Duck Donuts

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This Taste of Carolina post is about my love for the Carolina-born donut shop, Duck Donuts.

I get a little excited when I see a box like this. The cute little beach duck looks up at me with that playful wink. The big bright red letters tell me that there’s something special inside and that it’s warm, delicious, and made to order! And as always, Duck Donuts’ statement rings true!

Duck Donuts is a Carolina donut chain that originated in the Carolina barrier islands known as the Outer Banks. The first time Derek and I ever tasted our first Duck Donut was there in Duck, NC. We had booked a house in Duck for an entire week and the shop on the boardwalk was just down the street from where we were staying.

I spotted its location as soon as we entered the small town and knew it was on the week’s agenda for breakfast one morning. It wasn’t our first trip to the Outer Banks but previously we booked a hotel and ate breakfast there. I hadn’t understood what I was missing out on until I read a travel article about the Outer Banks and the writer who had also stayed in Duck said that Duck Donuts was a must on any OBX vacation.

Well, after reading that it quickly became a priority for our next visit. If you ever find yourself in the Outer Banks you should definitely make a trip to the Duck location. It’s in a beautiful spot on the Duck boardwalk. We actually took some time to spend on the boardwalk after placing our order for our donuts.

One bite and I was hooked. Several years later we still love these Carolina donuts. Over the years they’ve been gradually expanding in and out of North Carolina with their franchising opportunities. Over a year ago they finally opened a location here in Durham. At first, we were there once a month but we’ve reduced our visits to every few months which is much better for our waistlines!

Now let’s talk about these incredibly delicious donuts! The donuts have a cake–like consistency which, in my opinion, makes them more filling than other donuts. The donuts are made to order. You can choose any toppings, coatings, and drizzles that you like. When they are done, they are perfectly warm and so yummy!

My favorite is one of the most simple donut combinations that you can get. That is the cinnamon sugar donut. It is always the first donut I go for because it’s the best when it’s fresh and warm. I actually prefer to let the frosted ones cool a bit so they are a little less messy.

You can choose from an array of different frostings like chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, blueberry, and lemon. You can add a topping like raspberry drizzle, chopped peanuts, or shredded coconut. They have tons of combination suggestions or you can choose your own. Derek loves the blueberry frosting with crushed Oreos on top. He gets it every time we go!

Duck Donuts also has seasonal flavors throughout the year. In the spring they’ll have key lime and orange in the summer. I’m quite partial to the fall flavors, though, which is what we ordered on our last visit. Pumpkin Streusel, Cinnamon Apple Pie, and Salted Caramel, oh my!

They were fantastic as always and I was particularly pleased with the Midnight Madness donut, which is chocolate frosted with chocolate sprinkles!

If you’re wondering if there’s a Duck Donuts location near you, check out their website. They have many locations on the east coast and even a couple out in California! You will not regret a visit to this wonderful Carolina-born donut shop!

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