The Infamous Paris Baguette Kronut: A Retrospective

Recently San Diego’s Paris Baguette locations have become infamous with the introduction of a popular croissant-doughnut from New York City called the Kronut.  I had the opportunity to purchase a Kronut (and I use the phrase opportunity as 30 doughnuts are made for reservation, and 30 are made to sell to customers daily). Here are my notes:

• $3.00 for a doughnut. Only in New York, huh? (The rent there is wicked expensive too.)
• By visual inspection, the Kronut appears to be a fried and glazed croissant cut in half, filled with vanilla cream, and topped off with a lemon custard. How glorious!
• Because the Kronut is a mass of sugar and cream, there is no graceful way of eating a Kronut with your hands. You must use a knife and fork. (Yeah, eat it fancy like the people in New York City eat a Kronut.)
• Taking my first bite, the lemon custard is sweet and tart. The Kronut transitions into a nice and flaky croissant exterior followed by a very soft and richly sweet croissant bread. The vanilla cream has a nice and smooth whipped texture and is also sweet.  The word ‘decadent’ comes to mind, and I shiver in sugar-driven nirvana.
• After finishing a half a Kronut, the Kronut goes from a pleasant indulgence to a guilty experience as the napkin holding the Kronut begins to amalgamate with the croissant-doughnut hybrid and becomes saturated with sugar and oil.  I begin to find other people to share the Kronut with.
• I swish my mouth out with water and brush away the film of sugar from my candy-coated teeth.

This KKonnect writer says that the Kronut is nice in small amounts and would be a nice dessert to bring to a social occasion for shock value or to have that “you only live once” carnival food experience. I commend Paris Baguette for being brave enough to introduce this dessert to their menu.

Would I try another one? No. Would I advise someone to try it? Sure, you only live once.