste of what I was craving in my head. The outside had the fried crunch and glaze that was fresh and flavorful. The dough was fluffy inside with cinnamon (?) swirl throughout so it was not short on taste and never was a flat one-note donut. There was a pink tinge but overall I didn’t detect a lot of strawberry flavor. I didn’t care. It was so good.

THE BREAKDOWN: Strawberry Fritter

Store: Mighty Fine Donuts – Here’s their Facebook

Address: 2612 Parade St, Erie, PA 16504

Cost: $1.35 (I think :*)

What they want to highlight: They make good donuts.

What I thought was the highlight: Their display. ***GLORIOUS***

Rating out of 5 stars: 4.0 – It was exactly what I wanted, but didn’t really feel the strawberry connection, but also did not care.

Would I buy it again?: Yes, definitely when I need to buy a one-off donut and I’m not hoarding a whole dozen.

What could make it better?: To change the name to just fritter?

Leave a comment about Mighty Fine the Mighty Finest BELOW. Please 🙂 Ask me anything about them. If I don’t know I’ll try to find out. Hope you get some Mighty Fine soon!

Pre donut glory. My Presque Isle walk and Lighthouse visit got me HYPED!

IMG_0383.JPGI’ve seen better pictures of this storefront taken by accident. Still needed to show the Mighty Fine sign despite my poor skills.

IMG_0388IMG_0390Man, my photography was on point this morning! lol But really, the donuts still look amazing. A testament to their perfection.

The Strawberry Fritter ❤ Mighty Fine Goodness.

Donut Reviews

Long John with Angel Cream – H & K DO Nut Shop Review – Erie, PA

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The phrase, “Where’s my John?” can conjure up a lot of images. Or maybe only one for those who are less imaginative. So why is the word John – the elusive male – paired with the word “Long” and slapped on as the proper name of an elongated, cream filled donut? I don’t know. What I do know is there are two kinds of Long Johns – the dirty eclair-ish kind that tastes like rubber dough with some kind of whipped cream-custard filling-trash – and then there’s the delicious kind that has frosting and a sugary cream frosting filling. Lucky for me, H & K Do-Nut Shop in Erie, PA has the delicious kind with the aptly named angel cream filling. Thank you, angels.

When I purchased the Long John from H & K’s I was rolling the dice on if this is a good or bad John. I was pleasantly surprised that this donut was the John of my dreams and not the John that lurks on Craiglist trying to find the “girlfriend experience.” The chocolate frosting was most enjoyable with a freshness and texture every chocolate frosted donut should possess. The dough was soft and light. Finally, that angel cream….it was sweet and without sugar grains gritting in my teeth. But, like most Johns, he was lying right to my face. He wasn’t long. 😦 He was short and not much girth to boot. And he wasn’t cream filled, he was cream 3/4-filled. When you name yourself Long John, better have the goods to back it up. Maybe he should change his username to Sweet Angel Cream John.

THE BREAKDOWN: Long John with Angel Cream

Store: H & K DO Nut Shop aka H & K’s aka H & K Do-Nuts Click for their *official* site

Address: 3712 West Lake Road, Erie, PA 16505

Cost: $.90

What they want to highlight: Good old-fashioned donuts 

What I thought was the highlight: Realizing the phrase “angel cream” means it is something that I typically like and have not been let down by – yet.

Rating out of 5 stars: 3.2 – It was a good John not a bad John

Would I buy it again?: Maybe when I feel like buying 2 for the size of 1?

What could make it better?: If it was actually long! Size matters…especially when that’s how you’re selling yourself.

IMG_0321Long John looking good…on a 3.5″ plate.

IMG_0323Long John’s best selfie angle hiding his shortcomings.

