3D Printed Cutter Creates Awesome Donut Tacos

One of the most exciting elements of 3D printing is the ability to make food. It’s one subject that catches most everybody’s attention as they wonder what type of goodies will be 3D printed next.

We’ve reported on 3D printed pancakes. We’ve reported on the concept of futuristic meals 3D printed on planes. From cupcakes to chocolate icing, food is becoming well-entrenched as one of the favorite 3D printing genres. Often though, as in the case of 3D printing pancakes, the power is in creating a new 3D printed tool to make something that would have been difficult to pull off previously. With the user-friendliness of much 3D design software, you can come up with a concept, design and 3D print it, and go to town manufacturing whatever floats your boat — or deep fryer.

Barry Abrams, an imgur user, is a testament to that with the delectable taco donut. In a team project, the actual design for this project was laid out by Dylan, who had the idea for the donut filled with ‘taco stuff’ when he was fifteen. It took him a few years, but he finally began by drawing out the design, and the meat lovers creation was born.

Featuring a 3D donut cutter created in 123D Design, the team had to work out some logistics to allow for the taco meat, in the form of working around a meat trough, which was originally referred to as the ‘tube of taco.’

Due to the porous surface of the cutter, the team worried about bacteria getting lodged in it, so their solution is to use a ‘one-day’ donut cutter that they discard afterward. They made a lot of 3D printed taco doughnuts, so that may have held them over for a while.

Using the 3D printed cookie cutter to cut out the donut shapes from biscuit dough, the hungry team filled the beef trough areas and then pinched together the donuts, and deep fried them. With some variations on their theme, a couple of them were filled with cheese, guacamole, and some even had hot sauce inside. Thanks to their 3D printed donut cutter, they were able to produce perfectly puffed deep fried taco donuts.

 “After they cooled a bit, they were partially dunked in queso cheese, then some sour creme was piped on like frosting. A little guacamole, some cilantro and some sriracha to top it off,” says Abrams.

Nothing gets our mouth watering like the words donut or taco — and together, with the power of 3D printing, it’s a surefire way to make a party-pleasing recipe and start a great conversation about the science and innovation behind 3D printing. Soon, everyone will want their own 3D printed donut-taco cutter as well.

Do you want to make something similar to the 3D printed cutter used to make the donut tacos? Do you have a different recipe in mind or have you made other helpful 3D printed kitchen tools? Share with us in the 3D Printed Donut Taco Cutter forum thread over at 3DPB.com. Check out some more photos below of the project’s process.

Dylan, the idea man behind the concept, enjoys the first taco donut — 13 years after his initial idea