In 2016, Auburn’s doughnut scene blew up. Summer brought Krispy Kreme, ending the need for desperate road trips to Montgomery. However, other than Krispy Kreme, the only other dedicated doughnut shop was Dunkin’ Donuts which hardly even qualifies as such. Where were the mom-and-pops with their caramel maple bacon, toasted s'mores and Oreo cookies and cream?
University Donut Company, Auburn’s second donut shop to open this year, fills in the gap.
The East Magnolia Street shop serves the standard doughnut’s more sophisticated cousin. Here are your Salted Caramel Toffees and German Chocolates and Almond Joy.
University Donut Company calls these offerings their gourmet donuts. Also considered gourmet are doughnuts topped with Butterfinger, coconut shavings and Lemonheads, creations curiously named Angel Dust, Big Bang, and Southern Girl.
University Donut Company’s basic donuts are limited to various glazes, sugars and sprinkles and are outnumbered by over two fold, which asserts their image as a gourmet doughnut stop.
The prices reflect the image too. The basics are $1.69 and gourmets are $2.99.
When a half dozen of original glazed from Krispy Kreme, the absolute pinnacle of doughnuts, cost less than two specialities from University Donut Company it can be hard to pass up the calories.
Especially when the doughnuts in question cannot be justified at the price.
University’s doughnuts are dense and cannot match the fried cloud nine of Krispy Kreme.
Unfortunately, this is a doughnuts’ main appeal, a pillowy texture resulting in a slight chew.
Some of the more eccentric donuts missed the mark as well. A maple glazed doughnut with a sausage in the middle only reinforces that crunchy bacon bits should be the only meat ever used as a doughnut topping. Other toppings like Nerds and Lemonheads also seemed to focus more on the “Can we?” instead of the “Should we?"
Although University Donut Company serves an important purpose pushing the doughnut game forward, it's quality to price ratio is nowhere near that of Krispy Kreme which remains the doughnut king of the Plains.
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