As the great Bauhaus architect Mies van der Rohe once said, “less is more.” Now, while he was talking about minimal approach to artistic design, his logic can also be applied to donuts. Doughnut Project, the all women-run and owned shop located in the West Village, makes some of the best donuts in the city and they range from simple classics to stunning collaborations with other brands that result in eye-catching creations of the most unique varieties.
While these collaborations and other novelty donuts are indeed excellent, I think Doughnut Project best succeeds in their most simple creations. Their take on a Boston Creme, aptly called a Manhattan Creme, is glorious, the Maple Bacon bar is also nearly perfect, but to me, nothing can beat their Maple Crueler. Everything from the appearance to the taste is about as good as it gets and one of the best takes on such a classic as I have ever tasted.
The outside is exceptionally flakey with a perfect crunch to reveal an incredibly soft and chewy interior where the flavor bursts with each bite. The crispiness is absolutely ideal and rich with freshness that can only be topped by the magnificent flavor the fills your mouth as soon as you bite into the treat. It’s a perfect, twisted ring that is drizzled with sugar to such a high-level degree that it looks as if every single donut is made to be Instagram-worthy. However, while so many of their other donuts are a bit overboard in appearance (luckily they’re never overboard with taste and execution), this one is picture perfect in its simplicity.
It’s easy to gawk at the latest creation that feels more like it was made to be photographed rather than consumed as a meal, and while those creations are sure to get a lot of likes (online and otherwise), the Maple Crueler is almost better just by being so delicious and unassuming. It’s the kind of reassurance that gives Doughnut Project the added confidence to go above and beyond with some of their more out-there options. They can take risks with more adventurous concoctions since they’ve already perfected their standards. The Maple Crueler is a masterpiece.
Score:
Maple Crueler = 10/10
Marc collects vinyl, is obsessed with music, donuts, and has picked up a passion for great service from Jason. His current favorite donut is Carrot Cake from Doughnut Plant.