Slow Rise is winning hearts and taste buds with its small-batch sourdough doughnuts that are as thoughtful as they are delicious. Based in Lawrence, Slow Rise was founded by Jessica Dunkel, a food scientist.
“I've always worked in food, but on the science side as a food scientist, not a baker--but I guess baking is also science,” says Dunkel. “Baking started out as a hobby, but over time, I became a little obsessed with doughnuts. I just kept coming back to them. There’s something about them that is very tricky to get right, but they are also really fun to make.
“On New Year’s 2022, a friend gave me a sourdough starter, and instead of learning how to make sourdough bread like everyone else, I dove straight into sourdough doughnuts without any clue what I was doing. From there, things kind of took on a life of their own. My husband, Jeff, and our three boys encouraged me to start selling them, so we signed up for the Lawrence Farmers Market and the rest is history.”
Her first batch of sourdough doughnuts sold out quickly, and from that moment on, Slow Rise started gaining a loyal following. The doughnuts themselves are unlike anything else in the region.
“Our dough goes through a 72-hour fermentation process, which gives it that soft, slightly chewy texture and a hint of tanginess. We usually skip the glazes and coat our doughnuts in sugar instead. Our fillings are never too overwhelmingly sweet. We want to highlight the layers of texture and flavor for our customers to experience with every bite.”
The menu is ever-changing, reflecting what’s in season and what local ingredients are available.
“It’s hard to say which flavors are the most popular since our flavors rotate often. We like to focus on local and seasonal ingredients, and those tend to sell out fast, like strawberry rhubarb, country peach, and our sweet corn and elote fillings during corn season, which were big hits last year. Pandan coconut is one of our more unique flavors and a consistent crowd favorite. We also make a savory everything doughnut filled with whipped cream cheese, chives and roasted garlic. When I first brought up the idea of a savory doughnut, my husband thought I was out of my mind, but the response totally surprised us in the best way. Our customers have adventurous taste buds and we love their enthusiasm to try whatever fun flavors we come up with.”
This fall, Slow Rise will take the next step with the opening of its first storefront location in Overland Park. While there’s no official grand opening date just yet, the team is aiming for early fall.
“I never had a big plan when we started and never dreamed of opening a brick and mortar, but we kept hitting these moments where opportunities popped up, and it felt right to follow them. In 2023, I took the leap and left my full-time job to give Slow Rise my full attention. Now here we are getting ready to open our very first brick and mortar. It’s still surreal and exciting.
“We owe so much of this to our community. From the beginning, people have shown up for us in such a big way. We have an incredibly loyal following, and over half of our customers are repeat customers, which is still kind of mind-blowing and something we’re really grateful for.”
Slow Rise will be located at 11228 West 135th Street in Overland Park. For more information on their grand opening, visit slowrise.co.
"From the beginning, people have shown up for us in such a big way."