Where to Find the Best Doughnuts in NYC - The Adventuring Millennial

Honestly, I’m shocked it took me this long to create a post about the best doughnuts in NYC.

If you’ve been following along for a while, you will know I have a bit of a sweet tooth. Doughnuts are one of my newer dessert obsessions. I really wasn’t a huge fan until I married my husband and he helped me realize just how delicious doughnuts really are. Thanks, babe…

So if you are like me and are always looking for a sweet treat when you travel, you’ve come to the right place. In this post, I will tell you where to find the best doughnuts in NYC. Ready to dive in? Here we go!

The Donut Pub

We are starting with a bang because this is my FAVORITE doughnut shop in the city. Once I discovered Donut Pub, I knew I would forever compare every other doughnut to these soft and delicious pastries. The Donut Pub has two locations that serve old-school style doughnuts 24-hours a day. They have some croissant-style doughnuts as well, but let’s save those for the next place on the list. Here, sit at the counter and stick to Old Fashioned doughnuts.

My pick: Chocolate Old Fashioned

Dominique Ansel

Trying a cronut is a foodie right of passage. The original croissant-doughnut hybrid was created by Dominique Ansel and served out of his NYC bakery. Even though this pastry was invented in 2013, lines still form daily. The cronut will sell out so if you want to try one, get here early. Flavors change monthly but some of my favorites have been Morello Cherry With Toasted Almond Cream and Summer Berry Marscapone.

My pick: There is only one flavor available at a time.

Underwest

Doughnuts in a car wash? Sure, why not. Unerwest’s storefront is actually located inside the Westside Highway Carwash. Enjoy a delicious cake doughnut while secretly wishing you had a car to be washed. You can also find these doughnuts at coffee shops around the city. Joe Coffee Company and Birch Coffee often serve these doughnuts.

My pick: Car Wash (vanilla topped doughnut with blue, green, and pink stripes).

Peter Pan Donuts

Peter Pan has been a doughnut shop-staple for over 60 years. This unassuming bakery in Brooklyn uses the same recipes they started with. Here you will find basic (but delicious) cake, sugar, and old fashioned doughnuts. The red velvet is their best seller, but you really can’t go wrong with any of their varieties. This is a popular spot, but try to snag a seat at the old-school counter.

My pick: Chocolate Cake

Doughnut Plant

Who says doughnuts have to be round? At Doughnut Plant you can try square doughnuts year-round or a gingerbread-man shaped doughnuts at Christmas. The flavors at Doughnut Plant are also a bit outside the box. I’m talking Banana, Coconut Cream, and Rose flavored doughnuts. But if you want something more traditional, they also serve Chocolate Chocolate and Vanilla Bean doughnuts.

My pick: The Black and White

The Doughnut Project

If you thought the Doughnut Plant had unique flavors, prepare to take it to another level. At The Doughnut Project, you will be treated to unexpected culinary creations. Are you ready for this? One of their flavors is a Bone Marrow Chocolate & Clementine doughnut. They also serve some safer options like Strawberry Milkshake and Peanut Butter & Jelly.

My pick: Strawberry Milkshake

Doughnuttery

So far we’ve been talking about full-sized doughnuts. But at Doughnuttery, you can enjoy bite-sized mini doughnuts. There are a few locations around the city where you can sample these hot made-to-order treats. You get to select from more than 20 combinations of flavored sugars to top your mini doughnuts. Paris Time (Lavendar+Pistachio+Vanilla) and Urban Monkey (Coffee+Banana+Coconut) are a few of the house favorites.

My pick: Apple Cider

Dough Doughnuts

Dough offers yeast doughnuts that are large and fluffy and cake doughnuts that are dense and delicious. Their menu changes frequently, but you can expect gourmet-style treats from Dough. Latin American influences are often seen throughout their menu and some of their staples include Hibiscus and Dulce de Leche doughnuts.

My pick: Chocolate-Cocoa Nib

I hope you enjoyed this list of the best doughnuts in NYC. Did I leave off your favorite? Let me know in the comments!

If you are looking for more, check out these posts:

The Essential NYC Coffee Chains That Aren’t Starbucks or Dunkin’

Your Ultimate Guide to the Best Ice Cream in NYC

30 Famous NYC Desserts You Need in Your Life