With my 30th birthday now in the rearview mirror, I’ve had a chance to reflect a little on my birthday and birthday traditions. I loved celebrating as a kid, and the whimsy of it all gradually disappeared year after year as I became a teenager, then a young adult, and finally a full-fledged adult. I was always miserable on my birthday, starting with my 18th. Every year, I expected so much and was left disappointed. Last year, I made a conscious effort to change that. Instead of waiting for other people to make my birthday special, I made it special for myself. I started new traditions, and one of them is to stay awake until midnight the day before and eat a delicious vegan donut when the clock strikes twelve. Now, vegan donuts are hard to find in New Jersey.
But not impossible to find.
So, if you’re also looking for vegan donuts in New Jersey, you’ve come to the right place. Here is an inexhaustive list:
Broad Street Dough Co. (Freehold, Oakhurst, Wall Township)
My absolute favorite place to get donuts, vegan-friendly or not, is Broad Street Dough Company. They’re a New Jersey donut chain with three locations and an extensive vegan donut menu. They offer most of your typical classic flavors (glazed, jelly, sprinkle, etc.) with a ton of specialty options too. Many of their donuts are named after Jersey highways or towns, like the Route 9 and Rumson. They also do plenty of seasonal flavors and they have gluten-free options (but I would ask how celiac-safe they are). Box prices start at $13.99 for six. Overall, I’m a big fan.
Papa Ganache Vegan Bakery (Matawan, Cranford, Manasquan)
One of my favorite bakeries and one of three vegan establishments on this list, Papa Ganache in Matawan is where I get my birthday cakes from every year. And the desserts in their glass cases are also just too damn good. I’ve tried a few things from them over the years, including their cupcakes, fake yodels, and black and white cookies. Their donuts are also great, though not always available, but you can order online for in-store pickup!
Purple Glaze Donuts (Asbury Park)
Purple Glaze Donuts down the shore is one of the next spots I want to check out. They have an entire vegan donut menu that are $3 each or $36 for a baker’s dozen of plain and simple donuts, or $3.50 each or $42 per baker’s dozen for specialty donuts, including their apple pie, chai me a river, and fluffer nutter varieties. It is nice that they have such a wide variety of donut options and also the classics, so there’s something for everyone.
Once Bitten Donuts (Red Bank)
I got donuts for my birthday from Once Bitten Donuts in Red Bank last year and fell in love. Unfortunately, their vegan donut selection is limited to three varieties: choco loco, nutter butter, and Oreo. They are made fresh to order when you’re there, which is great, but they’re also $7.25 per donut. For reference, the current federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour. I had the nutter butter and Oreo donuts, and I did like them both.
Yellow Rose Vegan (Maplewood)
Yellow Rose Vegan is a vegan bakery and cafe that also serves up vegan donuts, among many, many other things on their menu. Although the varieties may vary daily, their current donut offerings include: apple fritters, creme brulee, glazed, chocolate glazed with sprinkles, strawberry with sprinkles, chocolate custard-filled powdered, and apple-filled crumble.
Cats Luck Vegan (Neptune)
Another vegan bakery and cafe, Cats Luck Vegan has all of your favorite Jersey classics, including a Taylor Ham/pork roll, egg, and cheese sandwich and disco fries, but they also have rotating baked goods in their display cases. They do sometimes have donuts, but I would check their Instagram first thing in the morning just in case.
Sweet Avenue Bake Shop (Rutherford)
For all of the North Jersey folks, you can find a few vegan donuts on rotation at Sweet Avenue Bake Shop! They opened in 2007 as one of the first fully vegan bakeries in the country, and continue to sell delicious vegan baked goods with gluten-free options too. Currently, they have an apple cider donut and a strawberry frosted donut available to order online.
I’m sure I’ve missed a place or two, so if I have, please let me know in the comments below.
And if you’re like me, I hope you also create your own special birthday traditions. We don’t know how many we’ll have, so we should make the most of them while we can.
Cheers!
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