Last updated on June 13th, 2024
The votes are tallied, and five kids, five adults and three Bashas’ Family of Stores members (employees) are finalists in this year’s Donut Flavor Craze Contest.
The 13 Arizona residents – who work and live in Ahwatukee, Chandler, Gilbert, Lake Havasu City, Mesa, Peoria, Phoenix, Queen Creek and Tucson – received the finalist title from Bashas’ Supermarkets.
The sixth-annual contest invited Arizona kids and grown-ups to draw some inspiration from their previous travels to dream up the best new flavor for the hometown grocer’s donut cases. The donut flavor finalists did not disappoint, with ideas themed around everything from a Greek Baklava donut and a Peru-inspired, Bavarian-cream-filled donut to a Limoncello-flavored cake donut, an Arizona Prickly Pear donut and an Aloha donut with pineapple and coconut flavors.
Judges carefully weighed creativity, flavor combination and individuality to choose the finalists based on a 100-word description of their best donut idea, including the proposed name, key ingredients and why the donut is a sweet treat or guilty pleasure. Entries spanned three categories this year: kids ages 8-17, adults 18 and older, and Bashas’ Family of Stores members (employees).
The following five kids were named finalists for their flavor submissions:
• Alfajores: A vanilla-flavored donut dipped in dolce de leche and covered in shredded coconut was submitted by Queen Creek resident Bryssa Y., age 13;
• Chai-Tastic: A baked, spicy donut with a cinnamon glaze, made with cinnamon, nutmeg, ground ginger and Greek yogurt was submitted by Lake Havasu City resident Emily B., age 8;
• Dough-Taki: A chocolate donut with a mild spice cream glaze made with cream cheese and topped with Takis rolled tortilla chip crumbles was submitted by Tucson resident Aaliya P., age 12;
• Pompeii: A strawberry donut with chocolate sprinkles and strawberry icing filling was created by Peoria resident Delaney F., age 13; and
• Kinder Joy: A cream-filled donut with chocolate hazelnut spread with crushed wafer cookies sprinkled on top was submitted by Queen Creek resident Braxton B., age 12.
The following five adults were named finalists for their flavor submissions:
• Baklava: Explore Greece with a Baklava donut made with cinnamon, dipped in a honey glaze and topped with chopped pistachios, submitted by Phoenix resident Heather H.;
• Aloha: A raised jelly donut stuffed with pineapple jelly, glazed with coconut and dusted with coconut flakes and li hin mui was submitted by Chandler resident Jenta L.;
• Rosquilla de Desierta: A sweet donut with prickly pear injected into the center, topped off with a drizzle of honey that has subtle notes of mesquite was submitted by Tucson resident Christine C.;
• Limoncello: A fruity donut inspired by the coast of Italy, this Limoncello-flavored cake donut is topped with raspberry icing and was submitted by Gilbert resident Leslie P.; and
• Livin’ La Vida Mocha: A donut with a whipped cream center with notes of mocha, sprinkled with crushed espresso beans and topped with a chocolate drizzle, submitted by Mesa resident Brian V.
The following three Bashas’ Family of Stores members (employees) were named finalists for their flavor submissions:
• Delirium: A Bavarian-cream-filled donut inspired by Peru, topped with chocolate icing, crushed pecans and caramel drizzle, submitted by Mesa resident Kristine Pearce, who works at the Bashas’ supermarket at Baseline and Crismon roads in Mesa;
• Berry Red Chili Razz: A sweet-with-a–little-heat donut that is raspberry filled and glazed with a light Sriracha/Raspberry preserve, submitted by Chandler resident Krista Levine, who works at Bashas’ Family of Stores’ corporate office in Chandler; and
• Earthquake: A donut with minty green icing and Oreo crumbs on top was submitted by Gilbert resident An Ngo, who works at the Bashas’ supermarket at 48th St. and Warner Road in Ahwatukee.
Three winning donut flavors (one youth, one adult, one member/employee) will be selected by a panel of local celebrity judges just in time for National Donut Day on June 4. The winning donuts will be available in Bashas’ bakery cases across the state for a limited time, during the month of June, joining the grocer’s additional 59 donut flavors and varieties that are available year-round.
Bashas’ is known for the made-from-scratch bakery treats that it makes each morning, including donuts, fritters, croissants, Danishes, brownies, frosted cookies, cakes, cupcakes and more.
In addition to having their winning donuts featured in Bashas’ bakery departments across the state, the three winners will be named Bashas’ Official Bashas’ Donut Ambassadors for 2021, and receive $500 worth of prizes, including a Bashas’ grocery gift card, baking/cooking gadgets, family-fun activities and one dozen donuts every month for a year.
Each winner will receive $500 worth of prizes including a Bashas’ grocery gift card, baking/cooking gadgets, family-fun activities and one dozen donuts every month for a year.
Bashas’ will also distribute a $50 grocery gift card to the runner-up in each age category, and a $20 grocery gift card to the honorable mentions in each age category.
National Donut Day was originally established to honor The Salvation Army’s service to soldiers during World War I. Around 250 volunteers traveled overseas to provide emotional and spiritual support, sweet treats, clothes and supplies to troops. These women, known as “Donut Lassies,” made and hand-delivered donuts to the front lines and are often credited with popularizing the donut in the U.S. when the troops returned home from war.
In honor of this holiday, Bashas’ supermarkets will donate 10 percent of all donut sales on June 4 to The Salvation Army.
