The Best Layered Doughnuts in Pleasant Grove: How a Pastor's Road Trip Dream Became Utah's Newest Obsession at Parlor Doughnuts

Walk into Parlor Doughnuts on a Saturday morning in Pleasant Grove and you'll see what happens when someone spends years chasing the perfect doughnut across America—then decides to make their own version that's somehow even better. The air smells like butter and sugar meeting hot oil, and behind the counter, they're pulling fresh batches of their Famous Layered Doughnuts all morning long. Not just once at 5 AM like most places. All. Day. Long.

"Best donut place in Utah," one customer declared on DoorDash after their first order, and honestly? They might be onto something.

From Indiana Church Parking Lots to Utah County: The Darrick Hayden Story

Here's the thing about Darrick Hayden that makes this whole story better: he was a pastor before he became a doughnut entrepreneur. And the way he got into the doughnut business? He spent years touring the country with his son Noah's band, and at every single stop, he'd hunt down the best local doughnuts and coffee. Not as research, exactly—just because he genuinely loved finding great doughnuts.

By 2015, Noah had launched Proper Coffee Roasters in Evansville, Indiana, serving what they believed was the best coffee possible. Four years later, in February 2019, Darrick partnered with Josh Tudela to open the first Parlor Doughnuts in a tiny downtown Evansville shop. They merged Proper Coffee into the concept, and suddenly they had something nobody in the Midwest had seen before: croissant-style layered doughnuts paired with seriously good specialty coffee.

The response? Lines stretched down the sidewalk for months. They opened a second location less than a year later. Today, Parlor operates over 70 locations nationwide, and Pleasant Grove became their first Utah outpost when they opened in May 2025.

The name "Parlor" came from Darrick's fascination with Americana and early 20th-century history—those special rooms in old homes where families gathered, where the best furniture lived, where exceptional things happened. He wanted to recreate that feeling, but with doughnuts and coffee instead of card games and pianos.

The Famous Layered Doughnuts Experience: What Makes Pleasant Grove's Newest Spot Different

Let's talk about what makes these doughnuts different, because if you're expecting a standard cake or yeast doughnut, you're gonna be confused (in the best way). Parlor's signature product uses a proprietary laminated dough technique—the same process that creates croissants, basically. They fold and layer butter into the dough over and over, creating more than 100 distinct layers. When they fry these things, the outside gets crispy and golden while the inside stays light, fluffy, and impossibly buttery.

One reviewer described the texture as more like "a croissant with sweet toppings than a traditional donut," and that's exactly right. If you've ever had a cronut, you're in the ballpark—but Parlor's been perfecting this technique since 2019, and it shows.

Walk up to the counter at the Pleasant Grove location and you'll see around 20 different varieties available at any given time. Customer favorites? The French Toast is a must-try—customers consistently rank it in their top three. "MUST flavors: Blueberry Hill, strawberry shortcake, and French Toast," one enthusiastic reviewer wrote after visiting from the Oceanside, California location. The Blueberry Hill features a vibrant berry glaze with powdered sugar that somehow tastes both indulgent and refreshing. Strawberry Shortcake recreates the dessert with fresh strawberry slices, whipped cream, and graham cracker crumbs on a flaky layered base.

Want something unexpected? The Bourbon Caramel brings a grown-up sophistication to breakfast, while the Campfire doughnut piles on marshmallows and chocolate for a s'mores experience. Maple Bacon does the sweet-savory thing that never gets old, and the Turtle Cheesecake combines pecans, caramel, and chocolate in a way that makes you question whether you're eating breakfast or dessert (spoiler: you don't care).

The real genius move? They make small batches throughout the day. So whether you show up at 7 AM or 3 PM, you're getting doughnuts that were fried within the last few hours, not stuff that's been sitting since dawn. It's a logistical pain for them, probably, but it means Utah County gets genuinely fresh doughnuts all day long.

Dietary Inclusivity Done Right: Vegan, Keto, and Even Dog-Friendly Options

Here's where Parlor separates itself from pretty much every other doughnut shop in Utah County: they actually thought about people with dietary restrictions. Not as an afterthought, but as part of their core menu.

The vegan and gluten-friendly doughnuts are prepared separately and baked instead of fried. One celiac customer wrote: "I haven't had a doughnut in ten years and this was worth the wait!" They described the staff as patient with questions and careful about preparation—critical for anyone with serious food allergies. The gluten-free options come in vanilla or chocolate bases with five different glaze options, including Blueberry Hill, Strawberry Shortcake, and French Toast variations.

