Donut Worry, Be Happy

Photos courtesy of Pandemic Donuts

Talk about making lemonade out of lemons– Gabrielle Henning and Michael Milton took a sour situation and made it sweet. After getting laid off from jobs in the service industry due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the duo turned their donut-making hobby into a business.

Pandemic Donuts was built on creativity, a passion for pastries and tenacity when faced with adversity. 

Seasoned pastry-chef Henning and coffee-expert Milton initially met while working at Improper City in Denver. Although their careers took them on different paths, they found themselves in the same situation after the government-mandated stay-at-home orders. They paired up to create Pandemic Donuts, and thanks to its growing popularity, they hope to open a brick-and-mortar store post-COVID.  

Baking only yeast or old-fashioned donuts, this side hustle became an overnight success after generating some buzz on Instagram when the duo posted images of their imaginative-flavored treats that now sell out daily. 

Available for pickup or delivery, the bakery offers more than the traditional glazed donut with rotating flavors daily like Key Lime Pie Old Fashioned, Blueberry Cheesecake and Lemon Poppyseed ready for grabs Wednesday through Sunday (with the addition of Tuesday on the way). 

For the purists out there, yes, there are staple sweets like Powdered Sugar, Vanilla Sprinkle and of course, Glazed, still gracing the menu. The duo also is also set to partner with Queen City Collective Coffee with options like cold brew or coffee beans for purchase along with the handmade dozen (of half dozen) fried cakes.