A recipe for Bear Doughnuts inspired by our visit to the San Diego Zoo in San Diego, California! These baked donuts are shaped into polar bears and brown bears.
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San Diego Zoo
A couple of weeks ago, we visited the San Diego Zoo for the first time! It was such an amazing and very busy day.
The San Diego Zoo is located in San Diego, California at 2920 Zoo Drive within Balboa Park. As one of two parks (putting together our day at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park soon!) included in the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, they are an international, nonprofit organization with a focus on conservation and were also among the first to recreate natural animal habitats through open-air exhibits.
This wildlife park is quite large at 100-acres and home to over over 12,000 animals representing more than 650 species and subspecies. It is also a botanical garden with 700,000 individual plants!
We spent a full day here and still didn’t get a chance to see everything. If short on time, it is possible to squeeze essentials into a half-day. Downloading the official San Diego Zoo app on my phone and looking through the map before our visit to prioritize must-sees was definitely helpful. The kids also appreciated the large paper maps once we entered the park.
Check hours on their website before visiting. There are special events held throughout the year. On the day of our visit, the zoo was open from 9 am to 5 pm. Parking in the zoo-designated lot is free at the time of this post (2022).
Northern Frontier
For an additional cost and based on availability, the San Diego Zoo has an incredible range of special experiences for the opportunity to learn more about specific animals and often get a closer look.
Evan is currently fascinated by bears, Polar Bears in particular, so I was excited to see an option for an Inside Look Tour for Polar Bears and Friends.
We met with a guide right before opening and were escorted on a cart through the park for a 90 minute incredibly informative and fantastic experience.
With the morning start time, we were able to see the polar bears while they were active and eating. With just our family and the guide, it was also a sensory-friendly way to learn about the three bears (Kalluk, Chinook, and Tatqiq) in the habitat and polar bears in the wild.
From the underwater viewing room, we spent about 30 minutes watching the bears interact and swim from both above ground and below the surface. The kids also loved the polar bear statues and a fun hands-on polar bear den to explore.
As a note, the specific animal experiences may change based on the safety and health of the animals. A few other tour options include an Early Morning Cheetah Experience, Crazy About Cats, Animals in Action, and additional focused Inside Looks.
While the Polar Bears were definitely the highlight of the Northern Frontier, other animals include the Reindeer, Canadian Lynx, and more.
I especially loved the beautiful colors of the Bufflehead and Harlequin Duck in the Arctic Aviary.
Discovery Outpost
Front Street Sweet Shack
We just snacked during our day at the zoo, but did have a fun treat at the Front Street Sweet Shack after finishing the tour. The menu is filled with sweet and hearty items such as Crispy Fried Chicken and Waffles with a Bacon Maple Syrup, Doughnut Burgers, Sundaes, and Chicken Strips.
Chad and I split the Monte Cristo (Black Forest ham and Gruyere cheese in crispy egg-coated brioche bread) paired with a raspberry sauce and curly fries. The fries actually caught me by surprise and were quite good. The kids each got a scoop of vanilla and strawberry ice cream.
Most of the dining around the park consists of snack stands and counter-service restaurants with outdoor seating. Albert’s is the only sit down, full-service restaurant and is located in the Lost Forest section overlooking a private waterfall. Reservations are recommended, particularly during high-traffic days.
From the Front Street Sweet Shack, we walked across the street to the Reptile House. It is one of the earliest buildings in the zoo (originally built in 1936) and a huge favorite for both Evan and Claire.
The Komodo Kingdom is just a few steps away and opened recently in 2021. It is home to two Komodo dragons in 2,700 square feet with beach, woodland, and mountain highland areas with pools, misters, hot rocks and heated caves mimicking the native environment from Komodo Island in Indonesia.
The new Hummingbird Habitat also opened in 2021. In addition to several species of hummingbirds (which I ended up not getting a single photo of-they are fast!), this habitat also has birds from North and South America.
My particular favorite was the Wattled Jacana (bottom left in the photo above). Found in most of South America east of the Andes, western Panama, and Trinidad, this waders have incredibly long legs, toes, and claws to distribute weight over a large area. This helps them walk across the tops of aquatic plants such as lily pads.
