Erin Elizabeth
If there is one thing for sure, people in America love eating donuts. We love donuts of all shapes, sizes, and toppings.
As a donut enthusiast, I have searched and tasted all kinds of different donuts to compile a list suitable for every donut lover.
So, without further ado, let me present you with a list of America’s most popular donut flavors. In my opinion, these are some classic flavors that are always a hit if you find yourself at a new donut stop.
If you love donuts, you’ve probably tried classic and zany flavors. Start your day with a sweet treat with these yummy choices.
Most Popular Donut Flavors
Check out our list of the most popular flavors in America, from glazed to chocolate frosted and more.
Glazed Doughnut
The glazed doughnut is a classic flavor you will find at any doughnut shop.
This consists of sweet dough that is deep fried and then dipped into a sugary glaze until it glistens. The sweet aroma of a fresh batch of glazed doughnuts is unlike anything else I have experienced.
Some eager observers will arrive at Krispy Kreme locations across the country to delight in the process of these donuts being made.
Visitors are then rewarded with a fresh glazed doughnut of their own. Hundreds of glazed donuts are sold every year.
Glazed doughnuts have been ranked the most popular of donut types, with 36% of Americans selecting them as their top choice.
Chocolate Long John
A long john donut has a unique shape as it does not look like your traditional circular donut with a hole in the middle.
A chocolate long john donut is a long rectangle of sweet yeast dough fried and then iced with chocolate icing.
There is typically a creamy filling of a simple sweet cream. However, some do not have a filling if you do not want that.
I find this donut perfect to have with coffee if you are a dipper or someone who dips their donuts in their coffee.
The term “long john” caught on in the Midwest, Texas, and Canada. It gets its name from the long shape of the donut.
Boston Creme Donuts
If you love Boston Creme pie, you will love Boston Creme donuts!
These donuts are designed to be smaller, portable versions of the famous dessert.
These dense donuts are round, iced with chocolate ganache, and have a custardy filling instead of the traditional hole seen in most doughnuts.
I find that the blend of the chocolate with the creamy custard filling makes this breakfast option feel decadent. It is no wonder that Boston Creme donuts are one of the most popular donut flavors.
Chocolate-Glazed Doughnut
The chocolate-glazed doughnut is a doughnut made with a sweet chocolate yeast dough that is deep fried.
They are made into the usual circular shape with a hole taken from the middle. After this, the doughnuts are covered in a simple sugar glaze or a thin chocolate glaze.
These donuts are a hit if you are a chocolate lover. You can’t go wrong with the sweet chocolate dough of this morning’s pastry.
These may feel indulgent enough to have for dessert after dinner one evening. I guarantee that you will enjoy your experience with chocolate-glazed doughnuts.
Crullers
Crullers are unique doughnuts for a couple of reasons.
When made, the dough has a gap inserted into the middle that then allows the baker to manipulate the dough into a twist.
They are very airy and can feel like a croissant in that regard. Instead of being made with traditional yeast or wheat dough, a cruller is made with choux pastry dough.
Crullers have an iconic shape easily recognized when you walk into donut shops.
Traditionally, the crullers are topped with simple toppings such as cinnamon sugar, simple confectioner sugar glaze, or powdered sugar.
So it is easy to see why they are among the most popular donuts in America.
Donut Holes
Donut holes are a delicious solution to repurposing leftover dough after creating holes in traditional doughnuts. These are pieces of deep-fried yeast dough that are shaped into spheres.
This allows bakers to utilize all of the dough and reduce waste. These are great to eat as a snack and are less messy than other popular donuts because they quickly fit into the mouth before making a mess elsewhere.
These are usually sold in bags by the dozen. I have found them to be primarily glazed at most donut shops that I have gone to.
However, other varieties are available to the public at different donut shops, such as cinnamon sugar donut holes and chocolate donut holes covered in a chocolate glaze.
Jelly Doughnut
Jelly doughnuts are quite literally filled to the brim with delicious flavor.
These doughnuts are round but have no hole in the middle. Instead, the space is filled with sweet jelly. The jelly is composed of different fruit flavors.
They have a simple glaze over the top, but this doughnut offers a lot of versatility. You can mix up the toppings and fillings to create countless combinations.
Common jelly flavors are raspberry, strawberry, lemon, and blueberry.
Maple-Glazed Doughnut
The maple-glazed doughnut is next on this list of most popular donut flavors.
These doughnuts have the comforting taste of maple laced into each bite. This is dough that is traditionally deep-fried and layered with a glaze.
However, maple syrup is mixed into the icing instead of the simple icing on the glazed doughnuts.
This creates a unique sweet flavor without being too overbearing.
The maple flavor in these donuts compliments coffee very well, making this a tasty part of any breakfast.
Sugar Doughnut
Another popular donut flavor is the sugar doughnut. This is a classic flavor that you will find at every doughnut shop.
The sugar doughnut is a yeast dough that is deep fried. When it is still scalding from the fryer, the doughnut is rolled in a cinnamon and sugar mixture that evenly coats the whole doughnut.
The baked version of this will be just as delicious. Just make sure that the doughnut is hot when rolling in the mixture.
The heat helps the sugar adhere better. This is a messy doughnut, so make sure you have plenty of napkins to catch the sugar that falls. This simple doughnut is an easy crowd pleaser, though.
Chocolate Frosted Donuts
The chocolate frosted doughnut is a combination of classic chocolate mixed with a glazed doughnut.
They maintain the classic circular donut shape with a hole in the middle. The yeast dough is deep fried and then smothered with a thin layer of chocolate icing to wash over the top.
You can buy a donut pan and make your baked version at home for a slightly healthier alternative. This will save you some calories as opposed to its deep-fried counterpart.
The chocolate glaze is easy to whip up, and you can even use the glaze to dip the doughnut in if you so choose.
Old Fashioned Donuts
Old-fashioned donuts are one of my personal favorites. They have a slightly denser dough that is akin to that of a pound cake.
The inside of the doughnut remains soft and cakelike, while the surface has a crispier texture. There is a unique inner ring design on old-fashioned donuts.
The extra crevices hold pockets of icing and give you a sweet surprise when you take a bite.
I have personally enjoyed dipping these into coffee as I have found that the tougher dough can hold up to the moisture much better.
They are considered part of the cake doughnut family because of their texture. While they have very simple toppings, these donuts set themselves apart because of their dough.
Final Thoughts
There are so many delicious donuts out in the country. Still, this list of the most popular donut flavors in America is worth trying if you haven’t already. Each one offers something unique and stands out with its characteristics.
I have enjoyed many of these flavors, and I can tell you that this is a list of some of the top classic flavors. So do yourself a favor and get a donut you have not tried yet or have not had in a while.
If you’re more of a bagel person, check out our favorite bagel flavors!
