21 Dec 14th–Dec 20th, 2023 phoenixnewtimes.com PHOENIX NEW TIMES | NEWS | FEATURE | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & CULTURE | MUSIC | CONCERTS | CANNABIS | FULL BAR! BILLS OF $50 OR MORE Dine-In or Take Out Not Including Combinations Dinner Only Expires 12/31/24 Closed On Tuesdays $5 OFF 2050 N. Alma School Rd., #36 • 480.857.4188 end of the bakery’s selections, you’ll find croissants and kolaches, but if you’ve made the voyage to the family-owned shop in east Mesa, you should indulge in a glazed donut. If you time it right, you may arrive while they’re still warm. Hurts Donut Co. 2161 E. University Drive, Tempe The punny doughnut shop imported from Missouri is here for all your last-minute pastry needs, operating 24/7, with an Emergency Donut Vehicle on hand for deliveries. Hurts Donut Co. opened in Tempe in 2017 and since then has provided an array of yeast and cake options, drawing on playful and nostalgic flavors from s’mores to Little Debbie Cosmic Brownies. While these confections can be enjoyed anytime thanks to the shop’s round-the- clock hours, they fall into the decadent dessert world, with eye-catching glazes, candy bar crumbles, cereal toppings and roasted marshmallows galore. MochiDot 914 E. Camelback Road, Suite 4A There are multiple chain spots around the Valley that serve unique bubbly mochi doughnuts. But the locally owned MochiDot is our favorite spot for this special treat. Mochi doughnuts are typi- cally made with rice flour, which gives them their characteristic bounce and chew. Their bubble shape, usually six or eight balls connected in a ring, makes them perfect for splitting and sharing, allowing you to try multiple flavors. At MochiDot, the flavors rotate with the seasons, but favorites include Oreo, bright purple ube and Lotus Biscoff. MochiDot holds unusual hours for a doughnut shop, usually opening at 11 a.m., so make sure you plan ahead. Outcast Doughnuts 104 W. Main St. #103, Mesa What do you get when you cross a doughnut with a croissant? Outcast Doughnuts in Mesa has the answer. Its “layered doughnuts” are moist, flaky and delightful. These buttery rounds make the perfect base for an array of toppings, with flavors ranging from Cheeky Monkey with Nutella and bananas to the Drop Kick with Irish cream and espresso powder. These treats lean more into the realm of dessert, and the shop also doubles as a bar, making it the perfect after-dinner stop in downtown Mesa. Sweet Cream Donuts Coffee and Smoothies 7435 W. Lower Buckeye Road #112 Sweet Cream Donuts Coffee and Smoothies, as its name suggests, offers many breakfast- time staples, in addition to ice cream. But despite the array of offerings, the doughnuts are the star at this family-owned west Phoenix shop. The doughnuts lean classic, with yeast and cake varieties as well as tried- and-true “fancy” confections, such as apple fritters and bear claws. The risen rounds are light and bouncy, and the filled options are numerous. We loved the vanilla cream-filled version studded with toasted coconut. The Local Donut 3213 Hayden Road, Scottsdale Tucked into an up-and-coming shopping center next to the newly opened brunch restaurant The Eleanor, this tiny doughnut shop churns out major flavor. The Local Donut’s menu is split into categories that include Classy Donuts and Fancy Donuts, two names that aptly describe the creative concoctions behind the counter. Among the unusual flavors, the Creme Brulee is a winner. A soft, pillowy yeast doughnut is filled with a cool vanilla cream. The doughnut is glazed and then torched to achieve that crackly creme brulee topping. The Local Donut also makes excellent cake doughnuts, fritters, seasonal treats, pastries and mochi doughnuts, meaning it’s a one-stop shop for all your doughnut dreams. The Original Rainbow Donuts 15834 N. Cave Creek Road The Original Rainbow Donuts makes sure its customers can tell it apart from the rest. Both its website and doughnut boxes prominently say, “We are not affiliated with other Rainbow Donuts/franchise/ donut shops.” But the doughnuts them- selves are what makes this little shop stand out. “Fluffy,” “fresh” and “not too sweet” are all words that come to mind after your initial “yum.” Most of the flavors are classics, and the menu includes yeast and cake doughnuts, maple bars, yeast twists, fritters, crullers and cinnamon rolls. We’re fans of the Tiger Tail, a striped creation made with choc- olate and vanilla dough twisted together and glazed. The Original Rainbow Donuts stands out in the crowd. (Photo by Tirion Boan)
