Bites: Sampling the treats at Tiger Deaux-nuts

Clockwise from top, cookie butter, king cake and strawberry cream cheese doughnuts from Tiger Deaux-nuts. Staff photo

Doughnuts can be dangerous. Desserts disguised as “breakfast,” they’re inexpensive and small enough that it feels like it might be OK to have more than one.

It seems all of Baton Rouge has been eagerly anticipating Tiger Deaux-nuts’ re-opening since it closed on Jones Creek Road last year. On its first day open again in late January, I heard the doughnuts were sold out by 9 a.m.

On a recent Wednesday morning, I drove to Government Street in the cold rain—the kind of weather that makes you want to avoid being outdoors at all costs, even if just to run from your car to a store—but I knew the trip would be worth it.

The new storefront is non–descript, but inside the shop I was greeted by the sweet scent of sugar and fried dough. A metal rack behind the counter displayed the shop’s everyday doughnuts—maple and bacon, bananas and cream, cookie butter and strawberry cream cheese. It was about 8:30 a.m., and they looked to be half sold-out.

A giant chalkboard listed the rest of the daily specials, including mint chocolate chip, white chocolate mocha, thin mint, peanut butter cup, cookies and cream, vanilla jalapeño, s’mores, Cinnamon Toast Crunch and coconut. Specialty deaux-nuts are $2 each or $10 for a half dozen.

The cashier suggested the popular maple bacon and cookie butter—or his favorite, strawberry cream cheese. I ordered a few doughnuts (see? You can’t just have one), but the standout for me was the strawberry cream cheese: a glazed doughnut topped with a dollop of cream cheese and a strawberry.

The doughnut itself was fluffy and just light enough to let its toppings do all the talking. The flavor combination of the sweet, whipped cream cheese and the fresh, thinly sliced strawberry was delicious enough to make me want to either take really tiny bites so the doughnut would last longer … or succumb to ordering another one.

Tiger Deaux-nuts’ hours are 6 a.m. to noon (or until sell-out). It is located at 5162 Government St. 421-1091. facebook.com/tigerdeauxnuts