The Reptile Walk is just behind the reptile house and opened in 2012. Over 50 reptile and amphibian species can be viewed along the path such as the critically endangered Chinese Alligator, Galápagos Tortoise, and Gharial.
Lost Forest
We walked through the Lost Forest after Discovery Outpost. It is definitely easy to get lost with the abundance of trails at multiple levels! I may have gotten turned around more than once, but had a much easier time after pulling the paper map back out.
Luckily, many of the paths are shaded and it is a great spot to visit during the hotter parts of the day.
A few notable animals in the area include the Angolan Colobus Monkey, Malayan Tiger, Fishing Cat, Crowned Eagle, Orangutan, Mandrill, and more.
This is also a great section for bird watchers with multiple aviaries. The Owens Aviary was a fun place to find colorful birds hidden among the trees (plus many out in the open) across two levels of paths.
Asian Passage
Asian Passage was another favorite for the kids with the Red Panda, Snow Leopard, Amur Leopard, and even more bears!
Walking across the Bashor Bridge also offers some beautiful views of the area.
Along Upper Center Street just east of the entrance, we were able to see the Andean Bear, Sloth Bear, Sun Bear, and North American Grizzly Bear. I especially loved the Andean Bear with its beautiful markings and expressive features (also known as the spectacled bear).
Africa Rocks
The Africa Rocks section was completed in 2017. It highlights the incredible biodiversity across Africa with Cape Fynbos, West African forest, Acacia Woodland, Ethiopian Highlands, Kopje, and Madagascar Forest.
We ended up missing walking across most of this path and the Elephant Odyssey (did drive through on the tour at least!), so it will be our starting point during a hopefully next visit.
Urban Jungle
The Urban Jungle is nestled between the Asian Passage and Africa Rocks. The path takes you on a loop to see the Cheetah, Rhinoceros, Giraffe, Fennec Fox, and more.
Outback
We finished our day with a walk through the Outback. San Diego Zoo is home to the largest number of Koalas outside of Australia and it was so fun trying to spot them across the trees. We even saw a couple of babies.
This section also has the Wallaby, Tasmanian Devil, and Laughing Kookaburra.
Overall, we had such a fantastic time! We saw most of the zoo in a day, but two would have been perfect to see everything at a relaxed pace.
Many of the animals are active in the morning, especially on hot days. The zoo can get crowded during holidays and the weekend. We happened to visit on a Friday when the kids’ school district had a day off, but San Diego’s did not. Crowds were relatively light.
Kids can visit for free in October at the time of this post. This can increase crowd levels.
Be sure to pack sunscreen year-round. A hat is also helpful. Temperatures are generally cooler in the winter, but we still had a bright, sunny nearly 90˚F (32˚C) day mid-February.
Heartwork Coffee Bar
On the way to the San Diego Zoo, we stopped by Heartwork Coffee Bar for coffee and pastries! Located in Mission Hills at 3993 Goldfinch Street, the coffee shop is only about 2 miles (3 kilometers) northwest of the zoo.
We tried to Iced Vanilla Latte, Iced Honey and Cinnamon Latte, and vegan croissants (from Hazel & Jade Bakery). The flavors were perfect and such a refreshing start to the day.
Dunedin New Zealand Eats
On the way back to the hotel, we stopped by Dunedin New Zealand Eats in North Park to pick up take-out at 3501 30th Street. Ordering online was easy through their website.
We tried the:
- NZ Meat Pie- two seasoned beef, lamb, and Cheddar cheese pies wrapped in puff pastry and paired with steak fries.
- BBLT- a huge sandwich with burrata, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and a sweet and spicy mayo.
- Onion Dip- Classic New Zealand onion dip with fresh housemate chips.
- Kids Dino Nuggets with fruit.
- Kids Cheeseburger with fries.
- Plus a side of Skinny Fries with sweet pepper seasoning.
Everything was so good after a long day at the zoo and I hope to recreate the NZ Meat Pies sometime.
Bear Doughnuts
When coming up with ideas for a recipe to pair with this post, Evan requested a combination of his two favorite things- bears and doughnuts! This was especially perfect since we spent so much time with the polar bears during this trip. I am so excited to share the results!
For the baked doughnut base, I used my recipe for Baked Funfetti Doughnuts (minus the sprinkles- though of course you are welcome to add them for even more fun).
