Best Doughnuts

Where are the great doughnuts?
Other than Krispy Kreme, doughnuts are abysmal here in this area of the Carolinas.

The best doughnuts I've ever had are available this week at the Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg. They have a food court where they sell food products from the different agriculture groups in Pennsylvania. The potatoe board sells great baked potatoes and the most amazing potato doughnuts. They fry them up fresh all day and they're available plain or with powdered sugar. They're much moister than most doughnuts and they stay soft and delicious for days. We generally make the trip from Philadelphia but this past Satureday we drove our daughter back to Penn State in State College and I made my husband stop in Harrisburg, double park outside the Farm Show so I could run in and buy a dozen doughnuts. They wer definitely worth the detour.

Everyone knows that Southern New England is the Donut Capital of the Nation. Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut. You can't go wrong with a donut from any of these states with the exception of Kruddy Kreme or Dumpy Donuts (hey (I'm entitled to my opinion). Even Honey Dew, a local chain has better than average donuts!

quote:

Originally posted by wanderingjew

Everyone knows that Southern New England is the Donut Capital of the Nation. Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut. You can't go wrong with a donut from any of these states with the exception of Kruddy Kreme or Dumpy Donuts (hey (I'm entitled to my opinion). Even Honey Dew, a local chain has better than average donuts!

True words----and MUFFINS too! Great local doughnuts and wonderful fresh muffins at every breakfast joint!

quote:

Originally posted by Red Head

The best doughnuts I've ever had are available this week at the Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg. They have a food court where they sell food products from the different agriculture groups in Pennsylvania. The potatoe board sells great baked potatoes and the most amazing potato doughnuts. They fry them up fresh all day and they're available plain or with powdered sugar. They're much moister than most doughnuts and they stay soft and delicious for days. We generally make the trip from Philadelphia but this past Satureday we drove our daughter back to Penn State in State College and I made my husband stop in Harrisburg, double park outside the Farm Show so I could run in and buy a dozen doughnuts. They wer definitely worth the detour.

Donuts from potato flour are, of course, the secret behind Spudnuts.

I've never had a spudnut; I wish they were available in Philadelphia. I wait all year for the potato donuts at the Farm
Show.

quote:

Originally posted by wanderingjew

Even Honey Dew, a local chain has better than average donuts!

The heck they do. Honeydew is so awful that they opened a location on Harvard Ave in Allston last year and it was open for literally about seven weeks before it closed down.

The best doughnuts in Massachusetts are at Donut Dip in West Springfield, incidentally.

In New England, sadly Dunky D's and Honey Dew have taken over, very few "real" donuts left.....some faves, indy shops that make their own donuts fresh:

Donut Dip in W Spfld (I'll second that...they used to have 2 locations)
Allies in RI
Butlers in Westport, MA
Eat a Donut in Lowell, MA
Donna's Donuts in Tewksbury, MA
Kanes in Saugus, MA

Which ones am I missing?

Long's Bakery in Indianapolis has wonderful donuts. If you come to Indy for the races (Indy 500, NASCAR, or Grand Prix), the bakery is east of the Indianpolis Speedway on E 16th St on the south side of the street

Another one in MA is Marty's Donut Land in Ipswich. Clams and a donut, a great combo. Also Twin Donuts in Brighton/Allston. Lucky Bishop has spoken of them before. Some people love them, some hate. Me, I enjoyed the couple of donuts I had there but I am not rushing to get back. Part of thier appeal for me is that they are independent, so I almost will them to be better than they probably are.

Is Eat a Donut in Lowell the one where they make a Chocalate donut filled with marshmallow?

As a donut fiend, I love living in New England!

quote:

Originally posted by tiki

quote:

Originally posted by wanderingjew

Everyone knows that Southern New England is the Donut Capital of the Nation. Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut. You can't go wrong with a donut from any of these states with the exception of Kruddy Kreme or Dumpy Donuts (hey (I'm entitled to my opinion). Even Honey Dew, a local chain has better than average donuts!

True words----and MUFFINS too! Great local doughnuts and wonderful fresh muffins at every breakfast joint!

