Best in Dough!
One of the best things about donuts, is that they come in so many shapes, sizes, and flavors. The same diversity exists in their makers. PHOTO CREDIT - disKCovery
Fountain City Superlatives (‘25): Donut Edition
Published June 6, 2025
A donut can be anything it wants to be.
Its only limitation is the imagination of its maker. It can be larger than a hubcap or small enough for a single bite. Fluffy and glazed, dense and frosted, or something else entirely. Most are halo-shaped. Some are braided. Others are spherical or elongated. Some are cut by hand, others shaped by gravity and hot oil.
Nuts, sprinkles, or sugar. Fruits, candies, cereals, and even bacon. The topping possibilities are without beginning or end. The fillings are just as boundless.
Donuts cast a wide spectrum that goes beyond shape and flavor.
“Jellied for breakfast, frosted for lunch, cream-filled for dinner, and glazed for in-between meals.”
Family-owned, Asian-owned, Black-owned, Latinx-owned, LGBTQ-owned, woman-owned, immigrant-owned, Midwestern mom-and-pop - you’ll likely find them all, and more, in Kansas City’s donut scene.
Great donuts come from emporiums and bakeries, grocery stores and gas stations, trucks, home kitchens, and humble shops. They come from expansive chains and solo operations in every corner of the metro. Some recipes have been passed down for generations; others are brand new. In the world of donuts, timeless classics and fresh inventions live side-by-side. Blue bloods and new bloods alike fill cardboard boxes and wax bags with their fares.
In Kansas City, a donut recommendation can come down to time of day, preferred style, or simply what’s nearby.
So, in celebration of National Donut Day - and the rich diversity of our donuts and their makers - I’m highlighting the shops that do each kind best.
How I Picked ‘Em
I hit the donut circuit.
Like a cop in a 90’s sitcom, I cruised across the metro for these tasty treats. From artisan bakeries to old school gems, I tried them all. Well, maybe not all. I’m sure a few long johns were left unturned. But after visiting dozens of spots over the past year, I did enough to be dangerous.
I supported local.
It’s all about Kansas City baby! These rankings are for the shops that call KC home. Unless a place’s flagship, headquarters, or original location are in the metro, regional and national chains didn’t make the cut. That’s why you might see the likes of Lamar’s or Yummy’s, but there’s no room for Casey’s, Dunkin’, or Daylight here.
I kept it fresh.
Fresh, never frozen. The way Wendy makes her burgers is how I like my donuts. Hand-cut, carefully crafted, dipped, or dropped, the best donuts are made fresh daily during the witching hour; hot and ready to be devoured when the world finally flips on the lights.
I built it brick by brick.
Great donuts can come from trucks and pop-ups, and in Kansas City, they regularly do. But for this list, I stuck to the shops with brick-and-mortar storefronts who make their own donuts. I opted for permanent locations, consistent offerings, and steady hours that you can count on when the craving hits.
I chose the categories.
As you’ll soon see, there are a lot of different kinds of donuts. I had to start, and stop, somewhere. Usually, donuts make me happy and free. But at times, I was just confused. Sorting through the categories? Both miserable and magical. Ultimately, I felt like 22. Oh yeah, it’s a lot, but don’t worry - everything will be all right.
I picked the best.
Rankings are subjective. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I chose the donut in each category that I liked best. When I named honorable mentions, it was a maximum of two per category, listed in alphabetical order, not by rank.
I didn’t play favorites.
Well… that’s not exactly true. The whole point of this list is that they are my favorites. What I mean to say is, that this list isn’t influenced by freebies, friendships, or favors. Fountain City Superlatives can’t be bought. (Though I do invite all the local donut shops to try!)
At the Very Yeast…
Yeast donuts are a classic. They are the fluffy, cloud-like, prototypical treat that cartoon characters drool over. Big, golden halos of airy, fried goodness, as if fallen off angels themselves. Each doughy bite is proof of divinity. Lovingly formed by the hands of their makers, yeast donuts are soft, but never delicate. They’re strong enough to bear the load of glazes, frostings, sprinkles, and fillings, yet light enough to whisk you off your feet.
Does anything generate quite the same excitement as a big yellow box of Lamar’s glazed donuts? PHOTO CREDIT - disKCovery
Yeast Donuts - Glazed
The Best? Lamar’s Donuts and Coffee | Multiple Locations
Is there anything more classic than a glazed donut? Few boxes stir up local fanfare like the iconic yellow dozen from Lamar’s Donuts. Their glazed, pillowy, almost gooey yeast-raised donuts are local legends. For nearly 100 years, Lamar’s has been delivering blissful bites across the metro; here’s to another century of Lamar’s glazed goodness!
