Just up the road and tucked away in the Trails of 620 shopping center sits one of the best sweet stops in the Lake Travis area. Angel Donuts and Treats is independently-owned and run by master donut chefs and bakers Angela Whitman and Cyndra Larsen. What began as two roommates concocting and baking up sweets out of their place has turned into a full-time business. But their passion for baking didn’t start with donuts.
“It started with cake balls; we tried some cake balls and thought they were pretty amazing, then we started playing with different flavors,” Larsen goes on to say. Her love for the dessert is apparent in the large glass display in front showcasing the dozen or so flavors of cake balls she has perfected over the years.
After that original dessert came many others: cake donuts, raised ring donuts, cinnamon rolls, you name it. Much to their friends’ delight, many of these early sweets found a way into their hands, sparking an interest in the special treats back before the idea of the business had even been imagined. Pals probed into when the duo might expand into their own shop to sell the savory sweets; samples were not enough.
Whitman’s parents had an extensive background in running a donut shop in Arlington, and having been so close to the process as a child proved to be a strong point in moving them in the direction of opening their own donut shop someday. After a bit of planning and working out what would make the shop stand out, they made their move — leasing the space and opening their hearts and ovens to the residents of the Lake Travis area.
“When we started looking there were no donut shops in the area at all. And then we got in the process and two more opened up,” co-owner and baker Cyndra Larsen states. Even so, her shop is one that seems to stand out among traditional donut counters, starting with their fresh ingredients and laid-back Austin attitude.
Work starts the night before in order to have fresh donuts by 6:00am. Part donut chef and part creative mind behind the design of Angel Donuts & Treats is Vu, who arrives around 9:00pm to start prepping dough for the next morning. Around 2:30am, a sleepy Cyndra arrives on the scene to pick up the process and fry the circular treats. It is during these hours in the dead of night that these fresh donuts get made. By opening time Angela is ready to run the shop, and throughout the day the trio pass along these critical shop duties to one another, balancing the business and art of baking together.
One reason to make a visit to Angel Donut and Treats is their welcoming vibe. As you walk in the front entrance, you are welcomed with a leathery lounge area that just begs for a long donut-fueled study session. Bible study groups and students from across the street at Concordia University have made this a prime meeting spot, in addition to UT students looking to cram for a final exam or two.
Another reason is their extensive menu. In addition to your classic favorite donuts like glazed, sprinkles and eclairs, you have Maple Bacon Donuts, Red Velvet Cake donuts and Salted Caramel Old-Fashioned donuts. You truly have your pick of breakfast desserts, including kolaches!
And if you have a tiny sweet tooth but just want a taste of some of their favorites, try their maple bacon bites or mini-cinnamon rolls. Don’t forget to try their cake balls, too. I’m amazed at the tiny artful spheres, so tasty and delicately decorated.
Drinks are mostly coffee-based along with a handful of colorful boba tea creations. You can have them blended with ice, which is a cool way to take in the tea on a sweltering summer day. With more than enough caffeinated drinks and sugar/carb creations, people with projects or looking to get work done have plenty to choose from when the energy levels wane and you need a pick-me-up.
Stop by the next time you get a craving for sweets or need a quick bite to eat in the morning. Take a picture with one of their treats and tag it appropriately on your Instagram account to get a $5 gift card for more sweets. Is it any wonder why they have so many fans? This is one Lake Travis area donut shop that is on the rise — literally! Just look for the angel with the tasty donut halo.
Angel Donuts & Treats
8300 North FM 620, Building A, Suite 200 (map)
Austin, TX 78726
Hours:
Monday-Friday: 6:30am – 9:00pm
Saturday-Sunday: 7:00am – 9:00pm