For keto dieters, Parlor offers specially formulated low-carb doughnuts. "Really amazing Keto donuts! So happy I could get something like this," one grateful customer shared. It's not common to find keto options at craft doughnut shops, period—let alone ones that actually taste good.

And then there's the Pawlor Doughnuts—yes, they make doughnuts specifically for dogs. Because why should humans have all the fun at a family breakfast outing in Pleasant Grove?

Beyond doughnuts, the breakfast menu includes açaí bowls, avocado toast, breakfast sandwiches, and tacos. The bacon, egg, and cheese croissant sandwich gets consistent mentions as "a great breakfast staple on-the-go."

The Coffee Program: Where It All Started

Remember how Darrick's son Noah started Proper Coffee Roasters before the doughnut shop even existed? That coffee heritage runs deep at Parlor. Every location uses Proper Coffee, roasted specifically for their shops, and the Pleasant Grove location offers the full specialty coffee experience: drip coffee, lattes, cold brew, espresso, matcha, cortados, and seasonal flavors that rotate throughout the year.

The drink menu recently expanded with what they call "energizers"—caffeinated beverages with fun flavor combinations—plus refreshers, blended drinks, and old-fashioned sodas. One reviewer specifically called out the Passion Mango Refresher as "the perfect drink for a hot sunny day."

Pair a Bourbon Caramel doughnut with a cold brew on a Saturday morning, and you'll understand why this place has built such a following so quickly.

Pleasant Grove Meets National Craft: Why This Matters to Utah County's Food Scene

Utah County—especially the stretch between Salt Lake City and Provo—has been underserved when it comes to craft doughnut options. You've got traditional shops like Daylight Donuts, sure, and Bismarck Doughnuts in Orem does good work with gluten-free options. But nobody in Pleasant Grove, American Fork, or Lehi was making anything like these layered, croissant-style doughnuts until Parlor opened their doors in May 2025.

Pleasant Grove is a family-oriented community (51% of households have children under 18), and Parlor's designed their space with that in mind. The parlor-style seating includes plenty of comfortable couches and tables where families can actually sit and hang out, not just grab-and-go. On Pioneer Day, they stayed open regular hours so families could fuel up before celebrations. During grand opening weekend, they offered free doughnuts to anyone who downloaded their Parlor Perks app—a smart way to build loyalty in a new market.

Manager Zach and owner Kenzie have earned specific shout-outs from customers for being personable and welcoming. "Customer service was outstanding and friendly faces behind the counter were eager to help," wrote one reviewer who'd tried Parlor locations in California before finding the Pleasant Grove shop.

The shop fits into Utah County's growing appreciation for craft food experiences—places that take a common category (pizza, coffee, doughnuts) and elevate it without losing accessibility or becoming pretentious. Parlor threads that needle by offering indulgent, Instagram-worthy doughnuts alongside practical breakfast items and genuinely good coffee, all at moderate prices ($3.45 per doughnut, or $2.45 each for a dozen).

Planning Your Visit to Parlor Doughnuts Pleasant Grove

Location: 2135 W 450 S, Suite A, Pleasant Grove, UT 84062

Hours:
Monday-Friday: 6:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday-Sunday: 6:00 AM - 4:00 PM

What to Order:
First-timers should grab a half dozen to try multiple flavors. Based on customer feedback, don't miss: French Toast, Blueberry Hill, and Strawberry Shortcake. If you're into savory-sweet combinations, add Maple Bacon. For chocolate lovers, the Chocolate Chocolate or Turtle Cheesecake won't disappoint.

Order ahead through their website or app to skip the line, or plan to arrive early on weekends when they're busiest. The shop offers delivery through DoorDash if you're in the American Fork, Lehi, or Thanksgiving Point area.

Best Times to Visit:
Weekday mornings (7-9 AM) offer the smallest crowds, while Saturday mornings are peak family time. Because they make batches all day, afternoon visits (2-4 PM) still get you fresh doughnuts—unusual for most doughnut shops.

Follow them: @utahparlordoughnuts on Instagram for seasonal flavor announcements and special promotions.

---

Utah County needed a craft doughnut destination that could serve everyone—families with kids, people with dietary restrictions, coffee snobs, and folks who just want a damn good breakfast. Parlor Doughnuts showed up in Pleasant Grove and checked every single one of those boxes while making over 100 layers of buttery dough look easy. Darrick Hayden spent years searching for the perfect doughnut across America, but turns out, he had to make it himself. Lucky for Utah County, he decided to share it with us.