As one of the most crave-able items globally, a donut can fulfill several different purposes. While it is most often enjoyed as a sweet and convenient breakfast item, you can also appreciate one for a mid-day snack or a delicious dessert.
While donuts are commonplace and easy to find, where do you go when you want to find the best donuts in America?
You may be surprised to find out that there are several options to choose from when you’re on that particular hunt.
Below, we outline the top establishments to check out when searching for the best. Continue reading to find out if there are any in your city!
District Donuts, Sliders & Brew
In what is one of the many delicacies of the south (and with one outlier location in Las Vegas), the name District Donuts is well known.
With several stores in Louisiana and Mississippi, you’re never too far from one of these must-visit donut shops.
At first glance, you may feel like the donut offerings are a bit bland and generic. However, you should know better than to judge a book by its cover (or a donut by its name).
When you bite into a District Donut, you get your senses kicking into overdrive.
The warm dough and the perfect accent of sugar, chocolate, and cinnamon will have you devouring a full dozen in no time!
Voodoo Doughnut
The name of this donut chain often catches people off guard. But don’t let it fool you.
There is no sorcery happening in here – just really amazing pastries! While Voodoo Doughnut stores are most commonly found on the west coast, they are also starting to pop up in Texas.
Additionally, you’ll find one store in Orlando, Florida, within Universal Studios theme park.
One of the first donuts to make a name for the donut chain was their Bacon Maple Bar. While at first many were hesitant, everyone quickly came on board after trying it for the first time.
You can now find a wide variety of unique donuts on their menu, many of which come in fun designs.
Five Daughters Bakery
To visit a Five Daughters Bakery, you must travel to Nashville, Tennessee, or Atlanta, Georgia.
With their down-home aesthetic, you will feel like you’ve walked into a southern farmhouse upon entering any of their locations.
The bakery refers to their donuts as “100 Layers,” meaning they are made croissant style and have one hundred fluffy layers incorporated in their structure.
With a consistently evolving mixture of flavors, you will find new options to try out every month.
Five Daughters Bakery also provides what they call “100 Layers Staples,” which they make and sell every day. These include Vanilla Cream, Chocolate Sea Salt, and Maple Glaze, among others.
Pinkbox Doughnuts
If you are on your way to Las Vegas to check out District Donuts, you may as well make a day of it and check out the area’s famous donut chain Pinkbox Doughnuts.
With seven locations in the immediate area, you will easily be able to spot one. Their bright pink building exterior helps the matter some too!
If anyone in your group is a fan of the Care Bears, be sure to stop in on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday to pick up a special Care Bears themed frosted pastry.
While you are there, grab a Purple Rain, a Hop In My Whip, a Suga Suga Twist, and a Holy Cannoli. Really, you can’t go wrong with any of the options, so get one of each!
Gourdough’s Donuts
With two locations in Austin, Texas – one being a brick and mortar store and the other being a food truck, you can easily access the one-of-a-kind donuts from Gourdough’s.
The business itself references the delicacies as “Big Fat Donuts.” Therefore, you know you’re in for a treat!
While you may go into the store expecting a typical donut, you will be surprised to find much more than that!
You can order sandwiches and burgers with a donut bun while at Gourdough’s! You can come for lunch or dinner and enjoy a top-notch dessert simultaneously!
If you are undecided about which donuts to order to compliment your meal, you should definitely try the Big EZ and the Donut Bread Pudding. You’ll thank me later!
Federal Donuts
When in Philadelphia, eat Federal Donuts! As the unofficial motto of the historic city, the truth is loud and clear.
Federal Donuts has irresistible donut combinations that make you grateful for all the locations available throughout town.
What’s more, you don’t have to limit yourself to just donuts. You can order some of their priceless chicken and fries to round out your meal.
You’ll want to make the donut journey early in the day, as the stores are known to sell out of pastries before closing time.
Therefore, set your alarm early and head out to grab some White Chocolate Potato Chip, Pastelito, Churro, Chocolate Cream Pie, and Strawberry Lavender donuts before it’s too late!
Blackbird Doughnuts
The Boston area’s finest comes in the form of Blackbird Doughnuts.
With many locations throughout the famous city, you can make it a personal challenge to try out a new option every time you encounter another store.
While you may not be able to move after, you will have a tummy full of happiness.
In true Boston fashion, one of the top donut options at Blackbird is the Boston Cream. However, their signature Blackbird donut is an outstanding choice as well.
If possible, save room for the Cookie Butter and Jelly as well as the Funfetti Bismarck.
If you are the adventurous type that also prefers savory flavors, Blackbird has an Everything Bagel donut option for you to try out!
Doughnuttery
New York City seems to always have the best of the best when it comes to many things, food and shopping included.
So, it is no surprise that they would have a top donut destination in several locations throughout the area.
What makes Doughnuttery unique is its original flavors and the fact that you can select a donut dipping sauce to accompany your pastry.
