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The Best Doughnuts in Every State

Maiden Voyage

Gold™ Member

As 2020 lumbered to a close, I cannot have been the only one craving a modicum of quiet. That was my plan, peace and quiet, somewhere not too far away from civilization, but also with relatively few people. When the real estate agent told me over the phone that his condo in Maine, just up from the beach, was next door to one of the state's most popular doughnut shops, I was already there in my mind.

Since the 1950s, Congdon's Doughnuts has been a fixture in the town of Wells, which isn't so much a town as it is a collection of classic New England beach sprawl, spread out along the Post Road between quaint Ogunquit and the stiff upper lip Kennebunks. When I moved in, I had a perfect view of the drive-thru, by now the preferred pick-up method. I quickly learned the schedule, and Thursdays became my favorite day of the week. I'd wake up while it was still dark out to see the cars waiting patiently, quietly, on the first morning back after the shop's weekly break. At a time when Maine was finally experiencing the full weight of the pandemic, something so benign as a line of cars at a drive-through, viewed from the windows of my four-season porch, felt communal, shared.

I hadn't hated Mondays since my school years, but now they meant one, two, three days of no doughnuts, no occasional spice-scented waft on the breeze, no positive energy of people anticipating nice things, because when doughnuts are literally just around the corner, and you're cozy and safe in your car, who wouldn't be feeling good?

There have been so many doughnut temptations over the years, so many little obsessions, going all the way back to proper Boston creams and frothy hot chocolate at horseshoe-shaped counters with the spinning-top stools in New York City, cider doughnuts on the farm all over Hudson Valley and New England, malasadas in Honolulu and Fall River, too, beignets in Baton Rouge, pre-trend croissant doughnuts in time-capsule Midwestern bakeries, biscuit doughnuts in the Deep South, and now, big, brioche dough beauties everywhere.
The American doughnut is as varied as we are, and there's almost no corner of the country that hasn't been hooked for generations, or failed to put their own stamp on the genre. This list of the best doughnuts in America is, fair warning, intensely personal, assembled after several years of doughnut eating in the name of research. Pull up a chair, and let's do some traveling.

Results in the article. I’ll have to give the one listed in my state a try. Never even heard of the place.
 
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That New Mexico doughnut..
Hungry Give Me GIF by Naomi Maria
 

Maiden Voyage

Gold™ Member
where is it in MI, i'm lazy (also gay)



There's only one Tuesday every year when you will find Hinkley's Bakery open in Jackson, and that's Fat Tuesday (Feb. 16 this year), which in Michigan is pretty much universally celebrated as Paczki Day, when you'll find even more doughnuts than usual in a state that can't ever seem to get enough. Historically a day when bakers in Poland would use up extravagant ingredients for one final indulgence before Lent, paczek dough is typically richer than your average doughnut, with lots of eggs and butter; jam is the typical filling. Thought the lines outside Hinkley's were wild on a normal day? This you've got to see. Any time, however, is a good time for a visit to Brian and Connie Hinkley's landmark establishment, a Jackson essential for over a century. Nothing here is standard issue, from the top-selling crescent cake donuts topped with chocolate to road trip-worthy glazed walnut fritters, standing tall beneath heaps of crushed nuts.
In the Detroit area, Paczki Day isn't complete without a trip to New Palace Bakery in Hamtramck, which typically opens in the earliest hours of the morning to accommodate the annual crush. (In normal years, Hamtramck has even been known to throw a Paczki Day parade.)
 

Maiden Voyage

Gold™ Member
Man, not feeling the salty donut in Miami. The dough is incredible but they overcompensate on the filling & toppings. Definitely worth checking out though. Next time I’ll try something more plain.
 

OnionSnake

Banned
The one near me isn’t too far but they aren’t open on sundays? Maybe it was just my family but Sunday was always donut day. Weird
 

Punished Miku

Human Rights Subscription Service
Never tried the one in my state. Guess I will one of these days! I'm not usually up early enough to get donuts.
 

DESTROYA

Member
It’s been probably 5 years since I last ate a donut .
I’m more of a coffee and go guy and not much a a breakfast eater and hate having sweets as a first meal.
Maybe one day...... 🤷‍♂️
 
Fuck this article, the Virginia and Maryland ones are no where near me and they don't list one for DC

Krumpe's is worth the drive, especially if you're in the metro DC area. Hagerstown isn't that far and if you're into comics at all you can make a detour in Frederick and stop by one of the best comic shops in the area... Brainstorm Comics. Seriously, I've been going there for over 30 years.
 

