Although they are nowhere to be found on my current diet, I absolutely love the smell and the taste of doughnuts. It doesn’t matter to me if they are the boring glazed doughnuts most people turn to or if you go a little crazy with a bear claw or a jelly filled. I won’t turn my nose to too many of these tasty little guys. (I have to admit; I also like the ones with sprinkles.)
Doughnuts are also extremely easy to get your hands on. You can grab a dozen of these at your local grocery store, almost any gas station, or even at more obvious places like Krispy Kreme or Dunkin’ Donuts. And speaking of Dunkin’ Donuts, have you ever had their coffee? Their French vanilla blend is to die for.
If you so happen to find an actual Krispy Kreme store you can watch them produce the doughnut and order one right off the line. There are a couple of these here in the Circle City. There is not much that beats a tall glass of milk and a fresh warm glazed doughnut.
The folks at Dunkin’ Donuts actually took this one step further and have recently run a contest for all of their fans to create the next Dunkin’ Donut. They are down to the final twelve and they were selected based on the ingredients, the doughnut name, and the story behind the doughnut. Out of these twelve finalists only one will win the bragging rights to the next featured item on the DD menu. For their hard work and efforts, each of the twelve finalists were awarded $1,200, a year’s supply of doughnuts, and given the opportunity to participate in a bake-off at the Dunkin’ Donuts headquarters in Massachusetts.
From this point on, it is up to us to choose the winner. Working exclusively with Mashable, Dunkin’ Donuts is asking you to cast your vote. I was so hungry after reading through all of these finalists I just wanted to take the time to share them with you here. Try to consider this a reason to vote for your favorite pastry.
Cop Cake
The Cop Cake is a fluffy cake doughnut with chocolate icing, topped with white sprinkles and chopped Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. This masterpiece was created by Chris Schinnerer of Clackamas, Oregon. It makes pretty good sense that the first one on this is titled the cop cake! Speaking of cops, who ever came up with that stereotype anyway? I hardly ever see a police officer sitting around eating doughnuts!
Full Moon
The Full Moon is a cheesecake crème-filled doughnut with white icing, topped with shredded coconut and Hershey’s Vanilla shavings. It was created by Pat Coope of Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. I was actually just in Ponte Vedra Beah, Florida visiting the TPC Sawgrass Stadium Course. I wish I had known about her doughnut making skills. I would have stopped in and tried one!
I Like You a Latte
This tasty treat is a chocolate cake doughnut with maple icing, topped with white and chocolate sprinkles. It was created by Rosemary Burian of Joliet, Illinois. The inspiration came from her addiction to coffee. Just. Imagine how good that would be with a tall cup of Joe. You never can have too much coffee.
Let Freedom “Ring”
This patriotic treat is a blueberry cake doughnut with white icing, topped with red and blue sprinkles. It was created by Jack Turchetta of Cranston, Rhode Island. Talk about a way to celebrate being free. I just want to see a picture of this doughnut to see how patriotic it really is. Let freedom ring is an understatement!
Mango Fandango
This bad boy is a berry mango-filled glazed doughnut, topped with pink and orange sprinkles. It was created by Rachel Llanes of Miami, Florida. Talk about a doughnut fit the for beaches of Miami, Florida. On a recent trip to the islands of Hawaii I had many tastes of the mango and orange flavors. This doughnut has to be enjoyed on a beach somewhere near you!
Monkey-See Monkey-Donut
This doughnut is a bananas foster-filled ring with chocolate icing, topped with Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup shavings. This is compliments of Rachel Davis of Sharon, Massachusetts. I wonder if she had Elvis in her mind when she created this tasty morsel. We all know how the King loves his bananas and peanut butter.
Mornin’ Paper
Something simple but yet equally delicious, this bad boy is a chocolate butter crème-filled doughnut with white icing, topped with chocolate sprinkles. Created by Catherine Kunkle of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Much A Do About Nut Things
This sucker is a chocolate cake doughnut with peanut butter icing, topped with shredded coconut and chopped roasted almonds. Created by Stefanie Schwalb of New York, New York. I am not a huge fan of coconut but man do I like almonds. If she made me one I would eat it. Just saying!
Nut N’ Fancy
Try a peanut butter-filled doughnut with chocolate icing, topped with Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup shavings and whole Reese’s Pieces candies. Created by Lisa Burns of Medford, New Jersey. I wonder if she likes peanut butter?
Pumpkin to Pie-n For
This is a doughnut meant for the fall season. This is a pumpkin cake doughnut with maple icing, topped with Hershey’s Cinnamon Chips shavings and graham cracker crunch. Created by Kelly Rice of Orlando, Florida. Just thinking of this doughnut makes me want to grab the closest costume and head out the door grabbing candy from my neighbors.
S’morgasbord
I was just talking about campfires with a few of my friends just the other day. How fitting? This puppy is a marshmallow-filled doughnut with chocolate icing, topped with graham cracker crunch. Created by Chris Wiley of Medford, Massachusetts. If that doesn’t make you picture being in the woods sharing ghost stories while the sun goes down, I don’t what would!
Snack-o-Lantern
Keeping with the holiday spirit, this is a pumpkin cake doughnut with maple icing, topped with Hershey’s Cinnamon Chips shavings. Created by Jennifer Hayes, Hardwick, Massachusetts. Nothing beats thinking about the scariest holiday of them all.
There you have it. These are your twelve finalists. Which one are you going to vote for? The more I go back and read these I have no idea who I am going to vote for! Each one of them sounds so good. I would love to be able to try one of each of these to get the real experience. Perhaps since there are twelve of them once the content is over they will make a variety pack so we can in fact try each one of them. The only thing I know is that I am stopping by Dunkin Donuts on my way home from work. Thanks for making me hungry!
Note that if you visit the Dunkin’ Donuts website and find your way into the actual contest itself, you can learn more about each doughnut according to it’s maker. I just wanted to give you a little taste of what they are doing over there. Eat up!)