Do you think a short Long John can still be called a Long John? Is your only Long John experience with the same-named, inedible product of underwear? Does anyone know where this name for a donut originated? Leave your comment BELOW. LIKE THIS POST if you like it OR if you hate it 🙂

Donut Reviews

Angel Cream Filled Donut – Jack Frost Donut Shop – Erie, PA

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I woke up needing a cream filled donut. I visited the Jack Frost Donut Shop website and saw they offered multiple filled donut varieties. 🙂 🙂 🙂 The short 10-minute drive to the donut shop was well worth making the trek. Luckily, I arrived in what seemed to be the nick of time…there were a few scattered donuts hanging out but still a wide variety. **BLESSED**

The ride home was not quite as fast. The donuts smelled delicious and I kept worrying I would starve to death…probably should have eaten one at Jack Frost’s cute, diner style donut shop. When I FINALLY got to enjoy the angel cream filled donut I was not disappointed. The dough was super light and pastry-like and delicious. No overly greasy taste. The filling was just like an angel creamed – super light and fluffy emulating the dough and no granular texture. All you can want in a good cream. If an angel food cake was reimagined as a donut this would be the donut. The chocolate frosting was very….settled (trying to put it nicely). It was hardened but still had a good taste, but I feel like a lighter frosting would have been the best compliment.

THE BREAKDOWN: Angel Cream Filled Donut

Store: Jack Frost Donut Shop Visit their site here

Address: 2119 Buffalo Rd, Erie, PA 16510

Cost: Half dozen for $4.75

What they want to highlight: Old fashioned donut shop

What I thought was the highlight: Old fashioned donut shop! WIN!

Rating out of 5 stars: 4 – very good and will probably crave it again

Would I buy it again?: Definitely!

What could make it better?: The chocolate frosting on top. It wasn’t even that bad. It just wasn’t as good as the rest of the donut.

IMG_0342.JPGThey’re open! I got there at about 9:45AM and almost missed out so get there early for a full selection 🙂

img_0338.jpgAlmost gone!

IMG_0336Where I should have dined so I didn’t almost die.

IMG_0354Little smooshed from sitting at the bottom of the bag. But still so good.

Have you been to Jack Frost Donuts? What your favorite cream filled donut? LEAVE A COMMENT. And have a nice Saturday 🙂

Donut Reviews

Royal Love Donut – Dunkin Donuts – Erie, PA 12th Street Location

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I was musing with my friend yesterday about Dunkin Donuts sponsoring me and she sent me an image of what could be me 🙂

960x0I would have gladly posed with a dozen of Dunkin Donuts’ Royal Love donuts, but unfortunately, I am not a real-life princess like this lady. The carriage looks pretty sweet. WTF IS ON HER HEAD?

I did the next best thing to posing with donuts in Central Park and used my free donut coupon from before – last week? – and got me a free Royal Love donut. It was a hard buy because DD had a wide display this morning including vanilla cream that I love and seasonal Spring Fling and Comet Candy donuts that I neeeeeed to try. And Royal Love….is….jelly filled 😦 The donut always left after meetings in the conference room, on the tray at church, or in your cupboard getting mold on it. And for everyone out there saying, “I like the jelly filled – they’re my favorite.” You are probably the same type of liar as those who told me they “loved being pregnant.” A people pleaser liar, which is fine – we need you people so women will still enter pregnancy optimistically and someone will eat the jelly donuts.

Regardless of my personal bias, I tried to intake the Royal Love optimistically for the sake of Megan Markle. She won the lottery, she looks AMAZING – as does anyone who used to open cases on that game show – and she’s getting married tomorrow so YAY. Sadly, I can’t feign as much enthusiasm for the donut. It was typical DD dough, so average. It was typical DD chocolate frosting, so a little below average, but the fruit icing swirl (strawberry but tasted like fake raspberry?) was not a good compliment to the chocolate. The jelly was chunky 😦 I never want to think of chunky while eating something that I KNOW is making me chunky. At first I thought it was pieces of real fruit – gross but acceptable – but no it was like some old Smuckers that expired from the back of the cupboard 😦 So actually, I didn’t let any of my bias out of this review. If you like jelly donuts, I recommend.

THE BREAKDOWN: Royal Love Donut

Store: Dunkin Donuts lives here online

Address: 2545 W 12th St, Erie, PA 16505

Cost: FREE with my coupon

What they want to highlight: According to Dunkin’ Brands Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Nigel Travis, a dual U.S. and British citizen born and raised in Woodford, Essex, “As the U.S. donut leader, we love helping our guests make special occasions both big and small even sweeter with fun donut designs and flavors. The Royal Wedding represents optimism, happiness and joy, and thus is a perfect opportunity for our brand to celebrate. We hope all donut lovers, royalty or not, will enjoy the new Royal Love Donut…” Read more about it here.

What I thought was the highlight: The cute heart shape! And yes, I totally felt the optimism. Like, there’s a royal wedding, the bride’s from the United States, we are the best country in the world, and now Dunkin Donuts is gonna sell more jelly donuts than any other fiscal quarter in donut shop history.

