Donut Worry, I Have The Dozen For You...
I am the person who loves outrageous donuts. The crazier the flavor, the more I can't wait to get my hands on it and take a huge bite. Don't ever give me a plain glazed donut. Sorry Krispy Kreme, just because you're hot, doesn't mean you're delicious. You think dressing yourself up a little with icing or sprinkles is going to grab my attention? Think again. I want all the toppings, all the unique flavors and mostly I want a donut with some real weight behind it. I work out for a reason - and that's to lift donuts with ease, obviously (just kidding!)
The truth is, when it comes to donuts, I can never order just one. There are so many delicious looking options, how could I expect to settle on a single flavor? In my family and amongst my friends, I am known as the creator / organizer of the donut taste test. If you are eating donuts with me, don't expect to get a full one to yourself. Instead, expect to eat a small piece of all 12 donuts in the dozen I show up with.
The below list is in no particular order; it's literally the sequence in which I found the photos saved on my computer. But if I had to pick one place to be my absolutely favorite, I would have to go with Once Bitten Donuts in Massapequa Park. They are all worth checking out though!
I happened to be scrolling through Instagram on National Donut Day the other week and came across a list of the supposed "best" donuts in New York City. I was shocked to see multiple companies on it that I never visited before and knew I had to fix that right away. I immediately went through the list and put together a donut crawl for Craig and I to do - and The Doughnut Project landed at the top.
They have a large selection of unique flavors and we had trouble choosing which to try. We landed on two flavors to share (Cream Cheese & Everything Seasoning and Skippy PB&J), but went back and bought a third (Beetz and Ricotta Cheese) right after scarfing those down because they were just that delicious. At the end of the day, two of my top three favorite donuts from the crawl were made here.
Selected Flavors: Cannoli Creme Brulee, The Everything Doughnut, Blueberry Lavender, Those Beetz Are Dope, Lemon Love Letter and Coffee Cake Crunch
This is another company that was on the "best" Instagram list I came across and it was our second favorite stop of our donut crawl. Being located in Brooklyn, it was a little bit out of the way but we made the best of it and took a long walk across the bridge to earn the calories. I had been eyeing their donuts for a while, so I was happy to finally try them and even more ecstatic that they were worth the trek and the wait.
One of the flavors we got was Tres Leches and it was filled with so much chocolate cream that we were licking it off our fingers. It is a small, unassuming store but absolutely worth visiting - just make sure to have plenty of napkins when you're ready to eat the donuts. It's also worth pointing out that not only are these donuts delicious, but they are also very beautiful to look at and artfully decorated.
Selected Flavors: Danny Boy, Mango Lassi, Tres Leches, and Guava and Cheese
Duck Donuts is a chain with many locations across the country. Nevertheless, I would not put them in the same category as Dunkin' or Krispy Kreme at all. They have enough unique and interesting flavors that I think they deserve to be recommended. They have amazing reviews and I truly believe the high praise they get is well deserved.
We ordered a dozen of their fan favorites when we were driving to visit our friends Andrew and Dara not too long ago. As usual, we did a taste test with them and we all thought they were absolutely delicious and raved about them. The base of most of their donuts is vanilla cake; they have some with a chocolate cake base depending on the location. They also offer seasonal flavors and holiday-themed specials as well.
Selected Flavors: Bacon in the Sun, Blueberry Pancake, French Toast, Peanut Butter and Jelly, Smores and Pina Colada.
Once Bitten is a standalone donut shop in Massapequa Park. They are a little pricey - a dozen can run you close to $50 - but they have my all-time favorite donuts. We've gotten a dozen donuts from here at least 6 or 7 times that I can remember (and that's with a bad memory!). Some of the flavors they offer stay the same, while others rotate to allow for new concoctions that they have dreamed up.
They are not cheap on the size of the donuts here, nor are they cheap on the toppings. They offer a mix of yeast based and cake based donuts and sometimes even enhance the base to match the overall flavor of the donut. For instance, some donuts have the traditional vanilla or chocolate base, while others have blueberry or sour cream mixed in.
