The Best Doughnuts In Every State

No matter where you live in the U.S., most people can agree on one thing: Doughnuts are really, really good. Seriously. Along with being one of the most iconic breakfast foods in the nation, they are just plain delicious. How satisfying is a fresh, warm, pillowy doughnut coated in glaze or dusted in cinnamon sugar? So The Daily Meal set out to find the best doughnut shop (and thus, the best doughnuts) in every state. The lines might get long at some of these places, but the doughnuts will definitely be worth the wait.

To find the best doughnut in every state, we took a deep dive into reviews and ratings sites as well as local publications to track down which doughnut shops are universally beloved by locals and tourists. They offer a wide variety of styles and flavors, including some that you don't see every day.

Food Network star and scrambled egg connoisseur Alton Brown called the doughnuts at The Heavenly Donut Co. "out of this world." Fun and playful doughnuts are what make The Heavenly Donut Co. a Birmingham hotspot. You can't go wrong with the classic glazed, which is sugary perfection. But if you want to go above and beyond, try the Oreo doughnut. It's topped with cookies and cream crumbles and is a must-try.

This nostalgic doughnut shop makes its old-fashioned doughnuts fresh every day so they're always warm and fluffy. In addition to the glazed options, Dino's Donuts also makes a salty-sweet bacon maple doughnut and some hugely popular cake doughnuts with colorful flavors and frostings. Get creative with an "animated doughnut," complete with a gumball nose, or feed the entire family with a jumbo doughnut shaped like a bone.

The Donut Parlor in Tempe, Arizona, specializes in gourmet doughnuts that'll leave your mouth watering. Donut Parlor is best-known for its over-the-top options, like a peanut butter and jelly doughnut or a doughnut topped with that favorite childhood cereal, Cocoa Pebbles. This shop is fairly new to the scene — it opened in 2016 — but it's already a hit that locals love.

This small, family-owned hole-in-the-wall is a hidden gem, and its doughnuts are true classics. The team at Mark's has been focused on selling its signature doughnuts since 1978. Locals will tell you: doughnuts in Arkansas don't get any better than the ones served at Mark's. On your first visit, try the coconut-coated variety or a Bavarian cream-filled doughnut.

Randy's in Inglewood is best identified by the giant iconic doughnut on its roof. Claiming to be "the most recognized donut shop in the world," this doughnut haven is one of the weirdest tourist attractions in the state, and it brings people together from all over the world. It's also been touted as one of the best doughnut shops in the country for nearly 60 years. If you make your way here, go for the glazed old fashion.

Amy's Donuts has five locations across the nation, and the shop in Colorado Springs is the best doughnut shop in the state. Amy's has a massive selection, ranging from chocolate round doughnuts to an "over the rainbow" doughnut that's topped with rainbow candy. And for holidays like Halloween, Amy's makes spooky treats like a spider doughnut topped with a creepy critter. If you make a stop at this shop, mix up your dozen with both classic and gourmet treats. 

In 2019, Neil's Donuts was voted the best doughnut shop in the state by Connecticut Magazine. More than 30 variations of doughnuts are made fresh daily at Neil's, but if you can manage to limit yourself to just one, make it the Boston cream.

At Duck Donuts in Delaware, there are a "duckzillion flavors" to choose from. It's best known for making your doughnuts to order, starting with a freshly made vanilla cake that is coated, topped and drizzled to your specifications. But the maple bacon doughnut topped with chopped bits of bacon and a maple icing is a salty and sweet treat that'll have you coming back for more.

Mojo Donuts has been around since 2013, and thanks to its delicious flavors, it has become one of the Sunshine State's most celebrated doughnut spots. Bakers arrive before sunrise to make sure the doughnuts are hot for the morning rush. Gourmet doughnuts are Mojo's thing, and locals recommend giving the Deco Delight (a doughnut stuffed with cream and topped with berries and chocolate drizzle) and the creme brûlée (a sugar-torched doughnut with chocolate on top) a try. The doughnuts go fast, so call in advance if you're making a stop in the afternoon.

From a white chocolate peach fritter to mocha to salt and vinegar, Sublime Doughnuts is not afraid to take risks with its flavors. If you get there early enough, make sure to order the fresh strawberry and cream doughnut: a powdered doughnut cut open and stuffed full of fresh strawberries and whipped cream — it's a food that every visitor should try.