Susurrus

Member
Krumpe's is worth the drive, especially if you're in the metro DC area. Hagerstown isn't that far and if you're into comics at all you can make a detour in Frederick and stop by one of the best comic shops in the area... Brainstorm Comics. Seriously, I've been going there for over 30 years.

Hmm perhaps sometime, I'll mark it on my map but it is an hour and a half away from me in south DC, so a bit far to go for donuts. That being said, once this COVID stuff goes away and we're able to travel we'll likely pass by there on drive trips going northwest so it might not be a bad spot to stop.
 
Hmm perhaps sometime, I'll mark it on my map but it is an hour and a half away from me in south DC, so a bit far to go for donuts. That being said, once this COVID stuff goes away and we're able to travel we'll likely pass by there on drive trips going northwest so it might not be a bad spot to stop.
There's a lot of cool stuff out in this area - MD, VA, and West Virginia. Definitely good for a day trip.
 
this is probably my current favorite donut

Lemon Poppy Buttermilk Old-Fashioned @ Blue Star Donuts​


lemon-poppyseed-cake.jpg


Our creamy buttermilk old-fashioned cake donut is lightly glazed with this bright, tartly sweet topping, made with fresh lemon juice and lemon zest. A light dusting of poppy seeds provides a bit of smoky texture balance.
 

TylerD

Member
Texas isn’t a bad choice

I wasn't surprised for (best/well known). They are really good and I really dig the orange glaze but in a state of ~30 million people there has to be a place making better donuts. Gourdough's donuts are pretty damn good too.
 
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oldpotatoman

Neo Member
None of them are within 2 hours of anywhere I've lived. I live in a Midwest city that's 2 hours away from 2 other cities. Their pick is in one of those other cities. I used to live in a place that was literally in 2 states but both of those picks are far on the other side of the states.
 
S

Sidney Prescott

Unconfirmed Member
Never tried American doughnuts, but I love the strawberry doughnuts I get from the supermarket Morrisons in the UK. They are freshly made, and very tasty.


81r9aCdSrtL._AC_SL1500_.jpg
 

Raven117

Member
I wasn't surprised for (best/well known). They are really good and I really dig the orange glaze but in a state of ~30 million people there has to be a place making better donuts. Gourdough's donuts are pretty damn good too.
True.

But, I'll be honest. Just give me a Shipley's plain donut with a sausage, cheese, and jalapeno kolache, and I am a happy camper.
 
I do not need a list. It is rare to find a bad donut.

Does the place have

Glazed donuts
Dount Holes
Bear Claws
Apple Fritters
Cake donuts, specifically blueberry with a glaze

You do? Terrific! Leave all those fancy multi layered monstrosities to the hippes.
 

Maiden Voyage

Gold™ Member
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I wasn't surprised for (best/well known). They are really good and I really dig the orange glaze but in a state of ~30 million people there has to be a place making better donuts. Gourdough's donuts are pretty damn good too.
You’re right, I went just to get a picture with a big ass donut but there’s a small place in a strip mall next to my apartment near Dallas that serves bomb ass sopapilla donuts. That’d be my vote.
 

Susurrus

Member
Lived in VA my whole life, never heard of the place. Duck Donuts isn’t too bad though.

Ended up getting Duck Donuts in Arlington yesterday and eating them this morning for breakfast. They were good, thanks for the encouragement. Super awesome staff, too. I do wish they were a bit closer to me, as I'm across the Potomac from DCA (if I walk out of the way of the other houses, I can see the runway), but totally doable to get sometimes.

I can feel the diabetus coming through my monitor.

Embrace it.
 

mekes

Member
Theres a decent place called Doughnut Time 5 minutes walk from my house. They are my girlfriends Achilles heel. The best thing is, she always buys a box of 6, eats 1+1/2, feels guilty and says I have to eat the rest.

Don't mind if I do!

 
Ended up getting Duck Donuts in Arlington yesterday and eating them this morning for breakfast. They were good, thanks for the encouragement. Super awesome staff, too. I do wish they were a bit closer to me, as I'm across the Potomac from DCA (if I walk out of the way of the other houses, I can see the runway), but totally doable to get sometimes.



Embrace it.

I’m in Alexandria. Im like 5 miles from DCA.
 
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