Moist, Stunning Cake Donuts and Fluffy, Outstanding Yeast-Raised Donuts Fried To Order! - Oliboli Donuts [Thoughts + Pics]


Thanks to a gracious member of the FTC community, I got this delivery today. I was struck by the 40-hour fermentation dough…it adds such great flavor! I was also struck by how the flavors of each doughnut are meticulously developed. What crazy person would think to do all of these things to a doughnut? To use fresh and perfect fruit? They are both mad and brilliant at the same time.
I think the Meyer Lemon and the Harry’s Berries strawberry doughnuts were so so good! We cut up the doughnuts so we could have a doughnut buffet. I’ve not eaten this many doughnuts in one sitting in a very long time.

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Homey

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Hi @attran99,

So glad you were able to finally try Oliboli! :slight_smile: That base 40 Hour Yeast-Leavened Donut is so good right? Really interesting, and the Meyer Lemon (fragrant, citrusy), and Harry’s Berries’ Strawberry Donut! :heart:

It was really sweet that you got this care package from one of our nice FTC’ers. Next time you visit Oliboli, give their Campfire Donut a try (crazy good). And the Bibingka Cake Donut was great as well.

Hopefully you (or someone here) manages to catch their elusive Mango Passion Fruit Donut (daily special) one of these days. :slight_smile:

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That strawberry rhubarb donut looks beautiful, @Chowseeker1999! I need to get down there to try it, and as you suggested, do a stop at Cream Pan too :slight_smile: it’s been a while since I’ve been to Cream Pan!

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Hi @hanhgry,

Yes, their Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler Donut is wonderful. :slight_smile: Have you ever tried Cococane before? Another great item to try while you’re visiting the area. :smile:

Update 2 (To-Go):

Like a song that gets stuck in your head, I’ve been dying to return to Oliboli Donuts for the past few weeks ever since @attran99 mentioned the new Guava Donut(!) that debuted recently.

Walking into this little family-run establishment, you’re greeted by more impressive seasonal offerings from Donut Maestro Brooke DesPres:

As always, Oliboli offers 2 types of Donuts for all to enjoy, their Yeast-Leavened Donuts (each fried fresh to order(!)), :open_mouth: and their Cake Donuts, which are made at least once per hour.

Meyer Lemon Donut:

Using their 40 hour yeast dough base, the Meyer Lemon Donut continues to be one of the must order items at Oliboli. Taking a bite…

Piping hot, freshly fried Donut, there’s a light tug before the Donut turns into a cloud, so airy and light, and then you’re hit with the incredible Meyer Lemon zest and flavors. It is refreshing, not overly sweet, and so good! :heart:

(New) Plum Jam Donut:

A new seasonal offering, their Plum Jam is another Yeast-Leavened Donut, also fried fresh to order. You get hit with a tart-sweet Plum filling, a bit shocking, but not overly tart where it’s unpleasant, and it finishes with a light sweetness.

(New) Guava Cream-Filled Donut:

The Donut we were looking forward to! :slight_smile: Taking a bite, there’s a slight crispness to the exterior before it gives way to a wonderful tropical, fragrant Guava Cream filling inside! :blush: There’s a little bit of tartness (inherently), but that unmistakable Guava flavor comes through and there’s a nice light sweet and creamy finish. Tasty!

Burnt Butter Bourbon Bacon Donut (Burnt Butter Bourbon Glaze, Fried Fresh Bacon Bit Crumble):

As ridiculous as usual! For those that haven’t tried it yet, do not overlook Oliboli’s Burnt Butter Bourbon Bacon Donut. It is a Yeast-Leavened Donut, and freshly fried. And the Bacon is still freshly fried to order, so you get real crispy Bacon bits as well. :heart: The light tang from the 40 hour yeast dough, the airiness and that Burnt Butter Bourbon Glaze (without it being too sweet) makes this one of the best Donuts on Oliboli’s menu. :blush:

(New) Cactus Pear Donut:

A more unusual flavor for Donuts, this had a light tart-sweet flavor that was unique, and made for an enjoyable new flavor combination. It wasn’t our favorite, but served as a good alternative flavor.

(New) Pêche Fraîche Donut (Peach):

But the highlight of this visit might very well be their new Pêche Fraîche Donut: You see Brooke DesPres’ prowess on full display here, using her 40 hour yeast dough base, freshly fried Donut base, with slices of perfectly ripe Farmers Market Peaches, Housemade Peach Glaze, Almond Crème Fraîche, and Toasted Almonds on top…

You’re hit with juicy, gorgeous in-season ripe Peach flavors, the Housemade Peach Glaze is not overly sweet and just reinforces the fireworks going off in your brain, and then the pairing with the beautiful nutty Almond Crème Fraîche (absurd how good this is), with Toasted Almonds afterwards on a hot, just out of the fryer, freshly fried Donut?

Stupid Good! :heart: :blush: :heart: A must order especially for Peach Lovers!
(@paranoidgarliclover @J_L @PorkyBelly @JeetKuneBao @attran99 @js76wisco @Hungrydrunk @hanhgry and others!)

The freshly fried Yeast-Leavened Donuts (just for your order), the moist Cake Donuts, the thoughtfulness and bright flavors that shine through in each of their seasonal and regular offerings, and the fact that it’s far less sugary than most Donuts is what makes Oliboli Donuts standout from the competition.

The mainstay flavors remain outstanding (like the Meyer Lemon and Burnt Butter Bourbon Bacon), but you continue to get great seasonal offerings like their Strawberry Cobbler (made with Harry’s Berries Organic Strawberries!), the Guava Cream Filled Donut and especially the new Pêche Fraîche (Peach) Donut. I can’t wait to see what’s next.