After cooling to room temperature, I topped half of the doughnuts with a vanilla glaze to make polar bears. I topped the other half with a chocolate glaze for brown bears- which Evan later informed me were the subspecies Grizzly Bear.
A Few Bear Doughnuts Tips
I used this doughnut pan on Amazon to make the round baked doughnuts. The easiest way to fill the (well-greased) pan is to transfer the batter to a piping bag or large ziploc bag with the corner snipped off. You can also gently spoon the batter in until each cavity is 2/3-3/4 full.
Bake the donuts until just puffed and golden. The tops should spring back when lightly touched. About ten to twelve minutes is usually perfect for me. Over-mixing the batter or overcooking may cause the doughnuts to lose their light texture.
Allow the donuts to rest in the pan for about 5 minutes before removing. This will make them easier to move without the risk of sticking to the pan or crumbling. Cool completely to room temperature before covering in the glaze.
Slowly add the milk to the powdered sugar to form a glaze just thin enough to coat the tops of the doughnuts. If too thick, add a little more milk. If too thin, add a little more powdered sugar.
I decorated the eyes and nose/mouth of the Bear Doughnuts with melted dark chocolate. This worked well, but you have to move fast before the chocolate starts to set. If desired, you can also pipe the eyes and nose/mouth with a favorite dark chocolate buttercream.
Another option is to use mini chocolate chips for the eyes and nose, then draw on the mouth with melted chocolate or an edible black pen.
These Bear Doughnuts are best the day they are made. Once the doughnuts have been glazed, they will become sticky after a few hours.
Bear Doughnuts Recipe
Adapted from Kawaii Sweet Treats
Bear Doughnuts
Ingredients
Doughnuts:
- 1 1/2 cups (190 grams) all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup (160 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons (15 grams) cornstarch
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- Pinch salt
- Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
- 2/3 cup (160 milliliters) buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons (30 grams) unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Vanilla Glaze:
- 1 cup (125 grams) powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons (15-30 milliliters) milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate Glaze:
- 3/4 cup (100 grams) powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons (9 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1-2 tablespoons (15-30 milliliters) milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For assembling:
- 36 mini marshmallows
- 3 ounces (85 grams) dark chocolate melted and smooth
Instructions
To make the doughnut base:
- Preheat oven to 350˚F (180˚C). Grease 2-3 baked doughnut pans.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, butter, and vanilla extract. Mix into the flour mixture just until incorporated with no lumps.
- Transfer the batter to a piping bag or a large ziploc bag with the corner snipped off. Pipe the batter into prepared doughnut pans. Each cavity should be about 2/3 full.
- Bake in preheated oven until golden and the tops spring back when lightly pressed, 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely to room temperature.
- Cut each mini marshmallow into thirds crosswise to create small round circles.
To make the vanilla glaze:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. If too thin, add more powdered sugar. If too thick, add more milk.
- Immediately dip the top of a cooled doughnut into the glaze. Top with a cut round piece of marshmallow towards the edge closest to you on the top part of the doughnut for the snout.
- Place two more pieces of marshmallow at almost the half way point on either side of the doughnut to make the ears. Add a small spoonful of the vanilla glaze over each ear to cover. Leave the snout clear.
- Repeat with half of the doughnuts and allow to set.
To make the chocolate glaze:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Stir in milk and vanilla extract until smooth. If too thick, add a little more milk. If too loose, add a little more powdered sugar.
- Immediately dip the top of a cooled doughnut into the glaze. Top with a cut round piece of marshmallow towards the edge closest to you on the top part of the doughnut for the snout.
- Place two more pieces of marshmallow at almost the half way point on either side of the doughnut to make the ears. Add a small spoonful of the vanilla glaze over each ear to cover. Leave the snout clear.
- Repeat with the last half of the doughnuts and allow to set.
- Once the doughnuts have set, transfer the melted chocolate to a piping bag with a small round tip. Pipe small eyes with the chocolate on either side of the snout.
- Pipe a nose and mouth on top of the snout piece of marshmallow.
- Repeat with remaining doughnuts.
- Allow to set and serve within a day.
Lauren
The donuts are adorable. I’m so glad the Polar Bear Encounter was fantastic! xoxo
Tara
Thank you! I am so glad we were finally able to visit before leaving.