Actually Tiki, Northern New England is Muffin Country. The best are in Maine and Vermont!

quote:

Originally posted by Lucky Bishop

quote:

Originally posted by wanderingjew

Even Honey Dew, a local chain has better than average donuts!

The heck they do. Honeydew is so awful that they opened a location on Harvard Ave in Allston last year and it was open for literally about seven weeks before it closed down.

The best doughnuts in Massachusetts are at Donut Dip in West Springfield, incidentally.

I don't know about Mass, but the ones here in RI are at least adequate. I'll take an old fashioned at Honey Dew over a greesy sugar water ball at Kruddy kreme any day!

I love New England's cake donuts, compared to which all others seem so insignificant. Here's one on the counter of the Blue Benn Diner in Bennington, VT:

Ahh yes, Blue Benn's donuts are great. I was already stuffed from a full breakfast but had to get some anyway.

My office is conveniently located 30 yards from a Daylight Donuts. As far as a chain doughnut goes, these are tops.

http://www.daylightdonuts.com

There's also a place here in Ruston called Pete's Sons. Their strawberry glazed cake doughnut has driven me to get up at least an hour earlier than normal, so as to buy a couple fresh ones.

IMO, freshness is very important with a donut. A hot KK is wonderful, and the cream filled "long johns" at the afore mentioned Butlers are devine. The downside is that IMO, they are hardly worth eating after a few hours. In fact, I think that I would prefer a week old Hostess packaged donut to a day old KK. The counterperson at most small donut places will tell you what is fresh if you ask.

Having loads of experience eating an hours old Long John from Butlers, including some that were a day old (god only knows how they survived!), i can attest that they still were very much in the "divine" ranks.

But in general I agree with you, unless a KK is fresh it is not worth it. Which is why I find it odd that they include microwave instructions now on their boxes. I mean, ther eis a reason for that hot light right?

Not being much of a donut eater -- it's been a few years since I last had one -- I do recall that I really enjoyed a buttermilk donut that I got at some Michigan chain along 1-75 back in the 1980s while on the way to Alpena for a salmon and lake trout trip.

West Columbia, South Carolina. Highway 1. The Barnyard Flea Market. A couple of the vendors have fryers set up and they will sell you a paper sack filled with 13 mini-donuts hot out of the grease. It's about 2 dollars I think.

You may have them dusted with powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar. But I prefer mine plain. Hot. Yummy.

I'm sure there are better donuts in plenty of places, but their freshness along with the flea market atmosphere make them my favorite.

quote:

Originally posted by renfrew

Also Twin Donuts in Brighton/Allston. Lucky Bishop has spoken of them before. Some people love them, some hate. Me, I enjoyed the couple of donuts I had there but I am not rushing to get back. Part of thier appeal for me is that they are independent, so I almost will them to be better than they probably are.

Yeah, that about sums them up -- you want them to be good, but they're really not. My wife has lived within walking distance of Twin Donuts nearly her entire life, and she swears that they used to be a lot better than they currently are. The few times I've gotten doughnuts there, they've been adequate at best, and sometimes they're just plain awful. I got a toasted coconut once that I swear was cooked in rancid oil, and frankly, the store's kinda dirty. They're worse than Honeydew.

quote:

Originally posted by Red Head

The best doughnuts I've ever had are available this week at the Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg. They have a food court where they sell food products from the different agriculture groups in Pennsylvania. The potatoe board sells great baked potatoes and the most amazing potato doughnuts. They fry them up fresh all day and they're available plain or with powdered sugar. They're much moister than most doughnuts and they stay soft and delicious for days. We generally make the trip from Philadelphia but this past Satureday we drove our daughter back to Penn State in State College and I made my husband stop in Harrisburg, double park outside the Farm Show so I could run in and buy a dozen doughnuts. They wer definitely worth the detour.

Don't forget the PA fastnachts (potato flour "doughnuts") which will be available only for a few weeks soon right before Lent. You can get them in PA Dutch territory and are great either w/ powdered sugar or the plain ones (which I used to split open and add Karo syrup).