HONORABLE MENTION: Holt’s Donuts (Cinnamon Glazed) AND M&M Bakery and Deli
Yeast Donuts - Frosted
The Best? Mr. D’s Donut Shop | 11222 W. 75th Street, Shawnee Kansas
If you roll into Mr. D’s Donut Shop at 9:00am, don’t be surprised if the case looks picked over. That’s how fast their fan favorites fly! But here’s a secret, the Chocolate Raised and Maple Iced, which don’t go nearly as quickly , are quietly the best raised donuts in town. Buttermilk-based and cut by hand, they’re proof that simplicity can still be decadent.
HONORABLE MENTION: Donut King (Bacon Maple) AND Sweet Dream Donuts
Yeast Donut Holes
The Best? Fox & Bull Baking Co. | 10510 Grandview Road, Kansas City, Missouri
South Kansas City’s Fox & Bull Baking Co. is an artisan bakery with a focus on souring local, often organic, ingredients. While their brioche donuts (available only twice a week) get plenty of buzz, it’s their take on the glazed donut hole that should be turning heads. Served as a pull-apart blossom of seven buttery bites, these glossy donut holes are simply sublime.
HONORABLE MENTION: KC Donut Co. AND Yos Donuts
There’s a ton of great donut holes across the metro, but the pull-apart version at Fox & Bull Bakery are my favorite. PHOTO CREDIT - disKCovery
Yeast Twists
The Best? Yos Donuts | 7170 Renner Road, Shawnee, Kansas
A yeast twist may appear to be a tangled mess, but the flavor is surprisingly smooth and straightforward. At Yos Donuts, the Glazed Knot is light and airy with a flaky glaze, possessing a subtle velvety richness that satisfies even the sweetest tooth.
HONORABLE MENTION: Fresh Donuts (Frosted Yeast Twist) AND Lamar’s Donuts (Two-Tone Knot)
Yeast Twists - Cinnamon
The Best? Fluffy Fresh Donuts | 5729 Johnson Drive, Mission, Kansas
A great cinnamon twist blends the warmth of a cinnamon roll with the comfort of a glazed donut. The twist from Mission’s Fluffy Fresh Donuts strikes the perfect balance between restraint and indulgence, delivering the ideal mix of flavors and textures.
HONORABLE MENTION: Fluffy Fresh Donuts - Stateline AND M&M Bakery and Deli
Pine Cones
The Best? Yos Donuts | 7170 Renner Road, Shawnee, Kansas
Most similar to a fried cinnamon roll, the pine cone is not exactly a common donut type. However, the existence of the Cherry Pinecone from Yos Donuts is reason enough to merit this category. The yeast-raised roll with a chippy glaze, swirled with cherry flavor, is one of KC’s best donuts.
HONORABLE MENTION: NOBODY ELSE.
Bear Claws
The Best? Jack’s Donuts | 2400 S. Lee’s Summit Road #110, Independence, Missouri
There’s a lot to love about Jack’s Donuts in Independence, but their Cinnamon Bear Claw steals the show. The yeast-raised and glazed pastry has a crisp shell that gives way to doughy, cinnamon-filled goodness in every bite. When you crave the Cinnamon Bear Claw from Jack’s, nothing else in town quite scratches that itch.
HONORABLE MENTION: Ray’s Donuts AND Sweet Dream Donuts
The cherry pinecone from Yos Donuts (RIGHT) is in a league of its own. PHOTO CREDIT - disKCovery
Long Johns - Frosted
The Best? Vee’s Sweets & Treats Deli | 8005 The Paseo Boulevard, Kansas City, Missouri
At Vee’s Sweets & Treats Deli, the first thing you’ll likely notice is the massive size of their donuts. Large in stature and even bigger in flavor, their frosted Long Johns offer the right balance of chewy, doughy, and sweet with an airy frosting that brings it all together.
HONORABLE MENTION: Fluffy Fresh Donuts - Mission AND Ray’s Donuts (Maple Frosted)
Long Johns - Filled
The Best? Doughboys Donuts | 11559 E. 63rd Street, Raytown, Missouri
Raytown’s Doughboys Donuts prides itself on making donuts the “old-fashioned way”. Their accurately-named XL-sized Long Johns are some of the best in the metro, with fillings like the heavenly Angel Cream. Not into that? They offer over a dozen other cream and jelly options!
