Thanks to Bakery Box, some of the best doughnuts you’ve ever tasted are just a click away. Self-taught pastry chef Abby Kastrul started her scrappy takeout operation in her South Minneapolis home two years ago, just as she was getting the baked goods program at Geek Love Cafe off the ground. The side hustle quickly became a full-time job once Kastrul hit the market circuit and word spread about her delicious and well-balanced doughnuts, which aren’t drowning in sugar or masked by wacky toppings like cereal, Oreos, or bacon.
When we ask Kastrul about her signature glazed doughnut, she describes it as “a perfectly toasted/burnt marshmallow. No sprinkles or frosting—just a buttery, eggy, sourdough-y brioche, fried extra hard and toasty, and hand-dipped in brown butter.” She couples that with a call-to-arms: “Give me a crisp outside! Give me some toothiness! Give me developed bread flavors! F*ck me right on up, ya know?”
Oh, we know. That’s why we keep our eyes on Kastrul’s Instagram account every week, which announces the occasional porch sale or pop-up, along with rotating special glazes such as coffee-cardamon, pineapple-tarragon, lemon-raspberry, and rose petal-black pepper. Vegan options are always available, too. Reserve your weekend haul of a half-dozen ($16) or a dozen ($30) doughnuts through Bakery Box’s website or by emailing bakeryboxmpls@gmail.com; orders must be placed by Wednesday for pickup on the following Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. Don’t sleep on Kastrul’s other cakes, cookies, and croissants when she offers them, either; like her doughnuts, they’re free of shortcuts and packed with how-does-she-do-it flavor.