BTW in the Atlanta area, which is KKreme country, the best doughnuts I get are at Publix (cinnamon twists).

I think John Belushi said it best:

http://snltranscripts.jt.org/77/77fdonuts.phtml

My favorite is the chocolate covered cake donut at Once Upon a Bagel in Highland Park, IL. They got the recipe from Leonard's in Northbrook, IL. It is perfect, delicious and ... it is baked, not fried! They do include oil in the dough to give it the proper lubrication.

Coffee An' in Westport, CT makes some might good chocolate glazed doughnuts....and other great ones, too.

There are still a few good bakeries in Baltimore run primarily by German's. My favorite is Fenwick bakery in PArkville which is located in Baltimore county. They make a cake donut like the picture that Michael posted and you can have them put chocolate on top. They also make a thick marsh mellow donut, my favorite. A good second choice is Woodley bakery on Bel Air road in Baltimore city. I'm ready to go now

We have a Mom & Pop operation that opened in my hometown about a year ago that makes excellent fresh doughnuts and other doughnut type items (eg. cinnamon rolls, doughnut holes, cake doughnuts, muffins). Its a great place to get some good coffee and great fresh made doughnuts !

quote:

The best doughnuts in Massachusetts are at Donut Dip in West Springfield, incidentally.

They are one of the reasons I enjoy visiting my in-laws in Springfield! I was there over New Years, and went over to get my fix and they were Closed for the holiday. I was crushed! They are VERY good, but I think Butlers at the other end of the state are as good...perhaps a tad better. I wish I could compare them today!

Huntryce! Welcome aboard - first mention I've ever seen on here of the Barnyard! We must practically be neighbors - the 'Yard is about 3 mi from me. Will have to check out the donuts.

If anyone reads this from Cleveland area, particularly West Side, there was (hopefully still is) a little donut shop called Frosty Donuts on Rocky River just south of Lorain at Kamm's Corner that had the best donuts I ever had. The French Cruellers (or shall we now call them Freedom Cruellers?) were incredible.

Hi CarolinaBill. Thanks for the nice welcome. Yep, I'm in the Columbia area. The little donuts aren't available all the time, but are worth looking for.

Just fun you know. Watching the machine flip them and move them along towards the end of the line, so hot that you can barely pop one in your mouth. It's something my son and I look forward to on flea market outings.

Best I've ever had were at Dreesen's Market in East Hampton, New York. It's a tiny grocery/meat market/coffee bar in the heart of town. The donut machine cranking 'em out is strategically positioned in the storefront window; I've never been able to walk by without buying at least one. On the way out of town after vacations, Mom would buy us 6 or so to last a few days; they rarely lasted until the Southern State Parkway.

Annie's Donuts in Northeast Portland , Oregon has very tasty doughnuts

quote:

Originally posted by mkahn

Best I've ever had were at Dreesen's Market in East Hampton, New York. It's a tiny grocery/meat market/coffee bar in the heart of town. The donut machine cranking 'em out is strategically positioned in the storefront window; I've never been able to walk by without buying at least one. On the way out of town after vacations, Mom would buy us 6 or so to last a few days; they rarely lasted until the Southern State Parkway.

I'd be lucky if they lasted until Wainscott! When on the West Coast, I liked Winchell's in LA & SD…

We were big fans of the Red Apple cake style donuts in Front Royal Virginia when my mom lived there. 2 bags of them never would make it home to NC.



Dennis in Cary

quote:

Originally posted by jackier

Coffee An' in Westport, CT makes some might good chocolate glazed doughnuts....and other great ones, too.

Their Coconut Twists are truly mouth-watering!

I tried LeCave's Donuts in Tucson, Arizona because of the Sterns' recommendation. The donuts were excellent.

I gotta say that the best doughnuts I have had was with Bushie and Rick in Round Rock, TX. I had always enjoyed KK hot and they are still good but the place that Bushie took us was even better.