HONORABLE MENTION: Holt’s Donuts (White Cream) AND Ray’s Donuts (Chocolate Fluff)
Bismarcks - Jelly / Custard Filled
The Best? Donut King | 2320 Armour Road, North Kansas City, Missouri
What most call a “jelly donut” is actually a bismarck: a circular, raised yeast donut with no hole, typically filled with jelly, cream, or custard. In Kansas City, Donut King rules this particular realm. With a wide variety of options like strawberry, blueberry, and raspberry, the zesty lemon flavor reigns supreme.
HONORABLE MENTION: Doughboys Donuts (Key Lime) AND Johnny’s Donuts
Bismarcks - Cream Filled
The Best? Big Daddys Donuts | Locations in Raymore and Belton
With locations in Raymore and Belton, Big Daddys Donuts is a multi-generational family affair. Among their offerings, the Boston Creme and Oreo Creme are the standouts. The Oreo Creme is a chocolate-frosted yeast Bismarck packed with cookies ‘n cream fluff, and topped with an Oreo cookie and a squirt of heavy whip.
HONORABLE MENTION: Doughboys Donuts AND Fluffy Fresh Donuts - Stateline
Available with a multitude of cream and jelly fillings, the filled Long Johns from Doughboy’s are the metro’s best! PHOTO CREDIT - disKCovery
Celebrate National Donut Day!
As you celebrate the holiday, someone’s bound to sneer that National Donut Day is just another “made-up holiday”. Hate to break it to them, but all holidays are made-up. What they’re really suggesting is that it’s a holiday without reason. (And what they’re actually saying is that they’re no fun.)
You could counter by asking if they’ve ever eaten a donut. A warm, perfectly fried ring of joy is reason enough to celebrate. But, as it turns out, there’s a very real reason behind this holiday.
“The optimist sees the donut; the pessimist sees the hole!”
Back in 1938, the Salvation Army in Chicago needed a fundraiser to help those hit hardest by the Great Depression. They chose to honor their own: women who, two decades earlier, had gone to the front lines of World War I to provide similar aid. These women, later dubbed “Donut Dollies”, braved artillery fire to bring freshly made donuts to soldiers in the trenches. They were so fresh that some of these women even fried the dough in soldiers’ helmets over makeshift fires on the frontline. Far from home, these women provided comfort and hope. Word quickly spread that, “THE SALVATION ARMY GIVES DONUTS AND COFFEES TO THE BOYS OVER THERE!” And when those boys returned home, they brought their cravings with them. Donuts grew in national popularity.
That’s why, on the first Friday of every June, we celebrate National Donut Day.
It’s not just about deep-fried brilliance and supporting small businesses (though let’s be clear, it is about those things too). But with each bite, we honor bravery.
We remember the importance of providing comfort in times of chaos.
We salute strong women.
We respect the fallen.
We recognize how powerful a random act of kindness can be.
We remember how important it is to give others hope: even when it’s fried in a battlefield helmet.
“Made-up holiday” or not, I’ll gladly raise a Boston creme to that.
Taking the Cake…
Unlike their airy yeast cousins, cake donuts are denser, sturdier, and built to hold their ground. They’re not hand-cut, but shaped and forged in hot oil. The batter doesn’t rise, it endures. A crisp shell holds within it a tender, crumbly core. Rich, moist, and full of flavor, cake donuts carry the warmth of cherished memories. After all, it’s cake. And how do we celebrate special moments? With cake. Each bite of a great cake donut is a full-blown party for your taste buds.
Among Holt’s Donuts many frosting options, the orange (LEFT) and blueberry (RIGHT) are among the most popular. PHOTO CREDIT - disKCovery
Cake Donuts - Vanilla Cake
The Best? Holt’s Donuts | 1325 Main Street, Grandview, Missouri
Standing at the aqua-and-white striped counter in Grandview, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Holt’s vanilla cake donut put them on the map, but where do you go from there? There’s so many frostings! There’s classics like chocolate, vanilla, and maple; but also strawberry, blueberry, even orange. All made from scratch with real fruit. The frostings are light, whipped, and just as bright in flavor as they are in hue. You really can’t go wrong; although orange may be the most right. At Holt’s Donuts, you truly can taste the rainbow.
