Tom and I discovered a new bakery here on St. Simons Island, Dulce Dough.  It wasn’t here when we were here two years ago, and we were excited to think the island had its own bakery.  I had seen it listed this year as being one of the island restaurants, but it always had the word “closed” next to the online description.  Susan Jennings, who is more persistent than I am when it comes to sweets, went by the location and found out it is open Wednesday through Sunday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.  No wonder it always said closed when I looked!  The only days we could visit were Wednesday because we worked the other days they were open.

Finally, the planets aligned with a day off and time to go check it out.  Of course, the best time to visit a bakery is right when it opens.  Otherwise the offerings are more limited.  Tom and I went late in the morning and there weren’t many brioches left, but we were able to buy three.  We split one and took the other two to Rangers Phil and Bob.

Dulce Dough doesn’t have donuts – they have brioche.  I asked about the difference.  Brioche are like yeast donuts only enriched:  more eggs and butter.  Like yeast donuts, they are fried, but the outside is slightly crunchier.  Fresh, warm donuts – or brioche – are the best!  I found this recipe for brioche donuts which looks like it would produce something similar to what Dulce Dough sells.  Brioche donuts taste like the confluence of the best New Orleans beignets and a wonderful glazed donut.  Dulce Dough uses the same dough for all its brioche, but it varies the fillings and frostings.

Tom and I split a maple brioche and it was delicious.  Warm and gooey and very sweet.  We got our rangers the maple bacon brioche.  They are the same as the maple but with pieces of bacon on top, made for those who think bacon improves any dish.  In looking over the online menu, I saw that they have Carrot Cake Swiss Roll that you can order for Easter.  If we had been on the island on Easter, we would have gotten one of those!  They also have maple bacon cinnamon rolls which get rave reviews.  But you have to get there by 8:30 if you want a cinnamon roll because they sell out fast.

Dulce Dough also sells quiche and biscuits and gravy.  They have a nice, coffee-shop feel to their seating area.  In fact, the only ding that I can think of is their tiny, crowded parking lot.  It was hard to get in and out with the Prius and would have been impossible with our old truck.

Dulce Dough opened in January 2021, which was a very brave time to open anything.  But, from how busy they were on the day we visited, they have found a niche on the island.  I look forward to trying them again next year!