That was a great experience with Rick and Bushie. After the doughnut feast and coffee, we traveled east and had some great BBQ. Super beef BBQ and I totally enjoyed the sample they give you before you order. I had a great drive back with Rick in his new Porshe Boxer. Whatta rush!!!. I drove and I was afraid to punch it cause this monster of a car would push you to 100MPH instantly. Obviously I never drove anywhere near that speed although I do admit getting it up to 75MPH. I think Rick would have liked for me to push it a bit harder but at my age, that was plenty.

I was hoping that Rick and his wife would be joining us at the Moonlite this coming weekend. Unfortunately, his executive wife has executive duties at the hospital. We will miss him. We look forward to the 30 folks that will be there.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

In DC, I have yet to find something better than the regular chain doughnuts, but I"ve been told to go to Milan Bakery in Falls Church, VA.

In my hometown of Syracuse, there were plenty of places to get great doughnuts:

Harrison Bakery 1306 W Genesee St.
Community Bakery 1006 Butternut St.
Glory Bee Enterprises 1103 Burnet Ave.
Patrician's Snowflake Bakery Shoppe 1951 East Fayette St.

in the burbs of Syracuse:
Geddes Bakery 421 S Main St, North Syracuse.
Bella Bakery 7283 State Fair Blvd, Baldwinsville

and I'm sure other CNYers have their favorites too.

Wish I had a digital camera today. Someone at here at work brought in a dozen donuts from "Rainbow Donuts".
They are the best in Richmond and that includes hot ones from Krispy Kreme! They are located right around the corner from another Richmond favorite - Buzz and Ned Real BBQ.
2722 West Broad Street

Cathy

Update: Bummer! The rumors have been on and off for years, but it finally happened. The owners of the building Rainbows Donuts operated out of sold out to a McDonald's! Boo hisss! The owner is taking some time off to travel on the west coast. I hope he comes back and finds a place to open.

My 1st knock on KK's is that they are so blasted SKIMPY. It takes 2 of them to equal one decent-size donut. Here they're $.50 even at the grocery store, so you'll spend a buck just for a passable snack.

My 2nd knock is that, while they're not that bad, they've evilly driven out a lot of the competition, especially at grocery stores, leaving way less variety - much like McDonald's did to independent driveins. I don't really need every store and gas station to offer the exact same thing. Kroger and Winn-Dixie used to make fairly good donuts, hefty and reasonably priced. Not no more.

In Connecticut

Beach Donut in Soundview (Old Lyme)and Clinton

Elmwood Pastry in West Hartford

Okay so I am reviving this thread a bit to talk about one donut shop in general and ask for assistance in another donut trip.

I love Butler's Donuts in Westport MA. Thier cream filled donuts are divine as I have said before, and I really have never gone wrong with any of their donuts.

They recently changed owners. perhpas 6-8 months ago. I have been back many times since, and I will have to say that the quality of the donuts have not suffered. The only real changes is there hours, now open seven days a week from 7-5. Used to be until the donuts ran out. Donuts are still made by hand and lovingly filled and topped.

The have added some smoothies and chorizo rolls (this is SE Mass afterall) but all of that I simply ignore. The donut quality is preserved and that is a great thing.


Now I have been a resident of Rhode Island for about 9 months and due to schedules and the like, have not made it to Allie's. Until this Sunday that is....

So my question is, what are the types of donuts not to be missed here? I have my own standard of the chocolate dipped, plain cake and regular glazed. Curious to hear what is best here..

The Donut House, Anacortes, WA
Butler's Colonial Donuts: Westport,MA
The Big Apple: Wrentham, MA
Pike Place Market Donuts: Seattle, WA

Tastee Donuts in Nawlins has a few stores. Many people would show up at 6AM just as they were coming hot out of the fryer. They would melt in your mouth in yeasty goodness. As an added bonus, they had great slider burgers that could be eaten in two or three bites...


Holy cow!!! I went web searching to find some information to pass on. But none of the information is favorable. Seems that they are not treating the customers as well as in the past. Maybe good cheap help is hard to find. This saying holds true in the best of times and in Nawlins' current situation.

mark

Another vote for Coffee An'in Westport, CT. Any of their cake batter doughnuts (including the coconut twist) are excellent.