Rating out of 5 stars: 1 – maybe less but I still love DD. Be a real princess and look at the donut, don’t eat it.

Would I buy it again?: No! But you should buy into their marketing and get it before it’s gone.

What could make it better?: Maybe a Boston Cream filling? To show we are still rebels? A lemon filling? I heard the royal wedding cake might be lemon? Something relating to a krumpet? Idk anything but jelly filled 😦

Are you going to try the Royal Love donut? Did you try it and LOVE IT? DO YOU LOVE JELLY DONUTS AND WANT TO FIGHT ABOUT IT? Leave a comment below 🙂 Or if you’re sane just like this post.

IMG_0334Cute shape ❤

IMG_0328Pretty, clean display as always. I heard DD was minimizing donuts offered and maximizing drinks. Good strategy cause their beves are BOMB! Truly why I love DD and the main reason I go.

Donut Reviews

Cinnamon Roll – H & K DO Nut Shop Review – Erie, PA

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After the pain of rejection from H & K DO Nut’s shop last week, I valiantly returned to get some donuts. Just as I had pictured, the inside was a diner style with counter seats and then a little display case with traditional donuts laid out on trays. Everything looked much more enticing than Giant Eagle’s selection, but I was much in the mood for something glazed and chose the cinnamon roll. **Disclaimer – I forgot my phone in the car and took a FULL 20-MINUTE SPEED WALK before arriving so I was famished and my sugar was low and my muscles were spazzing – so I don’t have any interior photos – but they have a lot of images on their Facebook. So click it or go there and see yourself 🙂 ** **Also think it was called a cinnamon roll but not totally sure if that is the official name. You all know what a cinnamon roll looks like or you wouldn’t be here.**

After doing like an 8-point turn to get out of their parking lot because I seem to forgotten how to drive this past week, I got home quickly and tried out H & K’s cinnamon roll. I am happy to report that the outside was crispy with flaky glaze and no grease, just how cinnamon roll perfection should be always. It wasn’t that gross gooey either that tastes like it was dunked in day-old sugar water. Interestingly, the middle was not super soft, which is good because I hate when the center is undercooked like yuck you’re basically eating a raw egg, but it was almost a little dry. I’m not sure how that happened but the middle was the least flavorful. Also not upset about this because it sucks when the middle is the best part of the donut and the middle is only a teeny portion.

THE BREAKDOWN: Cinnamon Roll

Store: H & K DO Nut Shop aka H & K’s aka H & K Do-Nuts Click for their *official* site

Address: 3712 West Lake Road, Erie, PA 16505

Cost: $.90

What they want to highlight: Good old-fashioned donuts 

What I thought was the highlight: Good old-fashioned donuts

Rating out of 5 stars: 3.2 – Better than average

Would I buy it again?: Yes, when in the mood for a traditional cinnamon roll.

What could make it better?: Whatever is happening on the outside of this donut should happen in the center more and it would be like a 4.

IMG_0315Where my vigorous walk started and ended today at Presque Isle. #calorieburn #fitfam

IMG_0316.JPGOnly pic I got of H & K cause I slack. You can see more pics on their Facebook.

Really wanted to showcase my Mother’s Day flowers from my parents <3. Kind of still failed at that lol. But the real focus –  You can actually see the nice outside crust of this donut and how it downward spirals int he center.

Like this post! Comment on your favorite cinnamon roll! Please.

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Butler County, Ohio Donut Trail – A Day Without Donuts Again but Add in Cake

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So my friends on Facebook started tagging me on a post about the Butler County, Ohio Donut Trail. The lovely trail takes you to 12 donut shops and if you get your “passport” stamped by each, then you can mail in your passport you downloaded from the Donut Trail website and get a free t-shirt.

trailmap.png

Super fun and I plan on driving this donut trail this ASAP. Cheesecake donut is a priority for me. Butler County, Ohio is about 5 hours away from Erie but would be a nice road trip. The Butler County site warns that shops may close when they sell out and many sell out before 10AM. Fingers crossed I can hit up all the stops and get a free shirt. I think anyone taking this who wants to complete will have to plan a little extra – meaning factoring in store timing and what order they would like to travel for the donuts. Why would you follow the 1 – 12 on the map above? lol

September 1, 2018 you can bike the approximate 80-mile Donut Trail Cycle Challenge and get donuts along the bike route. I totally would just opt for this but it’s so close to my due date that it probs isn’t the best idea to have a baby, on bicycle, with a dozen donuts in hand.