Oliboli Donuts
135 W. First Street, Suite #B
Tustin, CA 92780
Tel: (714) 760-4876

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The Harry’s Berry strawberry donut is glorious. The cooked to order raised yeast fluffy donut with the beautiful strawberry glaze. YUM.

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Hi @js76wisco,

Nice! :slight_smile: Did you notice any new weekly / seasonal special donuts on this visit?

Wife picked up the donuts. She is terrible at food related information, details and reconnaissance.

But if you want suggestions on what to watch on Netflix let me know, especially Korean dramas.

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Actually… yes, please. :slight_smile:

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Asking for a friend. :wink:

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My wife says Its Ok To Not Be Ok is the best K drama she has watched in a while. Can fully binge watch now. Bring tissues.

Hospital Playlist is also very good but it’s only half a season so you’d have too wait until the other half comes out.

Crash Landing On You is very popular and next on her list.

We also decided Oli Boli > Sidecar > Modo.

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Dangerously close to derailing the thread, but you managed to bring it back on the food track on the very last sentence. Outstanding steering. :smiley:

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I hope it was still warm when you ate it.

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Warmish. Definitely not the same as eating a warm donut off the hood of your car.

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I tried Oliboli for the first time yesterday and @Chowseeker1999, you’re right, these are the best donuts I’ve ever eaten. My husband also agreed.

We waited about 20 minutes in line and then another 5 minutes or so after we placed our order. But it was well worth it.


Top to bottom: strawberry glazed yeast, maple glazed yeast, plain (vanilla bean) glazed yeast, and guava cream filled.

The donuts are definitely best eaten while still warm, and I ate the strawberry donut in one go. I never do that. It was like eating a hot, soft, pillowy cloud. It sounds silly but that’s really what it tasted like. And the strawberry glaze tasted like actual strawberries and it wasn’t tooth achingly sweet either (which is why I could eat it all at once). I love strawberry flavored desserts but I’m wary of strawberry glazed donuts since a lot of them seem to taste really plasticky. But you can taste the strawberries in this glaze.

Also, the glaze on the donuts that had glaze was the right amount-- not too thick or gloppy or super sweet. My husband loved his maple glazed donut, it had a hint of maple which I think is fine because pure maple is really sweet.

Calling the plain glazed donut just “plain” is a disservice to it-- it was better than any “plain” glazed donut I’ve had. You can really taste the vanilla in it.

And the guava cream! WOW. This was delicious. You could really taste the tartness and tangy flavor of the guava shine through. My only quibble is that mine was overfilled and it felt like it was 95% cream and 5% dough…just a tad less guava cream and it would have been perfect. But that’s just being nitpicky, otherwise it was excellent.

We wanted to try so many other flavors, but there was just two of us and the four donuts was a lot to eat (getting old here…). I’ll be back for sure.

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Had the pleasure of trying Oliboli Donuts recently. I used to get my car washed next door, and have passed by thinking this was another Instagram-bait dessert shop. I also don’t have much of a taste for donuts, with some exceptions.

Walking in, you’re greeting with an impressive display. I picked out a few donuts, as one does. Everything is fried fresh, which makes all the difference. I can tell this is one of those places where I’ll have to come back and eventually try everything.

I doubled up on the Bumbleberry, which is fantastic. It reminds me of a certain blueberry donut from a popular shop in Anaheim, except you don’t have to wait in line for three hours. We also loved the Lemon Meyer donut, which is amazingly light and refreshing. My mom especially enjoyed these, which is a big deal because I have never seen her eat a donut in my lifetime.

There’s also a dedicated section for savory donuts. I picked out a ham and cheese pocket, which isn’t cheap at $7 but is truly special. The donut is perfectly crispy outside and fluffy inside, and you get a good feeling just holding it in your hands. If this is any indication of the other items, I would happily grab lunch from Oliboli next time.

A special thanks to all the enthusiasm from the FTC community for this discovery, especially @Chowseeker1999.

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marion berries. lol

I finally finally made the trip to Oliboli.

We got the Original Glazed, Meyer Lemon Glazed, Pastry Cream Filled, and Marion Berry Jam & Ricotta Fry Bread.

These donuts are the best I have ever had. Much better than Sidecar. Why? Sidecar’s donuts can be overly sweet; the flavors of the Oliboli donuts we had were in wonderful balance. Also, Oliboli is fried to order, so no need to ask “What came out last?”.

The skin of the fresh fried donuts has the slightest crunch to it giving way to the pillowy moist airy center. The glazes were perfect for my tastes. Thin enough to not be overly sweet.

The fry bread is just a fried donut (no hole) topped with ricotta and marionberry jam. Really tasty and the only sweetness comes from the jam.

One thing that I have not seen mentioned in this thread that sets Oliboli apart is: THE SMELL

The aroma of the fresh fried donuts yeast-leavened donuts is absolutely delicious.
Most donut shops will smell like sugar, not Oliboli. When I opened the box, I got a waft of fresh yeasty, bready donuts. Really great.

One note: While these donuts are the best I’ve had, they are also the most expensive. The cheapest yeast-leavened donut is $3.50. Is it worth it to enjoy a fresh-fried morning treat? Hell yes!

These are drive-worthy donuts.

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In the Land of Good Donuts, Oliboli is the King/Queen.

And that’s not taking away from Sidecar and the mom n pop Cambodian places because those are great too in their own way. Those mom n pop Cambodian places blows away anything on the east coast

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