This is Boston Doughnuts, a doughnut shop specialising in large-format yeast-raised doughnuts characterised by a light, aerated structure. Having initially visited their Bass Hill store, the business expanded to Chatswood in 2026.
Each doughnut measured approximately 10 cm in diameter, with only four fitting into a standard box. Despite their size, the dough remained notably light, combining a tender crumb and gentle chew beneath a thin, lightly crisp exterior.
2025
Cinnamon ($6.00)
Presented with a generous sugar-coated exterior.
Initial contact delivered immediate sweetness, with the sugar coating proving more prominent than the cinnamon itself. Through the mid-palate, the dough displayed a light, airy crumb with gentle elasticity and good moisture retention. The finish remained clean, though the spice profile never fully asserted itself against the sweetness of the coating.
Original Glaze ($6.00)
Presented with a thin, even glaze.
Initial contact delivered restrained sweetness that added moisture and flavour to the otherwise lightly sweetened dough. Through the mid-palate, the glaze integrated cleanly without becoming cloying, allowing the texture of the dough to remain the primary focus. Notably, the glaze maintained its structure well despite humid conditions, avoiding the tackiness often seen in similar products. The dough was slightly denser than mass-market equivalents while retaining softness and elasticity.
Pineapple Glaze ($6.00)
Presented with a lightly yellow-toned interior, suggesting some absorption of the glaze.
Initial contact delivered a bright pineapple sweetness. Through the mid-palate, the dough remained tender and moist, while a subtle savoury undertone helped moderate the fruit sweetness. The finish carried lingering pineapple notes without excessive acidity, creating a balanced profile. Subsequent repurchases, however, revealed a gradual decline in pineapple intensity, with later versions offering little discernible fruit character.
Pineapple Fritter ($6.00)
Presented with an irregular structure and visible fruit inclusions.
Initial contact delivered a moist, tender crumb with excellent hydration. Through the mid-palate, pieces of dried pineapple introduced intermittent bursts of acidity and chew, creating both flavour contrast and textural variation. A mild savoury note within the dough tempered the sweetness effectively. The finish remained balanced, with the fruit and dough integrating cleanly. As with the glazed version, later visits showed a noticeable reduction in pineapple content and flavour intensity.
Apple Pie ($7.50)
Presented with a filled structure and crumble topping.
The dough was soft and highly hydrated, integrating readily with the custard filling. Through the mid-palate, apple pieces provided acidity and textural contrast, while the crumble contributed an additional layer of structure. The finish balanced sweetness and fruit acidity effectively, creating one of the more cohesive filled doughnuts in the range.
2026
Having initially visited their Bass Hill store, the business expanded to Chatswood in 2026.
Apple Pie ($8.50)
Presented with a filled structure and crumble topping.
Compared with the 2025 version, the doughnut appeared approximately 2 cm smaller in diameter and featured a noticeably higher proportion of custard relative to apple. Initial contact delivered a custard-forward profile. Through the mid-palate, the apple contributed firmer texture and acidity, though in reduced quantity. The dough carried a subtle cinnamon note without excessive sweetness. The finish felt less balanced than before, with the cinnamon topping introducing slight bitterness that became more apparent due to the reduced fruit presence.
Apple Crumble ($8.50)
Presented with a filled structure and crumble topping.
Initial contact delivered a sweet custard-led profile. Through the mid-palate, apple introduced tang and firmness, though the crumble contributed less textural contrast than expected. Custard remained the dominant element throughout, with the dough providing limited counterbalance. The finish remained sweet, lacking sufficient acidity to offset the richness of the filling.
Cherry Ripe ($11.00)
A chocolate doughnut filled with cherry-flavoured coconut filling, topped with chocolate glaze, additional coconut, a maraschino cherry and chocolate icing.
The flavour profile closely mirrored that of a Cadbury Cherry Ripe, while presenting a more pronounced cherry character. Through the mid-palate, rich chocolate and sweet coconut combined with bright cherry notes to recreate the confection effectively. Despite the richness of the toppings and filling, the light structure of the dough prevented the doughnut from becoming overly heavy.
Dubai Chocolate Mini Eclair ($6.00)
A mini éclair measuring approximately 10 cm in length.
The kataifi pastry provided a crisp, crunchy contrast to the softer dough. However, the pistachio kataifi filling lacked the rich savoury nuttiness expected of the style. Instead, the hazelnut chocolate dominated the profile almost entirely, muting both the pistachio and rose elements. Despite its presentation, the overall impression was closer to a Nutella-filled éclair with added crunch.
Pistachio Mini Doughnut ($3.00)
A mini doughnut measuring approximately 5 cm in diameter.
Despite the visible pistachio components, chocolate again dominated the flavour profile. The pistachio contributed more visual appeal than flavour impact. The dough retained the same light, airy texture as the larger doughnuts, remaining the strongest component of the product.
Chocolate Glazed Mini Doughnut ($2.50)
Similar in size to the pistachio version.
The thicker, darker chocolate glaze provided greater flavour intensity than the pistachio variant. Rich chocolate notes carried the doughnut effectively, while the hundreds and thousands contributed a light crunch that added textural interest. Simplicity worked in its favour.
Honey Cake ($11.00)
Presented as a layered honey cake finished with pistachio crumbs and dried rose petals.
Initial contact delivered a soft and exceptionally light texture, with the delicate layers exhibiting a fine crumb and integrating cleanly with the cream filling. The cake remained well hydrated throughout, producing an airy mouthfeel without becoming overly rich or dense.
Through the mid-palate, however, the flavour profile proved far more restrained than expected of a medovik. The defining honey notes were largely absent, leaving the pistachio crumbs and rose petals to provide much of the cake’s aromatic identity. While both elements complemented the cream pleasantly enough, they also drew attention to the relative neutrality of the cake itself. The texture remained the strongest component of the dessert, though it was not supported by sufficient flavour development.
Towards the finish, the cream resolved cleanly with gentle nutty and floral notes lingering briefly on the palate. The overall flavour profile remained pleasant and inoffensive, though ultimately unremarkable given the expectations established by its name. Rather than functioning as supporting elements, the pistachio and rose became the primary flavour components of the dessert. Had the rose notes been incorporated into the cream layers themselves, the cake may have benefited from leaning more deliberately into a rose and honey-inspired interpretation rather than a restrained medovik.
While technically well executed from a textural perspective, this was a less successful interpretation of honey cake, lacking the rich, caramelised honey character that defines the traditional dessert.
Across the range, the base dough remained remarkably consistent, exhibiting a light, aerated crumb, controlled chew and stable exterior structure. The strongest products tended to be those where fruit flavours were clearly defined and integrated into the doughnut rather than overwhelmed by sweeter fillings.
Boston Doughnuts is located at various locations in Sydney, including Bass Hill, Chatswood and Chester Hill.