Leonard Rego, the son of two Portuguese immigrants, opened his Hawaiian bakery in the 1950s, and, with encouragement from his mother, he started to bake and sell Portuguese malasadas. These European treats are doughnuts without a hole that are coated in sugar, and they've since become extremely popular in Hawaii.

Gourmet doughnut shop Guru Donuts is a staple in Boise. Fan-favorite flavors range from the "hipsterberry" (a blend of blueberry, blackberry and lavender) and the Guru chocolate (a chocolate doughnut covered in a vanilla bean glaze). Vegans are also welcome here — most doughnut options are vegan-friendly. 

It's really easy to get a little too inventive with doughnut toppings, but Dat Donut doesn't complicate things. The eponymous "Big Dat" is a huge creation advertised as being "as big as your head." But Dat Donut is more than a novelty tourist attraction. The pillowy fluffiness is truly satisfying, and the plain glaze will make you wonder whether there really is anything better than a ginormous, classic, glazed doughnut. Dat is one of those rare touristy places that the locals love, too.

Long's Bakery in Indiana is aptly named; the line usually seen snaking out the door is, well, long. But the wait is worth every penny at this cash-only doughnut shop. The glazed and blueberry cake doughnuts are favorites that will melt in your mouth. 

The doughnuts at Mahalo's may be tiny, but they pack a ton of flavor. These bite-sized doughnuts come in island-inspired flavors such as Blueberry Beach (blueberry glaze, whipped cream, powdered sugar), Turtle Bay (chocolate glaze, caramel glaze, pecans) and Apple Tiki (caramel glaze, apple cobbler, cinnamon sugar). You might find it difficult to eat just one.

This hidden gem of a doughnut shop is worth seeking out if you're in Kansas City. These fresh pastries are filled to order, so there's no risk of a soggy filling. And that's ideal, because the cream cheese-filled doughnut is genius. And the glazed doughnuts — with fancy toppings like cinnamon glaze with roasted walnuts or white chocolate with coconut shavings — are as delicious as they sound.

If you find yourself in Kentucky, head to Nord's Bakery in Louisville and try the signature maple bacon doughnut. This specialty consists of a long, yeasted doughnut topped with a creamy maple frosting and a crisp strip of maple bacon.

In addition to offering classic chocolate glazed and cinnamon sugar doughnuts, District doesn't hesitate to experiment with other flavors. Six new flavors are on offer every week, and it's likely you'll find yourself deliberating between crazy flavors like Tiger Stripe or hibiscus. The burgers here also happen to be up there with America's best.

The potato doughnuts at Holy Donut are so light, fluffy and warm that they totally just melt in your mouth. The dark chocolate sea salt, triple berry and maple bacon are favorites. Just be sure to get here early, as the doughnuts typically sell out fast.

The Fractured Prune has a few locations across Maryland, but it's best known as a staple of the Ocean City boardwalk where you can get a glazed doughnut customized and piping hot. You can choose from 19 glazes (including peach, mocha, mint and blueberry) and 13 toppings (such as mini marshmallows, crumbled bacon and vanilla wafers). But the best-selling doughnut at the Prune is OC Sand. It's made with a honey glaze and topped with cinnamon and sugar.

The people of Massachusetts take their doughnuts seriously, which is why Donut King is such a resounding success. This old-fashioned doughnut shop makes its pastries fresh throughout the day and focuses on making the perfect dough rather than messing around with fancy flavors. The result is huge, warm, fresh and fluffy doughnuts. 

If you want a truly singular doughnut flavor, Sweetwater's has you covered. Though Sweetwater's offers nearly infinite takes on the doughnut, the series inspired by the most popular candy bars is what makes this Kalamazoo shop stand out. Yes, you can get doughnuts inspired by Mounds, Snickers and Reese's candies. There are also masterfully executed classics, such as the Boston cream and powdered doughnut.

Rich, yeasty brioche dough is what helps to make the doughnuts at Bogart's so irresistible and buttery. This means the offerings, which include a lavender cake doughnut, a vanilla buttercream-filled doughnut and even a sprinkled cake doughnut, aren't too sweet. If you're in Minnesota, a doughnut from Bogart's is the perfect way to start your day.

The TatoNut Shop claims to serve "the only real donut," and is world-famous for its king cake doughnut. After Hurricane Katrina, this shop began frying the typically-discarded scraps of dough to make up for low supply, but people loved these doughnut "pieces" so much, they stuck around. 