These sauces include Beer Caramel, Raspberry Balsamic, Nutella, Deep Dark Chocolate, Dulce De Leche, and Maple Syrup.
The top donuts on Doughnuttery’s extensive menu include Chai Me To The Moon, Coco Mint Pattie, Lemon Pop, Flower Power, Purple Pig, and Fruit Cereal. You won’t be able to pick just one, so go with an empty stomach!
Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken
Is there a better combination in existence than high-quality donuts and fried chicken?
Thankfully for us all, you can get them both in spades when you visit Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken in the Washington, DC area.
Unfortunately, there are only two locations available currently. However, the fantastic food that awaits you is motivation enough to drive to the ends of the earth.
Like Gourdough’s in Texas, you can order your chicken sandwich with a doughnut bun! You can pick between Savory and Old Bay.
Out of the sweet treats, Astro likes to keep you in suspense with their daily specials.
However, you can also count on the likes of Vanilla Glaze, Maple Bacon, PB&J, and Creme Brulee for everyday consumption.
Union Square Donuts
When you are on the search for great donuts, Boston should be one of your top destinations to travel to in your journey.
Between Blackbird Doughnuts above and Union Square Donuts, you can eat sinfully sweet treats until your heart is content!
If you have little ones in your group, the Dirt and Worms donut will get many laughs! Just like the childhood dessert, a combination of cookie crumbs and gummy worms completes this pastry.
Of course, being Boston, you’ll have a superb Boston Cream option. However, I almost think that the Belgian Dark Chocolate donut is a contender for the top prize. With thick chocolatey ganache, you can’t go wrong.
The Salty Donut
The donut chain known as The Salty Donut is spreading throughout the United States, perhaps in an effort to obtain the title of Best Donuts in America.
You can currently find them in North Carolina, Florida, and Texas.
One thing you need to prepare yourself for is that some of these donut options are almost too beautiful to eat.
You will need to take several shots for your social media profiles before devouring the delectable dessert. The Affogato falls into this category, as well as the Horchata.
You should also save room for the Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake donut and the Peaches and Cream.
Stan’s Donuts & Coffee
The next time you find yourself in the Windy City, also known as Chicago, carve out some time in your busy schedule to make a pit stop at Stan’s Donuts & Coffee.
Alongside their extensive donut display, you can also find hand-crafted coffee drinks and ice cream, with flavors that complement their donuts!
For your first donut, be sure to get the Biscoff Pocket. Filled with cookie butter, you’ll start to wonder if anything in life can make you happier than this donut.
Follow it up with the Nutella Pocket and the Buttercream Bismarck (with the Hostess cupcake swirling on top), and you’ll never want to leave Stan’s.
Hole Doughnuts
There is a slew of reasons to visit the extraordinary Asheville, North Carolina. However, Hole Doughnuts is the icing on the cake, both literally and figuratively.
The experience you get at Hole Doughnuts is as close to farm-to-table as you can get.
All of the donuts are made from their signature yeast recipe in a variety of flavors, including some seasonal variations.
You can choose from Vanilla Glazed, Toasted Almond Sesame Cinnamon, and Cinnamon Sugar.
You can also add locally grown coffee and tea to your donut order, as well as Farm to Home Milk or orange juice.
Long’s Bakery
As a long-standing establishment in Indianapolis, Indiana, Long’s Bakery is a family-owned institution.
The bakery has been in operation since 1955 and continues to serve its famous scratch-baked donuts today.
While Long’s Bakery serves up a wide variety of classic pastries, they are best known for their donuts.
The quality of their donuts is so well known that even Martha Stewart has stopped in for a visit! Along with all the classics, you can find daily and monthly specials.
Sidecar Donuts
Traveling to Southern California, we have the highly sought-after Sidecar Donuts.
The pastries you get at this bakery are some of the freshest you can obtain due to them being baked every hour on the hour. You won’t get a stale donut at this place!
There are some very unique flavors that you can choose from at Sidecar Donuts, one of them being Basil Eggs Benedict.
Other rarely seen options include the Butter and Salt donut and Huckleberry. You can buy the donuts singularly or in packs of six or 12.
Hugs & Donuts
Traveling back to Texas, we have Hugs & Donuts in Houston.
One thing that makes their donuts stand out above the crowd is the bright colors and designs. The vibrancy will catch your eye as soon as you walk in the door.
One of the most incredible features of this famous establishment is the Giant Donut.
To acquire this massive pastry, you must order at least 24 hours in advance. Depending on what type of donut you choose, you can expect it to be 8-10” in diameter!
The Holy Donut
Although the name would imply otherwise, The Holy Donut is not located in a religious institution.
Instead, it is a family-owned and operated business that started in the owner’s kitchen in 2010.
After outgrowing her Portland, Maine kitchen, she began expanding her operation with her father.
Today, The Holy Donut has five locations in the Portland area. The bakery claims that their secret to the incredible taste is the riced potato they insert into their batter.
Try out a few of their combinations next time you’re in town and see if you notice the difference in taste!