CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- When it comes to the world of deep-fried dough, Firecakes Craft Donuts offers a delicious spin on the classics.
"It comes down to composition and doing simple well, because at the end of the day, donuts are pretty simple," said owner Jonathan Fox.
Owner Jonathan Fox is a chef by trade.
In 2013, he and his wife set their culinary sights on a small shop in River North.
"We found this little location, it was an old barber shop, and my wife and I were passing by one day and we looked at each other and said, 'what about donuts?' And so that was the beginning of the idea of Firecakes," he said.
The made-from-scratch pastries are based on a family heirloom recipe from the early 1900s.
Fox told WBBM Newsradio the rotating menu offers interesting textures and surprising flavors from a wildflower honey glaze to an almond lemongrass old fashioned.
"Probably the single donut that we're most known for is our Tahitian vanilla iced," he said. "It's a yeast-raised donut and we make this beautiful vanilla icing with Tahitian vanilla bean paste. Then we put little white chocolate pearl crisps on top of it so it's got some texture and just a really great flavor."
For those looking for something even sweeter, Firecakes also whips up ice cream donut concoctions.
"We do donut ice cream sandwiches, and then of course coffee. So that really rounds out what I think defines us," Fox said.
The small batch bakery expanded from its single shop in River North to locations in Lincoln Park, Oak Park, and Naperville.
Fox said it’s his passion for food that separates him from the competition.
"We're not looking to be the biggest, but we want to be the best," he said.
Firecakes, celebrating 9 years of craft donuts, Made in Chicago.
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