Jack Frost Donuts
Salty Caramel
S’mores
Maple Bacon
Red Velvet Cream Cheese
Blueberry
German Chocolate
Fritter
Located south of the City, a neighborhood spot serving Northeast Ohioans since 1937, it was straight off the plane that the GPS was pointed to Jack Frost Donuts, a recent rebrand of the “every batch from scratch” destination showing signs of artisan aspirations with prices that likely would not have been accepted just a few years prior.
Found at 4960 Pearl Road, a busy intersection seemingly only trafficked for fried dough at 7:00 o’clock on a Saturday morning, Jack Frost boasts featuring over 200 varieties of Donuts depending on date and season, arrival bringing patrons face-to-face with at least forty on this particular morning, a friendly woman attending her first day on the job nonetheless offering excellent customer service.
Known for styles including fritters, cake and yeasted, many piled high with housemade frostings and all ingredients both sweet and savory, it was in letting three families place orders that the options were evaluated, a half-dozen plus one truly enormous fritter costing $16 after tax and tip, everything boxed to go as Jack Frost does not offer any seating.
Trending smaller than many with the rings, four cake and two raised comprising the order, those fancying tradition will be happy to know that Jack Frost’s Blueberry is not the traditional mix-base but rather stuffed full of natural flavors, the German Chocolate standing tall and proud with bittersweet cocoa note finding its foil in subtly sweet whip and a layer of Coconut Praline Frosting.
Rare to order Maple Bacon, but told by an elderly gentleman that this one was ‘really good,’ first tastes of the yeasted ring yielded a wispy crumb with a surprisingly natural sweetness amidst the porky sapor, a Salty Caramel follow-up unfortunately a bit more cloying with any ‘saltiness’ lost amidst all the sugar.
More than a bit impressed by the moisture and richness of Red Velvet, the Cream Cheese Frosting just sour enough to know it isn’t Buttercream, S’mores proved a mixed experience as the Donut itself was good while Marshmallows were unfortunately a bit stale, the nearly 2lb Fritter saved for last truly one of those “you need to see it to believe it” creations with a grease-free Monkey Bread-like base swirled with Cinnamon and topped to order with a ladle of Pie-filling style apples.
www.facebook.com/pages/Jack-Frost-Donuts