The one (weird) thing that always drove me crazy about Once Bitten was that the box for the dozen donuts was much larger than necessary and the donuts shifted around. I think they might have gotten better with matching the box size recently though. And yes, I know that's a crazy thing to be bothered by and believe me it never stopped me from going there for my donuts. It's just something that always struck me as odd.
Selected Flavors: Gimme Some Of That Cinnabun, Animal House, Sometimes You Feel Like A Nut, The Devil Made Me Do It, and C Is For Cookies and Cream
Doughology originally started out in Lynbrook, but later expanded to a second location in Babylon. They were actually our first introduction to outrageous donuts and were the subject of the inaugural donut taste test. A dozen donuts here is a little more reasonably priced (around $34), but the donuts are slightly smaller in size. That being said, Doughology makes up for this easily in the amount of toppings they load onto the donut, their crazy flavors and their delicious taste. These are a very close second to Once Bitten in terms of my favorite donuts and are only slightly behind because they don't rotate their flavors as often. They have their set signature donuts, plus offer one special flavor each week.
One of the shop's biggest draws is their Rainbow Cookie Donut. I personally am not a Rainbow Cookie fan, but I know that these are a favorite for many people - and so does Doughology. That's why they make this donut in limited quantities and why they have a special schedule for its availability. For me, their Peanut Butter Cup Donut is the highlight of any dozen and might be my all time favorite donut.
Selected Flavors: Caramel Apple Crumbcake, Snickers, Samoa, French Toast, Devil Dog and Churro
This is one of the few donut shops where I didn't actually get a full dozen to try. On both occasions that I went to Dough, the circumstances just didn't warrant so many donuts unfortunately. The first time I tried them, Craig and I were in the city with his sister, niece and nephew and we were walking to Radio City Music Hall. We passed by Urbanspace Vanderbilt on our way there and realized that we had never been inside before. We stepped in quickly to check it out and the donuts immediately caught my attention. We were going to dinner, but I couldn't leave without trying at least one - so I bought a lemon poppy seed donut to share with Craig and the kids.
The second time I went to Dough I was with my friend Ben and we popped in to get a quick donut before heading over to our VR experiences at the Harry Potter store. He ordered one of the seasonal Halloween donuts and I got the Blueberry Lemon. They were substantial donuts and we both really enjoyed them, but they definitely were not cheap. Donuts here cost over $5 for a single donut and close to $65 for a dozen. They are definitely city prices!
Dough offers year-round flavors as well as a seasonal menu.
Selected Flavors: Hibiscus, Mocha-Almond Crunch, Passion Fruit, Dulche De Leche and Nutella
North Fork Doughnut Co. currently operates out of two locations - one in Mattituck and the other in Bay Shore. Craig and I went to the Mattituck shop during a weekend stay in Jamesport. This was another place we did not get a full dozen at, mainly because they didn't have as many flavor options as some of the other places we've been to. We were both very happy with our selections though and we would definitely check them out again if we are ever in the area.
Selected Flavors: Caramel Coffee Cake, Churro, Cereal Killer, Samoa and Cookies 'n Cream
Peter Pan has been operating out of Greenpoint for many many years. And despite having eaten their donuts on multiple occasions, I have never actually stepped foot inside their shop. Luckily for us, our friends Matt and Alanna live close by to the store and they are one of the desserts of choice for them to bring to parties and gatherings.
The donuts offered here are simple flavors and look very unassuming - they have a more traditional and old-school look to them as compared to the other options on this list. Nevertheless, their selections certainly pack a flavor punch. Their blueberry buttermilk donut surprises me every single time I take a bite and I never end up wanting to share it. Even going halfsies with Craig is going to far when it comes to this donut.
