I tried the TikTok-trending treat at Parlor Doughnuts.
As we grow up, we learn certain things about food and flavor that we believe to be universally true. Just as water is wet and the sky is blue, cheese is creamy and potato chips are crunchy. Lemons are sour and chocolate is sweet. We come to recognize these landmarks along the road to developing our palates and preferences as lifelong eaters.
Then, without fail, one day a new trend saunters onto your social media feed and changes everything. For me, that trend was savory doughnuts.
What are savory doughnuts?
Savory doughnuts are exactly what they sound like. They’re prepared like classic doughnut recipes, but then they’re topped or filled with savory ingredients rather than sweet ones. This trend challenges the ideas that doughnuts require a sweet dough and that doughnuts can’t be an entree unto themselves.
The trend first came to my attention thanks to a viral TikTok posted last month by creator Denise Marie. In the video, Denise shares that she recently learned about Indiana-based chain Parlor Doughnuts’ new lineup of savory doughnuts, and how she visited one of the chain’s Chicago-area locations to try them.
Parlor’s spread of savory doughnuts includes six offerings: Margherita, OG Pepperoni, Pig & Fig, Chicken Bacon Ranch, Buffalo Chicken and Hawaiian BBQ Chicken. The chain also offers doughnut dipping sauces like ranch or marinara if you’re so inspired.
How do savory doughnuts taste?
Of course, once I got a look at these and realized I was within driving distance of a Parlor location, I knew I had to try them. I ordered a six-pack that included one of each of the brand’s savory doughnuts, which came to $29.95 (about $5 per doughnut). I also ordered two dipping sauces, which were available separately for $5.95 apiece.
As it turned out, I didn’t need the sauces. All six savory doughnuts were incredibly flavorful, thanks not only to the toppings but also to the doughnuts themselves. Instead of being dusted with cinnamon or sugar, the foundation is more reminiscent of a garlic knot, coated with a crave-worthy mix of Parmesan, butter and garlic-forward seasonings . They paired exceptionally well with the toppings, particularly the pizza-adjacent ones: the Margherita with its pesto, red sauce and mozzarella; and the OG Pepperoni with its red sauce, pepperoni cups, mozzarella and Italian herbs.
The Buffalo Chicken and Chicken Bacon Ranch doughnuts also paired well with the garlic knot–like base, but the true test came with the doughnuts that also had a sweet element: the Hawaiian BBQ Chicken and the Pig & Fig.
The Hawaiian BBQ Chicken, which featured pineapple bits and diced red onion, felt reminiscent of a specialty pizza one might encounter at an upscale pizza joint that “does things a bit differently.” The Pig & Fig—with its fig jam, mozzarella and sausage crumbles—was a decadent marriage of sweet and savory, and turned out to be one of my favorite bites of the bunch.
Where to Get Savory Doughnuts
As far as I can tell, Parlor appears to be the only major doughnut seller that is dabbling extensively in the savory doughnut space at the moment, though that could change at any time. The company currently has more than 100 locations nationwide, though they’re primarily found in the Midwest and Southeast.
Other regional doughnut purveyors are also serving up savory menu offerings. Deaux Donuts, a specialty doughnut shop in Redlands, California, also appears to be serving its own savory offerings, including Omelet, Pastrami, Maple and Potato, and Egg and Cheese doughnuts. Desert Donuts, a company with two locations in Colorado and Arizona, also offers a small menu of “donut meals” including a chicken-and-waffles–like Mountain Maple Bowl that features a doughnut topped with maple icing, a fried chicken patty, bacon and maple syrup.
The trend seems to be catching on with home cooks too. Pastry chef Megan Berger recently shared her own version of the trend: an everything bagel-inspired doughnut, complete with a thick schmear of cream cheese. “Patent this immediately,” one wise commenter on Berger’s video wrote.
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