Photos by Amber Bauhoff Photography
Two ex-bodybuilders turned their biggest craving into a Hudson Valley foodie hotspot with over-the-top donuts that are out of this world.
For years, Jhori Jurgenson and her boyfriend, Jason Garvey, competed in professional bodybuilding competitions. They followed restrictive diets and kept their bodies in top shape. After every competition, they’d feast. Sometimes, there was only one craving on their minds: donuts.
Finding donuts that could satisfy their months-long cravings, however, felt like a nearly impossible task. “I kept seeing all these cookie shops exploding on social media. I said to my mother on Mother’s Day, ‘Hey, you know what? Let’s open a donut shop,’” explains Jurgenson. “We got to work the very next day.”
Cosmic Donuts opened in October 2020, and there’s been a line out the door ever since. The team takes its craft seriously. At midnight, Chef Janoy Harrison begins the tedious process of weighing ingredients; making, proofing, and rolling the dough; and batching donuts for frying. Each batch takes about 40 minutes — and the weekend rush requires 10 batches minimum.
The out-of-this-world menu is structured in three tiers: $2 plain or glazed “Star” donuts; $3 “Nebulas,” which have two or more toppings; and $4 “Supernovas,” which are filled, frosted, and topped. Check out fan favorites like maple-bacon, Anything Cannoli, and Boston crème. For the more adventurous, there are outrageous options like fluffernutter, mango hibiscus, root beer float, and blueberry French toast.
Ever have a breakfast sandwich on a glazed donut? Try the B.E.D. (bacon-egg-and-donut, of course). Customers can also sip coffee from Massachusetts-based roaster, No. Six Depot, and indulge in creative espresso drinks, like the fluffernutter latte.
With such a dynamic and zany donut shop, it’s no wonder Jurgenson and company succeeded at opening a business amid the pandemic. In fact, they’re even opening a second location in Great Barrington, Massachusetts — Jurgenson’s hometown. “In a time where the world was chaotic and sad, we brought fun and happiness — something new and unique that would bring a little light to someone’s life,” says Jurgenson.