HONORABLE MENTION: Fresh Donuts AND Yummy’s Donut Palace
Cake Donuts - Chocolate Cake
The Best? Fluffy Fresh Donuts | 10123 State Line Road, Kansas City, Missouri
Fluffy Fresh Donuts prides themselves on the use of real cocoa in both their chocolate cake donuts and their chocolate frosting. It shows! The result is a crispy-edged, crumbly, sinfully sweet donut that calls to mind the very best sheet cake. While it’s delicious any way you top it, doubling down with the rich, fudge-like frosting and a generous handful of crushed nuts turns this treat into something akin to a sundae; no spoon required.
HONORABLE MENTION: Mr. D’s Donut Shop AND Holt’s Donuts
Cake Donuts - Fruit Cake
The Best? Mr. D’s Donut Shop | 11222 W. 75th Street, Shawnee Kansas
In holiday movies, fruitcakes are a punchline. In the world of donuts? They’re heroes. The blueberry cake donut from Mr. D’s Donut Shop hits every beautiful, nostalgic note. Then the lemon glaze comes in over the top and bathes the whole thing in sunshine. Tart, tangy, and sweet, Mr. D’s transforms the classic into something next-level. A fruit cake may raise eyebrows in most cases, but at Mr. D’s they’re a main attraction.
HONORABLE MENTION: Hana’s Donuts (Blueberry Cake and Strawberry Cake) AND Jack’s Donuts (Strawberry Cake)
Cake Donuts - Glazed
The Best? Hana’s Donuts | 2131 S. 34th Street, Kansas City, Kansas
At Hana’s Donuts, the options are so abundant that the cases, literally, overflow! Tucked among the towers of donuts is a true gem: Hana’s Red Velvet cake donut. Soft, moist, and rich with that signature cocoa-vanilla flavor, it’s finished with a light, sweet glaze that ties it altogether.
HONORABLE MENTION: Lamar’s Donuts (Glazed Devil’s Food) AND Yos Donuts (Chocolate Cake)
If you don’t get some donuts when you visit Louisburg Cider Mill - what are you even doing there? PHOTO CREDIT - disKCovery
Old Fashioned
The Best? Donut King | 2320 Armour Road, North Kansas City, Missouri
Donut King boasts nearly 50 donut varieties, but few loom as large as their award-winning Salted Caramel Old Fashioned. Dense yet light, moist yet crisp, sweet with just enough salt; the Salted Caramel Old Fashioned is a mesmerizing contradiction. This donut doesn’t just walk the line between opposing ends, it dances on it.
HONORABLE MENTION: Rochester Brewing and Roasting Company (Frosted) AND Vee’s Sweets & Treats Deli
Apple Cider
The Best? Louisburg Cider Mill | 14730 K-68 Highway, Louisburg, Kansas
A trip to the Louisburg Cider Mill is not complete without indulging in their locally-grown apple goodness. Among their many offerings is an apple cider-infused cake donut, rolled in cinnamon sugar. While Maine cider houses may have a list of rules, we have only one for the cider mill in Kansas: don’t leave Louisburg without grabbing one of their fresh apple cider donuts. Better yet, make it three.
HONORABLE MENTION: Fluffy Fresh Donuts - Stateline AND Vee’s Sweets & Treats Deli
Check Out the Best Donut Shops in Kansas City!
In 2024, I dove into Kansas City’s surprisingly rich and burgeoning donut scene. In this Devan’s Dozen, I crowned the top 13 (because “baker’s dozen”, of couse) local shops across the metro.
Sadly, #13 and #11 have since closed their doors. It’s a shame when even elite donuts can’t make it. All the more reason to check out the list and visit all the rest!
Frittering Away…
Are fritters technically donuts? Heck, I don’t know! But plenty of donut shops make them, and include them as an options for their dozen. Plus, they’re delicious. Firm, chewy, beautifully misshapen masses of fruit, cinnamon, and dough. They’re always glazed and ready for glory. You might not think of a fritter as a donut, but I’m not about to argue with the donut purveyors who make them.
