Knaus Berry Farm and Max'd Out Donuts Collab on Limited-Edition Doughnut

For decades, Knaus Berry Farm has been the preferred cinnamon roll of Miamians, with people sometimes waiting for hours in the hot sun or pouring rain to snag a dozen fresh from the oven.

That obsession has translated into some successful collaborations with other local Miami establishments. In the past, Azucar has done an ice cream, Spanish Marie Brewery released a stout, and the Salty (Salty Donut) released a cinnamon bun-filled doughnut.

Now there's a new collaboration for fans with a sweet tooth.

For the next two weekends, Max Santiago and his team at Max'd Out will offer the super-sized (and super-named) "Knaus Berry Farm + Max'd Out Donuts Sticky-Icky Bun Donut."

This snack behemoth consists of 24-hour raised brioche dough wrapped around a Knaus Berry Farm cinnamon bun, topped with roasted pecan-toffee syrup, and finished with local pickled strawberries.

Max Santiago tells New Times that when the Salty opted to make this year's doughnuts with their housemade cinnamon rolls, Knaus Berry Farm reached out to see if they wanted to collab on an item. "I've always been friends with them, so it was a natural fit," says Santiago, adding, "The Salty opened the door for us to work together again."

Santiago received the call on Saturday and immediately jumped in his car to drive down to Knaus Berry Farm to pick up some cinnamon rolls and get to work. "I don't let that kind of opportunity go to waste. I ran over there and got cinnamon rolls to start practicing," he says.

Santiago went through some tweaks before landing on the recipe but immediately knew he wanted a toffee syrup with strawberries to honor Knaus Berry Farm's origins of berry harvesting. First and foremost, however, was the taste.

"I brainstorm with my team and draw from their combined experience, but first and foremost, everything has to be delicious," says Santiago. "I learned that however Instagram-worthy something looks, it has to taste amazing."  The doughnut maven says he learned a valuable lesson when creating a rainbow doughnut with cotton candy purely for its photogenic value while working in New York City. "It was prettier than it tasted."

Now, Santiago is all about creating delicious creations that Miamians will connect with. "Quality is what I'm most about as a chef. I want to be Miami's local doughnut shop."

The "Knaus Berry Farm + Max'd Out Donuts Sticky-Icky Bun Donut" will be available this Saturday, April 1, Sunday, April 2, next Saturday, April 8, and Sunday, April 9, starting at 7 a.m. daily. The doughnut costs $8.50 and is limited to one per person while supplies last.

Max'd Out Donuts. 14871 Biscayne Blvd, North Miami Beach; 305-705-3425; maxdoutdonuts.com.