Is There A Specific Temperature Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Are Meant To Be Eaten?

With the winter season reaching its head, those of you who live in colder climates are likely searching for anything to keep out the winter chill. Maybe wrapping your mitten-clad hands around a steaming cup of coffee is just what you need. Alternatively, you might want to tickle your taste buds by chowing down on a warm dessert.

If you're looking for a sweet treat and a hot drink, a stop at your local Krispy Kreme could be the absolute best way to satisfy both of your cravings. The popular pastry joint is no stranger to recognizing the changing seasons. Recently, the chain introduced three festive doughnuts in order to celebrate the holidays. And in the past, the chain could've added to the ambiance of your spooky party with its Halloween doughnuts.

However, the undeniable king of Krispy Kreme is the Original Glazed Doughnut. Though it's seldom a bad time to enjoy an Original Glazed, there is likely a specific temperature at which the doughnuts have reached the pinnacle of their tastiness. Fortunately for any chilly consumer out there, a warm Krispy Kreme is the best Krispy Kreme. To quote the franchise, "It may be cold outside, but our #doughnuts are still Hot Now," (per Instagram).

There are several steps that must take place in order to get a Krispy Kreme to its optimal temperature. According to the Destination America Youtube channel, the classic doughnut's yeasted dough, after being mechanically molded into rings, takes a bath in a fryer full of 350 degrees Fahrenheit vegetable oil for one minute per side.

However, it seems to be the case that the glazing process is where a Krispy Kreme reaches the perfect heat. After it's been fried, the donut is sent on a conveyor belt that passes under a waterfall of delicious glaze that has been heated to 120 degrees Fahrenheit.

A Krispy Kreme chef, in an interview with the Food Network (via YouTube), tells us that around 118 to 120 degrees Fahrenheit, the glaze on your Krispy Kreme sets. At this temperature, when you bite into the doughnut, the glaze will initially be crispy before melting away in your mouth, making for a spectacular sensory experience — the perfect temperature to eat your doughnut.

Fortunately, you won't need to camp out at Krispy Kreme to know exactly when your doughnuts are ready to be eaten. In the early 1980s, Bob Glidden, the general manager of a Chattanooga, Tennessee Krispy Kreme location, had the brilliant idea to make a sign that would indicate when a fresh batch of doughnuts was ready to eat, per Chattanoogan.com. Ever since, the Hot Doughnuts Now sign has been a near-ubiquitous fixture of the franchise.

However, it's not the 80s anymore. HuffPost tells us that in 2012, Krispy Kreme launched the Hot Light App, which you can use to check whether or not your local franchise has its neon indicator turned on.

According to Fox News, though the "Hot Now" sign is a fairly good indication of your Krispy Kreme's freshness. Krispy Kreme doughnuts last for roughly 12 hours before the employees need to make a new batch. As such, the best times to get hot doughnuts are in the morning, near opening time, and in the evening.