A global pandemic did not deter owner Clint Goodrich from opening El Camino Donuts in Nob Hill Albuquerque. Clint makes his delicious donuts from scratch every night, aromatizing the shop that also doubles as an art gallery. The sweet smell lingers when customers first open the door the next morning. I was getting up and heading out to try El Camino Donuts at 10:15am (because…society has moved past the need for time and schedules…). Much to my surprise, I realize that A LOT of the variety is already gone! The woman behind the counter smiles and says they have been very busy all morning. So, I order two glaze, two blueberry sprinkle, one jelly-filled and one maple Heath Bar donut. In the midst of a global pandemic, we all could use a sweet treat now and then. El Camino Donuts certainly delivers. Just ask my dental work.
As I excitedly opened my box filled with my favorite childhood breakfast (what’s protein?) I began:
Glazed–This donut immediately melts in my mouth. They say they make these donuts fresh every night, and they truly mean it. The texture of the glaze compliments the texture of the donut perfectly. Did it fall to the bottom of my mug when I dunked it in my hot cup of coffee? Totally. Is that a bad thing? Not at all.
Jelly-Filled—Did my grandma make this donut? Well, if my grandma did it would probably just be filled with self-pity instead of jam, but someone else’s grandma probably made this donut and you could tell. This donut tasted like it had real, sweet and tangy raspberry jam. No large chunks of fruit, but with all the flavor. Nothing too overwhelming to where everything spills out, but definitely a treat that can be packed for lunch.
Heath Bar—I remember saying “can I have the one next to the bacon one” as I’m ordering this one, unsure of what it was. My eyes light up when the woman says it’s a Heath Bar sprinkled on top of a maple donut. The candy compliments the maple perfectly, El Camino found that balance to where the pastry is almost too sweet but not quite. Did I gain at least two new cavities? Possibly, but it didn’t TASTE like I gained two cavities.
Blueberry Sprinkles—This was a cool twist on a well-loved classic for me. I think the traditional donut with blueberry chunks, has more of a muffin-y vibe (if I wanted a muffin, I would’ve gone to Whole Foods). This donut had more of the essence of blueberry, ya know? Flaky, crumbly goodness with a blueberry flair. The sprinkles added a fun vibe, like a blueberry birthday party vibe, ya know?
El Camino Donuts has such a clean and retro vibe with its bright colors and windows dressed in neon lights. A donut shop fit surely for your vintage inspired VSCO girl/ millennial minimalist. Walking in, I could tell the shop was getting on its feet. Artwork was being hung on one half of the shop and there were neon signs behind a glass counter where the smiling singular woman stood.
All in all, I am excited to see this amazing donut shop grow. Each donut I tried had amazing flavor and texture that left me wanting more. Also, shopping locally felt great so it cancelled out the regretful feeling when I hit my 2pm sugar crash at work. If you’re looking for great donuts in Albuquerque to sweeten the start of your day, head to El Camino Donuts in Nob hill on 3417 Central Avenue. But makes sure to come early! They get busy and you donut want to miss your opportunity for a variety of delectable choices.