Twisted Halo doughnuts, which launched in 2021 at Chittenden County farmers markets and events before opening a shop in Waitsfield in late summer 2024, has returned to the Burlington area. Owner Emma Slater, 30, has added a second doughnut shop in the Barns at Lang Farm in Essex and will continue to sell doughnuts at her café at 40 Bridge Street in the Mad River Valley.
On July 18, Twisted Halo’s first day of operation at 45 Upper Main Street, Slater said she sold 400 doughnuts within a couple of hours. Unlike the Waitsfield location, which also offers housemade pastries and some grab-and-go food items, this one will focus on espresso drinks and freshly fried doughnuts, such as Slater’s signature crisp yet custardy, piped-churro-style rings.
All Twisted Halo doughnuts, from the maple-glazed brioche to the vanilla cream-filled and blueberry glazed, are made with freshly ground flour from Nitty Gritty Grain in Charlotte. Slater made and sold doughnuts at Champion Comics & Coffee (now Old Town Café & Comics) in Williston for about a year before her Waitsfield move.
The Essex shop has been a long time coming. Slater said she’s been working on renovating the Lang Farm space, including installing a new fire suppression system, for about 18 months. It was formerly the bakery and café for Sweet Alchemy, which moved to Fairfax and now sells mostly wholesale.
To start, Twisted Halo in Essex will be open Friday through Sunday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., with limited preorders available. The shop has about 20 seats total between the inside and outside spaces.
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