Ob-Co, Tom's River, N.J. Hands down.
The Bear

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Stern

I love New England's cake donuts, compared to which all others seem so insignificant. Here's one on the counter of the Blue Benn Diner in Bennington, VT:

The late great Yum Yum donuts in Chicago had an old-fashioned that looked just like that. RIP. No good donuts in Chicago nowadays, as far as I know (correct me if I'm wrong, please)

Lamar's donuts in Kansas City is a MUST have!

There was a Spudnuts in callaway/parker/panama city florida area, I loved their spudnuts

sadly I was just down there father's day weekend and the building was a campaign office for someone.

I was heart broken

My favorite flavor of donut would be either sour cream or blueberry
Buy them today let them sit over night then have them with your breakfast coffee/tea..... yummy.

And Lamar's in KC is a good choice too.

Man this topic is making my blood sugar rise just thinking about it.

My favorite donut place is Square Donuts in Terre Haute, IN.

I didn't think there were any good donuts in New York City anymore until I found the Donut Plant on Grand Street, a few doors down from Kossar's Bialys.

Here's a quote from their website:
"Light, but not airy, chewy without being tough, the Doughnut Plant's handmade doughnuts are on a higher order than those that are mass-produced. All ingredients are all natural, from the flour to the flavorings. The old-fashioned glazed doughnuts are mixed in small batches, hand-rolled, hand-cut, and fried in pure Canola oil. To finish them, we hand-glaze each doughnut in a colorful palate of all natural flavors. Our doughnuts are made using an heirloom family recipe handed down from our founder's grandfather, Herman Israel, who in his time owned the most popular bakery in Greensboro, North Carolina. Our doughnuts are deep-fried, yeast-raised. very large and very light. Each doughnut is a yeasty, spongy network of pure goodness!"

Flavors include:
Vanilla-Bean
Valrhona-Chocolate
Chocolate-Mocha
Orange
Apple-Cinnamon
Pecan
Blueberry
Apricot
Pistachio
Ginger
Poppy Seed
Malted-Milk
Blueberry
Vanilla-Bean
Pumpkin
Lime
Strawberry
Toasted-Almond
Raspberry
Rosewater (with fresh rose petals)
Walnuts
Powdered Maple Sugar
Banana with Pecan
Cherry
Coconut
Yankee Donut with blueberry pin stripes

You have to get their early because when they only make a few batches a day and when they're gone, they close!

danimal: There is a great chocolate covered cake donut at Leonard's in Northbrook, IL. Same recipe at Once Upon a Bagel in Highland Park. I think they're tops.

Is anyone reading "DOUGHNUTS" by John Edge?? The fourth series of his small books which include:
Hamburgers and Fries
Apple Pie
and Fried Chicken??
In the back of each book he names serveral places to visit for each specialty.
I live in central Ohio and miss Mom and Pop doughnut shops!!

quote:

Originally posted by prius

Where are the great doughnuts?
Other than Krispy Kreme, doughnuts are abysmal here in this area of the Carolinas.

Irish Maid Donuts in Pine Bluff Arkansas

Simply the best I have ever had

any where.......
any time........
any place........



Big Glenn

Busken's is best in Cincinnati. Their glazed and chocolate iced yeast are wonderful!!! Click below for donut fun!!


http://www.busken.com/donutfun.php

Bay Bakery, as indicated in the 1st Roadfood, is excellent.Has been since I was a little girl.They have the best crullers around.....

My favorite donuts are from Crispie Cream (yes that is spelled correctly)in Chillicothe, OH. They have nothing to do with the chain. It is just a local place that has the best glazed donuts I've ever had as well as some really good stick donuts. And they are jsut down the street from Sumburger.

The donut equivalent of the holy grail:


Coffee An' Donut Shop Coconut Twist

Voodoo Donuts in downtown Portland, Oregon serves up hip attitude and good doughnuts.

Here in Dallas, we have many independently owned donut shops in every neighborhood. They are almost all, owned by........Asians!
And, they are damn good! We have a few K K's as well. They are real good ONLY if they just came out of the fryer.