Voodoo Doughnut Serves The Best Donut In Portland, Ore.

What, exactly, is a donut? At The Daily Meal, we define a donut as an item that you would expect to see in a donut shop: the familiar ones we know and love (of both the raised and cake varieties), like crullers, apple fritters, and other donut-shop classics — you know them when you see them.

So, in order to assemble our most-recent ranking of the 25 best in the country, we more than doubled the number on the previous list from the year before. We stuck to strict criteria in looking for the best individual donuts in America: Freshness is key; are these legendary donuts — ones that inspire cultish devotion to the shop that sells them? We considered both plain glazed and extravagantly topped creations, but there needs to be a balance between all the components, be it bacon or blueberry jelly. Most importantly, these donuts need to be almost too good: fresh, soft, gooey, perfectly proportioned, and intended to leave you wanting just one more bite. There were over two dozen we believed deserved to be included on our list, and as it turns out, one can be found in Portland, Oregon.

One of the most famous donut shops in the country, this tiny, quirky donut stand is never without a line, and customers are rewarded for their patience with some of the most outlandish donut creations in existence. Voodoo Doughnut's Portland Cream, a luscious take on Boston Cream, has been named the city's official donut by the mayor, and is so beloved that it offers an extensive selection of on-brand merchandise, including a belt buckle. There are currently four other outposts, but you'll want your first Portland Cream experience to be at the original.

It's so good, it made it to #15 on our national list, and since it's the only one from the city to make our ranking, it's also the title winner of the best donut in Portland.