Fluffy like a croissant.
Sweet like a donut.
That’s all you gotta know as Safeway’s version of the cronut has changed names yet again. When the cronut apex was upon us, Safeway advertised Donut Croissants. Then came the more sophisticated French name of the Dou’ssant. Darn delicious I say. Now Safeway has dropped the pretense and has simply gone with the Croissant Donut. Still same price, different packaging, but still there.
Let’s start with some basic admissions.
With that out of the way, what would you expect when you see that neighborhood grocery, Safeway, now sells donut croissants, branded as Dou’ssants. I didn’t expect a whole lot. Funny thing though. With these low expectations, I bought a four set and was darn impressed with this fluffy goodness. That’s to say the Dou’ssants were delicious.
From the outside, the Dou’ssants look like husky donuts. The outer layer has a little more texture, and they’re densely heavy. On the inside, you can see some layering, but like the Croissant Donut from Saint-Germain Bakery, the construction of the Dou’ssant is like two halves melded into one. The taste reminds me of malasadas, buttery, glazed malasadas. After eating one, that glaze around your lips is hard to wash off.
So here’s my personal take. Of all the cronut variations in Hawaii, the Dou’ssants are your best overall pick. What? Why? Like I said, I’ve never sampled the original cronut so I don’t have a basis for comparison. But the Dou’ssants are very yummy. The price is right at four for $6. Availability is good if every Safeway sells them. I don’t have to go to a Waikiki hotel, I don’t have to go to specific locations downtown or in Ala Moana, and I don’t have to search out a mobile location. Inexpensive, yummy, and widely available – that’s a recipe for success.
A serendipitous visit to the Safeway in Manoa yielded the last box of donut croissants in the store. But not only are these donut croissants, you call them dou’ssants and make sure you really play up your French accent when talking about this fluffy goodness.
I couldn’t find them in Kailua, and I’m not sure if there are other varieties, but the dou’ssants come in a box (or container) of four for $6.99.
Look for them in the stands with the other fresh baked goods. Sadly, I’m too stuffed to try one. Come back tomorrow for a review of a dou’ssant.
Truly reaching the mainstream, cronut-inspired donut croissants are advertised at Safeway bakeries. I went looking for these mass made donut croissants but couldn’t yet find them at my neighborhood Safeway.