3 sweet reasons to hit up Duck Donuts in Alpharetta

If you've been to the Outer Banks of North Carolina, you might already be a fan of Duck Donuts, which opened up its first outpost in the town of Duck, N.C., back in 2006. Serving up made-to-order donuts, coffee and even donut sundaes and breakfast sandwiches, the donut shop recently entered the metro-Atlanta market with an OTP location in Alpharetta (plus one in Buckhead). Here are three sweet reasons to swing by Duck Donuts.

Customization So. Many. Options. At Duck Donuts, you start with their signature vanilla cake donut, made fresh when you order. Then choose a coating—including options like cinnamon sugar, powdered sugar, glazed, icing or bare—and pick a topping (think sprinkles, graham cracker, peanuts, shredded coconut, etc.). Finally, finish it off with a drizzle of hot fudge, marshmallow, salted caramel, raspberry or blackberry. The combinations might seem overwhelming at first, but creating half a dozen unique, warm creations is a fun challenge for the family to see who can make the tastiest bite. Their patient and friendly employees didn't blink an eye as I stared at the menu board (for what felt like an annoying amount of time) picking out my selections. Out of my concoctions, a cinnamon sugar donut with hot fudge, a blueberry donut with blackberry drizzle and a bare donut with coconut and salted caramel were easily the favorites. If you don't want to customize it yourself, they offer a host of pre-created flavor combos that makes ordering much simpler.
D onut breakfast sandwich We're suckers for a good mix of savory and sweet, which is just what you get in the form of the OBX Donut Breakfast Sandwich. Add egg, cheese, sausage or bacon, and then envelop it between a fresh, sliced donut. For an extra-indulgent option, finish it off with some glaze and bacon crumbles on top. It's sort of like the McGriddle on steroids.
A twist on the sundae A late afternoon ice cream treat takes on a new form in the shape of a donut sundae. A warm donut, with your choice of coating, is topped with a scoop of Breyers ice cream and then finished with a flavored drizzle. You can't go wrong with the salted caramel donut sundae, or try the s'mores donut sundae for a campfire-like treat.3005 Old Alabama Rd., Alpharetta, 470-385-6303, duckdonuts.com.