Honeybee Doughnuts Opening in South Miami

Doughnuts might be new to the neighborhood, but since New Times first reported the hole-in-dough craze hitting Miami, it's been full speed ahead with pop-ups, festivals, and brick-and-mortars. Honeybee Doughnuts, a gourmet craft shop soon to open in South Miami, wants in on the action.

"This has truly been on my mind forever," says Karen Muirhead, creator/owner of Honeybee. "This is honestly a dream come true. I knew I would have my own bake shop, and now it's finally happening."

Honeybee, weeks away from opening at 7388 Red Rd. in South Miami, will offer made-from-scratch bites thanks to decades of family recipes.

"Cooking and baking have always been my passion," she says. "My heritage is northern Italian, and I basically grew up watching my mother and grandmother make pastas, ice creams, and doughs from scratch."

Muirhead, who grew up in South Miami, spent more than 15 years working in the corporate world. She was a human resources executive for a large bank, but her heart was always somewhere else.

"I've loved baking and making desserts for as long as I can remember," she says. "I've just been waiting for the right moment to make this happen, and now is definitely that time."

Working with fresh doughs and custard fillings, she has spent the past year in the kitchen perfecting her family's age-old recipes. "These are like third- or fourth-generation recipes I'm working with," she says. "I think I've practiced making the dough for more than a year now."

Finding a location took a while too. She spent months searching for the right space until she stumbled upon the Red Road spot, minutes from her childhood home. "It just feels comfortable," she says. "It took a while, but I was waiting to get that feeling, and at this location, I felt it."

Regarding the doughnuts, Muirhead says she's involved in the entire process, all the way until it touches a customer's hand.  She sources locally when possible and uses buttermilk, honey, and organic butter in many recipes. "That really makes them amazing," she says. "It makes a difference in how things are going to taste. I'm trying to go for the highest-quality ingredients possible."

Muirhead keeps most of her recipes and flavors secret but says customers can expect a mix of signature and rotating flavors, with gluten-free, vegan, and healthier versions too. "I'm definitely going to have a bunch of different types," she says. "One of my favorites is coconut white chocolate. I'll have maple bacon too. I'm always creating new things, though, so I will keep changing things around." 

And if you're wondering about the origins of the name "Honeybee," ask Muirhead and watch her blush. "My husband calls me 'HB,'" she giggles. "It's short for 'Honeybee' and it has since we started dating. I could have picked a really cool name, but I want this to be completely who I am, nothing fake.

"Having a family and kids, having my dreams, and finding the right time," she adds, "I can’t really explain it, but this all just feels right. And doughnuts themselves just make people happy."

Honeybee is slated to open May 1. Visit honeybeedoughnuts.com.

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