When I first moved to Champaign in 2015, I lived right across the street from where the Pandamonium Doughnuts food truck would sit. I was always intrigued as it was my first time seeing a food truck dedicated to doughnuts, but I never had a chance to visit.
A couple of years later, Pandamonium Doughnuts opened a store front on Windsor Road. This location was more convenient for me as it was closer to where I spent the majority of my day, so I finally got the chance to visit. I enjoyed the atmosphere, the friendliness of the staff, and most of all, the artisan doughnuts.
Photo by Jessica Earley.
I knew during my first visit that I would return, and I did, time and time again. Unfortunately, with the pandemic in full swing, I halted my doughnut outings. That was until this past weekend, when I placed an order for pickup through Pandamonium Doughnuts’ website. The process was simple enough. You can place an order for up to a week ahead (or for next day pickup) as long as the order is in before 9 p.m. the previous day. For pickup, you need to order a minimum of four doughnuts. This was no problem because I was sharing with my doughnut-loving husband.
Not only are their artisan doughnuts available to be pre-ordered; they also have hot and cold drinks available. These are prepared when you arrive to pick up your order, so no need to worry about arriving at a certain time. Staff only ask that you pickup your order on the selected day between 8 a.m and noon.
We ordered four doughnuts and a blended drink to try. We chose to wait until closer to noon to pick up our order. It was a good call to reserve some doughnuts because by the time we picked up our order, only two doughnuts remained. There are two separate lines, split off by a rope. One line is for those who choose to order in-store. The other line is for those who have preordered. The rope barricades the area, and an employee will take your name and hand you your order at the door. We waited an extra few minutes for the drink as it was prepared on arrival. Overall, we were in and out of Pandamonium in five minutes.
We chose four doughnuts that we felt would best reflect a little of everything Pandamonium Doughnuts has to offer: cookies n’ cream, cereal killer, blueberry lemon, and their vegan offering for the week, raspberry chocolate.
Photo by Jessica Earley.
Cookies n’ cream ($3.75) was my husband’s pick. He’s a big fan of Oreos and was not disappointed by this doughnut. Filled with a housemade Oreo buttercream, this doughnut is sweet from the inside out with a vanilla glaze and crushed cookie crumbles topping the outside.The texture of the doughnut was light and fluffy, allowing the sweetness to not be too overwhelming. A delicious option for someone craving something sweet, but not sickly sweet.
Photo by Jessica Earley.
Cereal killer ($2.50) is a doughnut that calls to my nostalgia. Dipped in a cereal milk glaze and topped with Fruity Pebbles, this doughnut combines the best of two types of breakfast offerings. It was sweet with the same light and fluffy texture as the other yeast doughnuts available. The crunch of the Fruity Pebbles was a nice addition and added a fun texture to the doughnut. Bright and colorful, this doughnut is a great option for adults and children alike.
Photo by Jessica Earley.
Blueberry lemon ($2.75) is a fruitier, lighter option for those who enjoy doughnuts but don’t always want a sweet doughnut. Dipped in a blueberry lemon glaze, this boldly colored doughnut contains no food coloring or artificial flavoring. It’s another yeast doughnut offering with the same light and fluffy texture as the others. I really can’t say enough good things about the yeast doughnuts that are the base for many of Pandamonium Doughnuts’ options. For the blueberry lemon in particular, it allows the flavor of the glaze to shine through. I tasted the sweetness of the blueberries with the tart of the lemon, combined into one amazing doughnut.
Photo by Jessica Earley.
Raspberry chocolate ($2.75) is a vegan option available at Pandamonium. Not only that, it is also a cake doughnut option for those who prefer a moist, cakier texture. Another fun-colored doughnut, its color is all-natural, derived from the raspberry used for the glaze. After it was dipped, it was then drizzled with chocolate. This doughnut experience sets itself apart from the rest:it was a chocolate cake doughnut. Eating this chocolate cake doughnut was more like eating a cupcake than a doughnut. That didn’t bother me at all as this doughnut was not dry or crumbly. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised to discover how moist it was, almost melting in my mouth. The raspberry flavor helped balance out this very chocolate doughnut, making it just the right amount of sweet without being too much. Vegans and non-vegans alike will enjoy this cake doughnut.
Besides doughnuts, Pandamonium Doughnuts also offers an extensive drink menu. They have many different styles of coffee and tea, matcha, smoothies, and more. I was most interested in trying out their blended drinks. Pandemonium Doughnuts blended drinks ($5.75 for 16 oz or $6.00 for 20 oz.) come in a variety of flavors. They have mocha, salted caramel, vanilla bean, chai latte, and cereal killer available.
Photo by Jessica Earley.
Having gotten the cereal killer doughnut, I felt the cereal killer blended drink alongside it would make for a perfect pairing. Spoiler alert: it did. The blended drink was a unique creation, sort of a cross between a slushie and a milkshake. Cream-based and blended with Fruity Pebbles, this drink was sweet but not as heavy as your standard milkshake. The slushie texture made for a thinner drink, easily slurped up with a straw. Pair it with the cereal killer doughnut, and you have a combo that will delight your taste buds — and if you’re like me, take you back to Saturday mornings spent watching cartoons while enjoying a bowl of your favorite cereal.
Pandamonium Doughnuts has quickly grown in just a few years time, offering a variety of fun and unique flavor combinations. It’s easy to see why they’ve become a local favorite for many, myself included. Whether you’re making a quick stop before starting your day, or looking to order a dozen doughnuts or more to share, you can count on Pandamonium Doughnuts to meet your doughnut and drink needs!
Pandamonium Doughnuts Store
1105 Windsor Rd
Champaign
W-F 7:30 a.m. until sold out
Sa+Su 8 a.m. until sold out
Pandamonium Doughnuts Food Truck
Goodwin Ave + Oregon St
W-F 8 a.m. until sold out
Urbana Market at the Square
Sa 8 a.m. until sold out