Doughnut lovers, get excited because Maryland-based doughnut chain, Fractured Prune Doughnuts, is now open in Chandler.
The doughnut shop allows you to choose from more than a dozen different glazes and toppings so you can build your own doughnut creation. Think marshmallow glaze and graham cracker topping or maple glaze with mini chocolate chips. For the less creative diners, there's also a menu of specialty donuts that includes creations like Ms. Prunella, which features mixed berry glaze with cinnamon sugar.
See also: 10 Best Doughnuts in Metro Phoenix
Fractured Prune opened today at 4910 West Ray Road in Chandler. As the story goes (you can read it on the wall behind the register), the chain is named after Prunella Shriek, a county ping-pong champion from the late 1800s who was nicknamed "Fractured Prunella."
Anyway, here's how the concept works.
You walk in and grab a paper menu that features the list of 15 signature creations on one side and the list of glazes and toppings on the other. You can write the quantity of signature creations you want and provides lines to write in your own creations. Each doughnut can have one glaze and up to two different toppings.
Single donuts cost $1.89 or you can get a dozen for $15.99.
Once you've filled out your sheet, you bring it up to the counter, where a "doughnut designer" will take it and begin creating your selections. You can watch the doughnuts run through the deep fryer before being plucked off the conveyor belt and dipped into a brightly colored glaze and topping. If you can watch this process without grinning like a goofy little kid, we'll be impressed.
We tried three of the signature creations and three we created on our own. The OC Stand is the chain's most popular creation that features honey glaze and a cinnamon sugar coating. The doughnuts themselves are remarkably good -- old fashioned cake-style that are best enjoyed hot and fresh but are still tasty well after they've been glazed. With a sugarcoating of honey and crunchy cinnamon, they become nearly irresistible.
The Ms. Prunella was a surprise hit that combined a subtle mixed berry glaze and more of that cinnamon sugar (we're pretty sure you just can't go wrong with cinnamon sugar on a doughnut). The least successful had to be the Strawberry Shortcake with a very sweet strawberry glaze, graham crackers, and powdered sugar.
We went with a few suggestions from the employees when it came to making our creations. Fans of the maple bacon doughnut at Rainbow Donuts can make their own here with a not-to-sweet maple glaze and pieces of smokey bacon. Combine the key lime glaze with sea salt toppings and you've got a doughnut-version of a margarita. It's surprisingly good, though too salty. Our worst creation mixed mocha glaze with pieces of vanilla wafers -- and even that one wasn't so bad.
If this all sounds delicious that's because it is. And to make things even sweeter, Fractured Prune is open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
Fractured Prune Doughtnuts 4910 W. Ray R., Suite 1, Chandler www.fracturedprune.com
6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily
