Here’s what went down at the second-annual Toronto Doughnut Festival presented by Dufferin Mall and Toronto Life

Here’s what went down at the second-annual Toronto Doughnut Festival presented by Dufferin Mall and Toronto Life

Five-hundred doughnut lovers showed up on Sunday for one sweet event

Five-hundred sweet-toothed Torontonians descended on Dufferin Mall this past Sunday for the second-annual Toronto Doughnut Festival. This (literally) sweet scavenger hunt sent attendees seeking out sampling stations scattered throughout the mall. This year, there were a dozen different doughnuts to try, including some classics (vanilla cake), a European take (plum-filled ponchiki) and a few seriously out-there creations, like a savoury grilled cheese number. Here, a look at all the dessert debauchery that went down at the Dufferin Mall’s #TODOUGHNUTFEST.

Cheese Boutique’s Nutella bombas (Italian-style doughnuts with Nutella filling) were very popular. They were also serving ones filled with dulce de leche, vanilla custard, raspberry jelly and blueberry jelly:


Chef Jagger Gordon got creative with his doughnuts. This play on a grilled cheese sandwich is topped with a tomato-basil icing and stuffed with both American and Swiss cheese:


He also made something sweet: a deconstructed blueberry doughnut with liquid nitrogen ice cream. As if the event wasn’t sweet enough already, part of the proceeds from Toronto Doughnut Festival went towards Feed It Forward:


Here’s a closer look:


10tation Catering’s sponge toffee crunch doughnut was vanilla cake dipped in rich chocolate and finished with a sprinkling of sponge toffee:


The classic cinnamon twists from Apiecalypse Now were somehow both light and chewy at the same time:


These cloud-like yeast doughnuts from Daddy O Doughnuts were covered in a dense chocolate ganache and Reese’s Pieces:


Daddy O Doughnuts doubled down with this red-velvet cake doughnut topped with a swirl of cream cheese icing:


Polish bakery Janchenko’s served up a traditional ponchiki filled with a perfectly tart plum purée:


Greek bakery-cafe Loukoumania brought another European classic to the festival. Their loukoumades (Greek-style deep-fried dough balls) were some of the messiest—but also most delicious—to eat. The raspberry jelly–coated treats were super crispy on the outside, perfectly chewy on the inside:


Sorrelle and Co.’s creations were vegan, gluten-free and soy-free:


Transport yourself to the CNE two months early with this Carnival Doughnut. Sunshine Doughnuts glazed this round with toppings that tasted just like cotton candy and bubble gum. (Seriously, you wanted to blow a bubble after every bite.)


Tre Mari Bakery had a maple-coated vanilla doughnut on offer:


Vegan bakeshop Tori’s kept it classic with this vanilla cake doughnut:


VON Doughnuts’ Caramel Salt ‘N’ Pepa pastry took a yeast base, dipped it in caramel then drizzled dark chocolate over top. Each round was finished with a dusting of sea salt and crushed peppercorns:


Serious cruller connoisseurs keen to taste everything made great use of the liquid refreshments to reset their taste buds between rounds. Starbucks served peach-citrus white tea:


DAVIDsTEA had hot and cold options: a warming lemon-cayenne white tea and a cooling iced raspberry tea:


Tim Horton’s coffee was a popular doughnut pairing, though their Real Fruit Chills were equally appealing on the sunny summer day:


What’s a doughnut fest without a DJ?


And an on-theme photo opp:


Kids got to try their hand at designing their own doughnuts:


Ladies and gentlemen, the future of doughnuts:


And, after all that, attendees got to bring home a mix-and-match six-pack of doughnuts:


Here’s one such six-pack now:


People really love doughnuts:


Until next year, folks: