The Lion King famously brought the “Circle of Life” into the lexicon, and for many, those three words could easily describe a morning doughnut and a cup of coffee. Simply put, doughnuts make people happy. Take a dozen into work and you’ll be the office hero. Swing by for a brightly colored creation after school, and you can coax the kids into doing their homework. Or, break away for a little alone time at your neighborhood shop for an everyday reward that needs no occasion.
Beyond the hard-to-resist silky sweet Krispy Kreme hot off the conveyor belt or a classic glazed from Shipley Do-Nuts, Dallas-Fort Worth has a bounty of shops worth exploring. From Insta-worthy doughnuts that taste as good as they look to unique styles you won’t find in many other places, here is a baker’s dozen of doughnut shops around DFW that are worth setting an early alarm to wake up for—or, in the case of at least one spot, make a late-night stop to.
Donutly
Croughnuts are the specialty at this Denton shop. Flavors include coconut-pistachio, dulce de leche, salted caramel, passionfruit, and blood orange permeating each of the pastries’ 100 layers of buttery goodness. Traditional yeast-raised and cake doughnuts, also made with high quality premium ingredients, ensure something to please everyone. 611 Sunset St., Denton, donutly.net
A & H Donuts
Authentic and homemade are the two simple words that describe what you’ll find at this Fort Worth favorite. The bakers here focus on fun, seasonal ingredients, along with photo-worthy treats such as alphabet doughnuts or unicorn and mermaid themes. Apple fritters, cronuts, cinnamon rolls, and sausage rolls round out the offerings. 3412 West 7th St., Fort Worth, anhdonuts.com
Electric Shuffle
If you prefer your doughnuts with a bottle of champagne—and maybe some deviled eggs, pizza, breakfast quesadillas, boneless wings, and truffle-parm fries—then add Electric Shuffle to your list. As part of the venue’s weekend brunch package, you’ll get an entire bottle of bubbly, 10 different family-style food items to share with friends, and 90 minutes of shuffleboard for $50 per person. The housemade maple-glazed doughnuts are made every hour and served warm, delicious in their simplicity. Totally worth building a little shuffleboard competition around. 2615 Elm St., Dallas, electricshuffle.com
Batter & Beans
Cake doughnuts don’t often get the respect they deserve, but at Batter & Beans, they are the stars. With 30 different flavors that start with a base of cake batter and sour cream, you’ll have tough decisions ahead. Try the chocolate espresso doughnut or a Key Lime pie doughnut complete with graham cracker crumbs, either one perfectly paired with a latte crafted with beans from Washington’s Dillanos Coffee Roasters. 3548 South Hills Ave. Ste. 18, Fort Worth, batternbeans.com
Detour Doughnuts and Coffee
Slam on the brakes if you see the sign for Detour Doughnuts while driving through Frisco. Korean-born chef Jinny Cho self-describes as a rule-breaker, and it shows on her menu, especially when it comes to her signature cream-filled doughnuts. Try the creme brulee, fig and mascarpone, or Dubai chocolate—all available in mini versions if you can’t decide on a single flavor. 8161 FM 423 #250, Frisco, detourdoughnutsandcoffee.com
Back Dough
Doughnuts aren’t reserved for an early morning indulgence. Starting at 10 p.m. every Friday and Saturday night, a neon sign lights up behind chef Tim Love’s Queenie’s Steakhouse near the courthouse square. That’s the indication that Back Dough is open for business until their unique creations sell out. Go in expecting the unexpected, like savory doughnuts—chili cheese burger, anyone? 115 E Hickory St., Denton, queeniessteakhouse.com
Rings Donuts + Coffee
The most coveted rings don’t always come from a jeweler. Sometimes they’re served by the dozen from cute little storefronts like Rings Donuts + Coffee in the Park Cities and Colleyville. Experience the wow factor of specialty options such as magical marshmallow and Fruity Pebble, or classics including Boston creme and strawberry iced with rainbow sprinkles. Multiple locations, ringsdonuts.com
The Salty Donut
Originated in Miami as a pop-up shop, the Salty Donut has begun its rapid takeover of cities across the U.S. There are two in the Dallas area—one in the Bishop Arts District and a pop-up airstream trailer at Klyde Warren Park. Staples include chocolate sheet cake, brown butter and salt, and churro and dulce de leche star-shaped doughnuts. Rotating seasonal flavors tap into trends and limited-availability ingredients, such as the Girl Scout Cookie-inspired Samoa. Multiple locations, saltydonut.com
Urban Donut
In the heart of Uptown’s State-Thomas neighborhood, Urban Donut fills a void for residents while creating a destination-worthy doughnut stop for the adventurous. Specialty options get their names from Dallas locations, including the chocolate-caramel-pecan Turtle Creek, the citrusy Lemmon Avenue, and the fancy salted-caramel-coconut-pecan Highland Park. They also sell doggie doughnuts and the wildly popular selfie doughnut, which allows guests to create their own from more than 10 styles, eight frostings, and nearly two dozen toppings, ranging from cookie dough to bacon. 2805 Allen St., Dallas, urbandonut.com
Voodoo Doughnut
It used to be proof that you lived in a major city when a Hard Rock Cafe opened. These days, Voodoo Doughnut represents the hip-and-trendy status symbol for the masses. The Portland-based shop features irreverent marketing slogans and whimsical options like the pentagram-clad Diablos Rex, the cute-and-creepy Voodoo doll, and the marijuana joint-inspired maple blazer blunt. Limited-time doughnuts reward frequent visitors with something new and crazy every visit. 1806 Greenville Ave. Ste. 120, Dallas, voodoodoughnut.com
Yonutz
Florida contributes another trendy doughnut shop to this list, this time with the home of the award-winning smashed donut. These eye-popping treats feature a doughnut that’s cut in half, filled with ice cream, warmed in a hot press, then rolled in toppings like cereal, cookie pieces, and bits of brownies. Ice cream for breakfast now has an official home. Multiple locations, yonutz.com
Jarams Artisan Donuts
Since 2018, Jarams Artisan Donuts has been serving long lines of devoted customers, eager to sink their teeth into everything from Average Joe Donuts to State Fair of Texas-worthy funnel cake doughnuts. Try the sandwich-style banana pudding or sweet-and-savory maple bacon doughnuts for the ultimate in decadence. Multiple locations, jarams.com
La Rue Doughnuts
Over the years, Trinity Groves has welcomed specialty purveyors from cake shops to a concept that served nothing but baked potatoes. Now, it’s the doughnut’s turn to shine with the opening of La Rue Doughnuts. They playfully claim “established in 1847,” but that’s actually a nod to the year American sailor Hanson Gregory gets credited for creating the first-known doughnut with a hole. French influences appear elsewhere besides the shop’s name, with brioche doughnuts being the house specialty. Worth noting: a second Frisco location is scheduled to open sometime this summer. 3011 Gulden Ln., Dallas, laruedoughnuts.com
