While there’s nothing wrong with a simple glazed or chocolate cake doughnut, more interesting flavors and styles are taking center stage in doughnut shops across the country. Focusing on innovation and high quality ingredients, artisan doughnut makers are crafting unique creations and experiences for their consumers. Below is a list of a few of the best doughnut shops in the country.
Doughnut Plant. New York City has no shortage of doughnut shops, but when it comes to variety and creativity, Doughnut Plant really takes the cake. They serve up several kinds of doughnuts like: yeast, cake, and their signature “doughseeds.” Doughseeds are round, mini doughnuts that come in fun flavors like crème brulée, chocolate hazelnut, and Manhattan cream. Their small size means you can sample many kinds and maybe even have room to try one of their doughnuts of the day too. These doughnut flavors rotate on a weekly basis, but past ones have included matcha green tea, oatmeal, and chocolate chip cookie with pecans.
District: Donuts.Sliders.Brew. Café du Monde does pastries well, but when it comes to doughnuts in New Orleans, you should head over to District: Donuts.Sliders.Brew for really innovative takes on this fried delight. Like many shops on this list, their flavors change on a weekly basis so you’ll have to visit them often to check out their latest offerings. The visits will be well worth it, you’ll find items like the Neapolitan, a warm doughnut filled with cold Neapolitan ice cream, a textural contrast that’s sure to make your mouth water. And while it’s not a doughnut, don’t pass up their signature Bruleed Cinnamon Roll either. The roll is topped with a thick cream cheese frosting and caramelized sugar that will send you straight into a delightfully sweet coma.
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Blackbird Doughnuts. If you think doughnut shops in Massachusetts limit themselves to Boston cream, think again. Blackbird Doughnuts offers a constant rotation of both delicious and downright out-there flavors. One thing they’re known for is throwing savory elements into the mix like their Sriracha doughnut. Currently, they’re serving an Everything Bagel Doughnut, which is a brioche doughnut filled with cream cheese and topped with all the seeds and spices you’d find on everything bagel. If you’re looking for something on the sweeter side, try the Cold Brew Doughnut, a coffee and coconut milk infusion topped off with toasted coconut flakes.
The Holy Donut. This famous shop in Portland, Maine definitely has a hipster vibe to it, so it’s no surprise that local ingredients play a major role in its creations. You won’t find what they're serving anywhere else in the country, like their sweet potato doughnuts, made with local roasted sweet and white potatoes. On the spicier side, their Ginger Sugared Sweet Potato Doughnut is one you’ll definitely want to try. Their filled doughnuts are also worth a taste, especially the Cannoli Doughnut — made with a sweetened ricotta filling — and the Bacon Cheddar Doughnut. They definitely err on the side of indulgence, even for doughnuts, but these are two flavors you won’t want to miss.
Psycho Donuts. If the name of this shop doesn’t intrigue you, then their flavors certainly will. With several locations across southern California, Psycho Donuts changes their offerings on a regular basis. One day you might be sampling a Strawberry Margarita Doughnut made with tequila-infused cream filling and another day you might order The Dead Elvis, a filled doughnut featuring bananas, bacon, peanut butter, and jelly. You never quite know what you’ll find at Psycho Donuts, but rest assured that it will always be fresh and unique.
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