This doughnut hotspot has been a St. Louis staple for more than 60 years, and despite having more than 100 types of doughnuts, one particular offering makes this place such a well-loved classic: the cinnamon glob. As you'd imagine from its name, this sweet treat is a giant ball of fried dough, which is crisp on the outside and dense, buttery and packed full of cinnamon on the inside.

There may not be an actual granny behind the counter here, but this doughnut shop is incredibly popular with the Bozeman community. Granny's best doughnuts are stuffed and topped with fresh fruit, and doughnuts are nice and cheap.

Visiting Omaha's Olsen Bake Shop is like taking a step back in time; it opened in 1942 and really hasn't changed much since. The doughnuts here aren't extravagant, but what they lack in flash, they make up for in flavor. Get there early and grab a chocolate glazed cake doughnut with a strong, hot cup of coffee.

The offerings at Pink Box Doughnuts are as extravagant and decadent as a night out on the Strip. These treats are topped with fancy glazes like chipotle caramel and generous amounts of Cocoa Pebbles. If you're only going to visit once, you must try the Love Ya Grandma, a doughnut drizzled in white frosting, topped with homemade cinnamon chopped-apple filling, "white whip" and streusel.

Take one step inside Muriel's Donuts and you'll find out why this New Hampshire doughnut shop is a well-respected mainstay of Lebanon. All of the doughnuts in the perfectly curated, small collection are reliably tasty, especially the freshly fried jelly stick coated in powdered sugar and a dust of cinnamon.

There's a good reason Uncle Dood's has such a loyal following in Jersey — the doughnuts are fun and delicious. Flavors rotate on the first of each month, and fun names include the Vermont Swine (maple icing and bacon bits) and Bed Rockin' (vanilla frosting and Fruity Pebbles).

At Rebel Donuts in Albuquerque, New Mexico, guests can choose from the "Usual Suspects," a menu that features standard doughnuts made fresh by hand each morning, or from the "Radicals" menu. "Radical" doughnuts are described as being for people who "want to live on the edge" and range from The Dough Boy — a chocolate-chip cake doughnut — to The Munchies — a vanilla cake donut hand-dipped in fudge with peanuts, pretzels, potato chips and M&M's on top. 

It's hard to strike the right balance between Instagrammable creations and truly delicious foods, but New York City mini-chain Doughnut Plant gets it right. Its yeast doughnuts are light and fluffy and classic; a vanilla bean glazed doughnut might sound typical, but this is anything but. The cake doughnuts are inventive yet not too sweet. And if you're looking for something savory, Doughnut Plant has that too.

Britt's Donut Shop is located on a boardwalk that will take you back in time and is open only from May to September. The setup of Britt's hasn't changed since the stand opened in 1939, and neither has the single-item menu. Britt's famous glazed doughnut has a closely guarded recipe: soft, gooey, buttery and so delicious that you'll be talking about it until you can visit again. In fact, it might be the tastiest bite of food in the entire state.

If you have kids or are simply a kid at heart, you have to make a stop at Sandy's Donuts while in Fargo. Other than being delicious, these doughnut flavors are made for the child in us all. Dirt and Worms, M&Ms, Almond Joy and Cookie Monster are a few of the fun creations.

Students at Ohio State agree: The best late-night spot isn't Raising Cane's or McDonald's, it's Buckeye Donuts. This 24/7 shop is good at any time of day, though. If you want to feel like a true Ohioan, get the famous Buckeye Doughnut, a chocolate and peanut butter treat inspired by a beloved regional dessert.

Polar Donuts has been in operation for almost 30 years and the staff starts baking before the sun comes up for fresh doughnuts daily. If you can, get your hands on one of Polar's "cereal killers," doughnuts topped with some of your favorite cereals.

It's fun to check out touristy hotspots like Voodoo Doughnut when in Oregon, but the best sugary circles in the state can be found at Pip's Donuts in Portland. Pip's specializes in bite-size doughnuts that are occasionally drizzled in icing or topped with chocolate. All doughnuts are fresh and made to order.

James Beard Award-winning chef Michael Solomonov has mastered the art of making doughnuts at Federal Donuts. Opt for the classic "Hot Fresh" cinnamon brown sugar doughnut, a fresh cake doughnut that's dredged in cinnamon and brown sugar, and cooked to order, so that it's still comfortingly warm when you eat it. Federal Donuts also serves some of the best fried chicken in America.

