/
1x
Advertisement
Proudly Canadian, obsessively Toronto. Subscribe to Toronto Life!
TL Events

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

By Caroline Aksich| Photography by Kennedy Pollard
Copy link
Here's what went down at the second-annual Toronto Doughnut Festival presented by Dufferin Mall and Toronto Life

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:

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

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:

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

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

Here’s a closer look:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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:

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

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

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

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.)

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

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

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

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

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

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:

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

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:

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

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

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

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

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

What’s a doughnut fest without a DJ?

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

And an on-theme photo opp:

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

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

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

Ladies and gentlemen, the future of doughnuts:

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

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

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

Here’s one such six-pack now:

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

People really love doughnuts:

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

Until next year, folks:

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

NEVER MISS A TORONTO LIFE STORY

Sign up for Table Talk, our free newsletter with essential food and drink stories.

By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy.
You may unsubscribe at any time.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Caroline Aksich, a National Magazine Award recipient, is an ex-Montrealer who writes about Toronto’s ever-evolving food scene, real estate and culture for Toronto Life, Fodor’s, Designlines, Canadian Business, Glory Media and Post City. Her work ranges from features on octopus-hunting in the Adriatic to celebrity profiles.

Advertisement
Advertisement

Big Stories

Trump's Loss, Toronto's Gain: Meet the artists, professors, scientists and other luminaries ditching the US and moving north

Trump’s Loss, Toronto’s Gain: Meet the artists, professors, scientists and other luminaries ditching the US and moving north

Inside the Latest Issue

The May issue of Toronto Life features the artists, professors, scientists and other luminaries moving north to avoid the carnage of Trump. Plus, our obsessive coverage of everything that matters now in the city.