Our editor, Abigail Donnelly, recently joined her voice to the call for a new confectionery craze (move over, macarons!) and we think doughnuts might just be it: today, a Jozi-based confectioner launched her artisan doughnut website, www.dopedonuts.com. (The title text reads “Donut panic”. We are panicking.)

The beautiful site (with zoom-in-able pics) may have just launched, but owner Elise Suckerman actually started Dope Donuts in January 2014. “I was sick to death of seeing cupcakes everywhere and thought the rest of Joburg might be too. I saw a market here for donuts; and so far the response has been great.”

Working out of her kitchen, Elise conjures flavours and makes the deep-fried spheres by hand using the best ingredients, which is what earns her doughnuts the label of ‘artisan’. “I don’t skimp on quality,” says Elise. “To me, that’s what artisan means.”

The Rainbow Nation doughnut by Dope Donuts

Her ideas come from friends, family and market research, especially in America, as the doughnut culture is huge in New York. At the moment you can order ten different flavours: The Dope Donut (mint glaze and peppermint crisp), The Boonut (strawberry glaze and coconut shavings), Blondie (caramel glaze), Peanut Butter Legs (peanut butter spread and toast crumbs), Rainbow Nation (vanilla frosting and sprinkles), Fragile Ego (syrup and peanut brittle), Fluff (choc and marshmallows), Battery Acid (coffee-infused batter and coffee glaze), Plain Jane (sugar and cinnamon) and Curious George (Nutella with choc and banana chips). The minimum order is 12 doughnuts for R240 in a choice of three flavours.

Visit www.dopedonuts.com for more information and follow @thedopedonuts on Twitter.

Please enjoy the gratuitous doughnut photographs below:

The Fluff doughnut by Dope Donuts

The Fragile Ego doughnut by Dope Donuts

The Dope Donut by Dope Donuts