Since 1968, this Rhode Island doughnut shop has been consistently turning out some fabulous doughnuts. If you like your doughnuts bright, colorful and sugar-filled, then the sprinkle doughnuts at Allie's will be your idea of heaven. If you're more of a traditionalist, make sure you sample one of the renowned Boston creams.

Every week, doughnut chef Allison Smith crafts 12 distinctive doughnuts, so you'll need repeat visits to try all of Glazed Gourmet's inventive flavors. Flavors are always changing, but the "Rice Rice Baby!" doughnut (made with favorite retro snack cinnamon rice pudding and coconut) is just one example of how creative this shop can get.

This Rapid City doughnut shop has been family-owned and -operated for 20 years. And three words will help you understand why this place is such a resounding success with a keen, intensely loyal clientele: vanilla frosted doughnuts. Jerry's also specializes in turning out some of the best apple fritters in town.

If you're visiting Tennessee and Gibson's isn't on your ultimate travel bucket list, you're doing it wrong. Put simply, there are doughnuts, then there are Gibson's doughnuts. The shop is open 24 hours a day, meaning venturing over for a maple bacon doughnut is always a delicious option.

Round Rock doughnuts are known for their orange-yellow color and their puffy, yeast-risen appearance. The color comes from the high-quality eggs that are used in the dough, and the "rustic" appearance is a result of using the same recipe since the 1920s. Be sure to have a camera handy if you get one that is Texas-sized, it will be just about the size of your head.

Fresh Donuts & Deli is a locally beloved Salt Lake City staple serving freshly made doughnuts in a down-home shop. The original, maple, and blueberry doughnuts are all must-try favorites.

Mrs. Murphy's is a quaint little shop with a granny on its logo and a menu of delicious-yet-simple doughnuts. The maple cream, cinnamon cider, and cookies and cream varieties are the definition of comfort.

With eight locations in the state, Sugar Shack Donuts & Coffee is a staple of the Virginia food scene. Sugar Shack has the classics down to a science; the cinnamon sugar, glazed and chocolate sprinkle doughnuts are crowd favorites. But the signature offerings — like the apple cake doughnut or the trademarked chocolate Butterfinger doughnut that is topped with actual pieces of the recently reformulated candy — are standouts worth trying.

At Daddy's Donuts in Kenmore, the doughnut hype is well-earned. The mini-doughnuts come in three varieties — plain, cinnamon sugar and powdered sugar — and are made fresh to order each day. Doughnuts are served sundae-style in a bowl and topped with sweet goodies like chocolate syrup and whipped cream. Fan favorites include the Tayo Tornado (plain doughnuts topped with maple glaze and fresh bacon), Robot Roberta (topped with chocolate sauce, Oreo cookies, whipped cream and a robot ring), and Funky Monkey (topped with whipped cream, bananas, and a chocolate and peanut butter drizzle).

At Washington, D.C.'s District Doughnut, flavors are swapped each season to guarantee customers are always biting into something tasty and new. But if the creme brûlée doughnut is on the menu, snag one before they're gone.

The doughnut recipe used at this West Virginia shop hasn't changed for more than 30 years, and it's probably because the giant glazed doughnuts are such an incredible attraction to see and to eat. Locals will insist that you try the maple cream-filled, but there are more than 30 other flavors worth trying too. 

"Cranky" might be in the name of this establishment, but you're guaranteed to leave with a smile after trying a doughnut at this Wauwatosa shop. You can't go wrong with a chocolate long John here. There are also gluten- and vegan-friendly doughnuts made fresh each morning for those with diet restrictions. If you visit on the weekend, pair your doughnut with one of Cranky Al's famous breakfast pizzas. And if you stick around Wauwatosa for dinner, you can visit nearby Bartolotta, the best Italian restaurant in the state.

Mini doughnuts are as fun to look at as they are to eat, and Delish Donuts & Coffee proves this. These fresh, made-to-order doughnuts are crunchy and crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside. Get them plain, dusted or glazed. And if you're lucky enough, you just might find a seasonal flavor. The doughnuts here are right up there with the best breakfast dishes in the country.

More from The Daily Meal: 

The Best Italian Restaurants in America

The 101 Best Casual Restaurants in America

The 101 Best Restaurants in America

The World's Spiciest Hot Sauces 

The Most Expensive Restaurant in Every State