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The Best Doughnuts in America from Coast to Coast

The Best Doughnuts in America from Coast to Coast

Whether you go for baked, fried, simple or smothered, you'll find your winner among these holey picks from around the country

By People Staff

June 27, 2017 02:41 PM

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VOODOO DOLL

Credit: Shawnalee Anderton

Voodoo Doughnut in Portland, Ore.

The shop's namesake treat oozes raspberry jelly and is staked with a pretzel stick.

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RED VELVET

Credit: Myk Little

Glazed and Infused in Chicago

A mix of chocolate and vanilla cake is topped with cream cheese frosting and red velvet crumbs.

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PRETZEL DONUT

Credit: Meredith Skeens at Henry Clarke

Bill's Donut Shop in Centerville, Ohio

The signature "pretzel" donut is hand-twisted and glazed to perfection.

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PEANUT BUTTER YUZU

Credit: Courtesy Du's Donuts

Du's Donuts in Brooklyn

Chef Wylie Dufresne's savory-sweet combo is covered in a white frosting lattice and crunchy peanuts.

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MAPLE BACON

Credit: Union Square Donuts/Lexy Fournier

Union Square Donuts in Somerville, Mass.

Cloaked in maple-syrup frosting and bacon chunks, it has all the flavors of breakfast wrapped in one.

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BLUEBERRY PANCAKE

Credit: Federal Donuts

Federal Donuts in Philadelphia

The blueberry-pancake donut tastes like a stack of fresh-from-the-skillet flapjacks.

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CRÈME BRÛLÉE

Credit: Scott Suchman

Astro Doughnuts in Washington, D.C.

A play on crème brûlée, this version has a crunchy, fire-torched glaze with a vanilla.

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VIOLET REDBUD BERGAMONT

Credit: Hole Donuts

Hole Doughnuts in Asheville, N.C.

Every donut—like this violet redbud bergamot—is hand-shaped and fried to order.

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BEIGNETS

Credit: Cafe Du Monde

Café du Monde in New Orleans

Piping-hot beignets (puffy squares of fried dough) are blanketed with powdered sugar.

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YEAST DO-NUT

Credit: Holly Pruitt

Shipley Do-Nuts in Houston

Light, fluffy yeast donuts are finished with a cherry-sugar icing.

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MOTHER CLUCKER

Credit: Courtesy Gourdough's

Gourdough's in Austin, Texas

Housed in a converted Airstream, the team turns out over-the-top creations like this fried-chicken-and-honey-butter-stacked donut.

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BAVARIAN CREME

Credit: Emily Gardner

The Donut Man in Glendora, Calif.

The classic Bavarian crème—dripping with chocolate and filled with cream—doesn't get any better.

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HIBISCUS

Credit: Courtesy Alex Heigl

Dough Doughnuts in Brookyln

It's easy to see why the hibiscus doughnut made our list of the best things we ate at the 2014 Vendy Awards (the "Oscars" of street food). "Doughnuts elevated to the level of art. Flaky, but substantial. Chewy, but soft. Sweet, but not overbearingly so," raved PEOPLE editor Alex Heigl about this shocking-pink confection.

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CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER ICE CREAM 'BURGER'

Credit: Courtesy Sublime Doughnuts

Sublime Doughnuts in Atlanta

If you think a doughnut can't be a summer dessert, you'll change your mind after sampling the this ice cream sammie. . Owner and chef Kamal Grant served as a baker on a navy ship (his cinnamon rolls were famous!) before attending culinary school. He credits his military travels for exposing him to unusual flavors and combinations like the ones on his shop's menu.

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PUMPKIN OLD-FASHIONED

Credit: Courtesy Top Pot

Top Pot in Seattle

This coffee shop uses vintage doughnut machines to give their confections an authentic, old-timey flair. Moist inside and slightly crunchy outside, throw-back doughnuts like this pumpkin one are fried at a low temperature — it gives them their unusual, flower-like appearance. Along with pumpkin, the shop also makes the old-fashioned doughnut in six other flavors.

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The Best Doughnuts in America from Coast to Coast

1 of 15

VOODOO DOLL

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RED VELVET

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PRETZEL DONUT

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PEANUT BUTTER YUZU

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MAPLE BACON

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BLUEBERRY PANCAKE

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CRÈME BRÛLÉE

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VIOLET REDBUD BERGAMONT

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BEIGNETS

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YEAST DO-NUT

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MOTHER CLUCKER

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BAVARIAN CREME

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HIBISCUS

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CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER ICE CREAM 'BURGER'

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PUMPKIN OLD-FASHIONED

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