Here is the link to get all the donut shops, your own passport, and all other info: Butler County, Ohio Donut Trail Website.

I couldn’t review a donut today because I OD’d on food during Mother’s Day. I did, however, sneak in a Dunkin Donuts Iced Caramel Swirl Latte today. On the DD receipt, they give you the option to fill out a survey and get a free donut. I think any free donut is a great donut so watch out DD – coming for you and that Royal Donut next.

B3D9D11D-9BAE-4A97-BF24-0021D4E2D2E5I know – my photography skills are amazing. Don’t let my skills fool you – this cake is worth missing a donut for today. Wegman’s yellow cake, raspberry filling, whipped cream frosting, buttercream decor. Da best!

IMG_0281The newest and most experienced moms from my family – me and grandma ❤

54799535965__77C9D0B5-6EAE-4CFA-B103-8C132415A68EWhat I did this morning instead of eating donuts – Presque Isle walk.

IMG_0288Morning walk – donuts + cake = same as every other day.

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In case you didn’t know…useful information from Erie, PA donut blog

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I recently learned that to have a successful blog you need to provide readers with more than opinions and stories. You need to provide something useful to readers. Here is some useful information ≈ CLICK ↓ CLICK ↓ CLICK ≈
https://giphy.com/embed/ksKzKBIlV7GDCCPY77

via GIPHY
Thanks for making this picture Joe. It’s all the hearts ❤

Donut Reviews

Chocolate Potato Chip Ring Donut Review – Giant Eagle Bakery – Erie, PA

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Today I decided to go with a business I knew would be open – Giant Eagle in Yorktown Plaza. Grocery store donuts get a bad rap but their bakeries are where we go for our birthday cakes and breads, so why be shy about their donuts?

Looking in the case there was an impressive spread of regular donut staples, but one stood out from the crowd – the Chocolate Potato Chip Ring. The chocolate potato chip trend intrigues snackers – and rightfully so – providing the sweet and salty fix blah, blah. I paired the donut with a glass of fancy milk that was given to us as a gift (strange to write that) so I’m not sure where it was purchased. The dough is a raised ring without a lot of sugar, so if a floury, non-sweet dough is to your taste then you will love it. The chocolate was the only flavor in the donut and it was run-of -the-mill chocolate, but I will never (rarely) diss chocolate, so comparatively it was the donut’s best feature. Then the *highlight* of the donut!!#$%@*+! ***POTATO CHIPS*** !!#$%@*+! So glamorous. Innovative. It looks like a brown bag lunch was smashed at the bottom of a bookbag and those teeny bags of chips mostly full of air busted open and settled on a slightly melted chocolate surface. Then, you ate it anyway cause you hungry. The chips added crunch, which brings excitement to any donut but did not add flavor or help fill my growing belly.

THE BREAKDOWN: Chocolate Potato Chip Ring

Store: Giant Eagle Click to see a chain store website 🙂

Address: 2501 W. 12th St., Erie, PA 16505

Cost: $.89

What they want to highlight: It’s “unique” and has chips.

What I thought was the highlight: More like a dim light but the chocolate.

Rating out of 5 stars: 2.5 – will satisfy you in a donut fit but not for long.

Would I buy it again?: Maybe if there were only this, a jelly filled and/or plain cakes to choose from.

What could make it better?: If Giant Eagle didn’t half commit to the trend. This is a case of more is more. Put some sea salt on top and a caramel filling to make a Sea Salt Caramel Chocolate Potato Chip Ring. I’d buy that again 🙂

What do you think? Over the potato chip trend? Want more? Want it to be more better? Give small town America the sweet and salty it deserves? Love/hate grocery store donuts? Leave a comment below 🙂

IMG_0254*Mostly* full spread at Giant Eagle Yorktown. Now thinking *I should have got a long john.*

IMG_0255Don’t the chips look like a mistake?!? Also, ignore the calorie count. There’s no room for something like that here.

IMG_0259When I brought her home ❤

My gifted fancy milk (on the left…in case you weren’t sure). Featured right – one of the best couples I know – Milk and Donut.