Selected Flavors: Toasted Coconut, Chocolate Coconut, Blueberry Buttermilk, Chocolate Cake and Old Fashioned
*Photo Credit: Peter Pan Donut Instagram
Our love for donuts is very well known in our family and amongst our circle of friends. As such, it was not at all shocking when we received over 5 text messages with the same exact TikTok video highlighting the croissant donuts at The Donut Pub. It was probably even less surprising that we had already tasted them on more than one occasion.
They offer their croissant donuts in different varieties and even make some that are fully dipped in chocolate. These choices are where the shop shines and what makes up for their lack of "crazy" flavors. Outside of these, the standard selection of donuts here are more classic and simple, which are still good for what they are. In a place like New York City, it's always nice to have an option for a tasty straightforward donut as well.
The Donut Pub has two locations in New York, but the West Village shop is currently closed due to construction.
Selected Flavors: Salted Caramel Croissant Donut, Maple Bacon Croissant Donut, Chocolate Dippers and Brooklyn Kreme
*Photo Credit: The Donut Pub Instagram
Our friend Jon used to live close to Donut Crazy, so it naturally became our go-to choice for dessert when we were going to his place. They are located in a small building right by the train station, so the first time we drove there I was convinced we were lost and had to be in the wrong place. We actually almost left without even walking inside. Luckily, we thought better of that choice and immediately noticed the shop when we opened the door - we also spied on some of the most outrageous donuts we had ever seen.
I would not hesitate to suggest that you check out this place if you are in the area because their selection is completely deserving of the name "crazy". I don't know if I would say it's worth the toll just for the donuts, but that's only because I'm cheap. Although realistically, a toll could probably never keep me from their deliciousness.
Selected Flavors: Blueberry Pop Tart, Caramel Popcorn, Samora, Cannoli, and Kookie Monster
*Photo Credit: Donut Crazy Instagram
The first time we got donuts from Grounds, we found it completely by chance. We were driving up to visit our friends Jon and Jamie in Connecticut and we thought we would pass by Donut Crazy on our way there. However, a half hour into the trip Craig realized that Waze had taken him on a different route and we would be nowhere near Westport after all. We didn't want to show up empty handed and I already had my mind set on donuts, so I did a quick search and found that Grounds Donut House was only a few minutes away. We had no idea what to expect walking into the shop. We had never heard of the company before, but they had great reviews so we figured we couldn't go wrong. Luckily we were right - the donuts they offered were fun, unique and most importantly delicious. We didn't even end up waiting until after dinner to dig into them - we started tasting them almost immediately after getting to Jon's.
The second time we got donuts from Grounds ended up also being by chance. We had plans to go visit my friend Ben in Bayside one Saturday while he was bartending. Since we would be heading in that direction, we decided we would drive into the Bronx first so Craig could visit a property for work. While in the Bronx, Ben texted that he was really sick and wouldn't be able to make it to the bar after all. I wanted to bring him something to cheer him up, so I googled dessert places in the area. Lo and behold, Grounds came up in my search - they have a second location in the Bronx, less than 10 minutes from where we were. Of course we had to stop by and pick up some delicious looking donuts to drop off to him - and he raved about how great they were.
Selected Flavors: Fruity Pebbles, Churro, Guava Cheesecake, Maple Bacon and Cookies & Cream
*Photo Credit: Grounds Donut House Instagram
Bonus: Wicked Waffles LI
I am cheating a little bit with this one since they aren't donuts, but I believe they are absolutely worth telling people about so I added them to the list (you'll thank me later). This is a local company in the Levittown/Wantagh area which specializes in outrageously delicious waffles. Just like the donut companies, they have a select menu of crazy flavors - but on a waffle instead. You place your order through Facebook or Instagram and then set up a pick-up time with the owner.
We have ordered from this company twice - once just a box of four waffles for Craig and I and the other time we got 12 waffles for our family to share (waffle taste test!). They cost $20 for a box of 4 and you can mix and match flavors. They are very decadent and are very easy to share. They make for a unique dessert option if you are looking to change things up a bit.
Selected Flavors: Fudge Brownie Bomb, Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake, Rainbow Cookie Crumb, Party Cake and Frosted Pop Tart
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