Cronut Run

This morning was a particularly glorious morning. I finally did it. After months and years of hearing about it, seeing photos of it, and enviously hearing people who spoke about their experience, I finally got to experience it myself.

The magic of Dominque Ansel’s Cronut!

What’s a Cronut? Sheer magic in the mouth.

It’s a croissant-donut hybrid, but it’s not some Frankenfood monstrosity. Delicate flaky croissant layers in a donut form and deep fried. I lack the poetic words to describe it. Every month he has a new flavor and this month’s is Strawberry Rhubarb and Thyme Ganache (with citrus sugar).

My very dear friend, H (yes, the one who saved me in Miami), couldn’t get her Cronut today so she gave me her voucher when she found out that I had never had one. I never got one because the lines to get one at the bakery is so ridiculously long and you HAVE to be there before 7 am (only 2 per customer). Because of the demand, Ansel created an online pre-order where at Monday at 11 am sharp, you can order Cronuts two weeks in advance. Or you can order one month in advance 50 Cronuts. Yeah, it’s that crazy for these donuts. And each Cronut is $5 +tax.

H told me to go pick up the Cronut between 8 and 9 am. I originally intended to wake up early and go run to Dominique Ansel from home so that I would have a nice 6-mile run. I didn’t get home until midnight last night (another late night at work) so I overslept and woke up at 7:30 am. I hurried out of the house before 8 and got a couple miles in. I realized that with traffic, stoplights, and crowds on the sidewalks, I wasn’t going to make it there by 9 am, so I hopped into a train for the rest of the way.

I waltzed in and got my Cronut (much to the disappointment of all the confused tourists who were told that there were no more Cronuts available – only the pre-orders were left).

Like a good little foodie, I took a photo. Then I took a bite. BLISS! The sugary crunch of the citrus sugar and crispy exterior gave way to a delicately sweet strawberry rhubarb jam and cream lovingly layered in between the flakes. I devoured it in seconds.

The Cronut is totally magical and incredible. If you love sweets, then I say that it’s a MUST HAVE in NYC. I had a faux “cronut” from another bakery (I happen to love most of their baked good) and that cronut was terrible. You really can’t have an imitation cronut from another bakery and think that it’s anywhere near the sublime experience that DA creates.

Anyway, it’s a good thing the lines are so crazy because otherwise I’d be there every morning inhaling Cronuts to my grave.

If you’re not lucky enough to have a Cronut, Dominique Ansel Bakery does make other wonderful delectable treats.