Both the Bear Claw (LEFT) and Apple Fritter (RIGHT) from Jack’s Donuts took home top marks in this year’s Fountain City Superlatives. PHOTO CREDIT - disKCovery
Fritters - Apple
The Best? Jack’s Donuts | 2400 S. Lee’s Summit Road #110, Independence, Missouri
Great apple fritters are all about balance. They are crispy and chewy on the outside but fluffy within. The glaze is sweet, never cloying. The apples are tender, never mushy, with just the right amount of cinnamon. While Kansas City has no shortage of fantastic fritters, Jack’s Donuts is the apple of our eye. Their Peanut Butter Crispy, a fritter topped with peanut butter and crushed nuts, is a customer favorite.
HONORABLE MENTION: Vee’s Sweets & Treats Deli AND Yos Donuts
Fritters - Assorted Flavors
The Best? Mr. D’s Donut Shop | 11222 W. 75th Street, Shawnee Kansas
A frequent entrant in these superlatives, it’s no surprise that Mr. D’s Donut Shop took the top spot in last year’s list of the best donut shops in Kansas City. Offered only on weekends, their Pineapple Fritter is one-of-a-kind. A dense, white cake fritter bursting with pineapple chunks and topped with toasted coconut. It’s a tropical twist that blurs the line between fritter and angel food.
HONORABLE MENTION: Hana’s Donuts (Blueberry Fritter)
Available Friday, Saturday, and Sunday only, the Pineapple Fritter from Mr. D’s is a piña colada in pastry form. PHOTO CREDIT - disKCovery
Freakin’ Vegans
In the spirit of celebrating the diversity of Kansas City’s donut scene, let’s take a moment for the vegans. If that’s not your thing, keep scrolling. Every other shop mentioned is for you! At Mission’s Mud Pie Vegan Bakery & Coffee, everything is entirely plant-based; including the donuts. Their chocolate donut leans more brownie than traditional donut. In fact, all their donut types are baked and more closely resemble a miniature Bundt cake than a proper donut, but they’re still a wonderful treat.
Meanwhile, Donutology in Westport offers a trio of vegan options that hit much closer to the mark. There is a catch, however. They’re pre-order only, with a 24-hour minimum notice and a required order of at least half a dozen. They aren’t necessarily going to satisfy a spontaneous craving, but for those seeking a plant-based donut, it’s nice to have some options.
Best of the Rest…
Some donuts just don’t neatly fit into yeast, cake, or fritter categories. They’re cut from a different cloth. Still donuts, still delicious, and absolutely worthy of celebration. These outliers break the mold and demand their moment in the spotlight. Donuts may be boxed, but their greatness can’t always be boxed in. This one’s for the other guys; the mavericks. Here’s to the donuts that play by their own rules.
When it comes to the New York delicacy, Fresh Donuts is miles ahead of the competition. PHOTO CREDIT - disKCovery
Cronuts
The Best? Fresh Donuts | Locations in Kansas City, Missouri (Barry Road) and Kansas City, Kansas (Legends)
A little over a decade ago, the cronut took New York City - and the nation - by storm. Buttery, flaky, and fried, the cronut blends the airiness of a croissant with all the joys of a donut. Fresh Donuts is widely credited with bringing the craze to KC, and they still do it best. If you’re lucky, you might even get an order of the cronut holes. Tiny, golden nuggets of goodness that might even top the original.
HONORABLE MENTION: Big Daddys Donuts AND Donut King
Crullers
The Best? Donut King | 2320 Armour Road, North Kansas City, Missouri
A French Cruller is an elegant ring of twisted, deep-fried beauty. Made from pâte à choux dough, the delicate pastry’s sturdy exterior gives way to a delicate, almost custard-like center. At Donut King, crullers come in a few varieties that all nail that balance of airy but decadent. These spongy braids are everything that a good cruller should be!
HONORABLE MENTION: Lamar’s Donuts
Mochi Donuts
The Best? Blackhole Bakery | 5531 Troost Avenue, Kansas City, Missouri
Blackhole Bakery may offer an array of baked goods, but it’s their mochi donuts that put them on the map. A cross between an American donut and Japanese rice cake, these chewy concoctions use rice flour instead of wheat. Typically, mochi donuts are shaped as a ring of small spheres, but Blackhole’s version is a tennis ball-sized glove available in a variety of flavors. Dense, chewy, and unlike anything else in town, the mochi donuts at Blackhole keep their fans coming back for more.
HONORABLE MENTION: Mr. D’s Donut Shop (Cotton Candy OR Caramel Apple)
Blackhole Bakery has become a destination for mochi donuts. The donuts shown were rolled in a pink lemonade-flavored sugar mixture. PHOTO CREDIT - disKCovery
How the Crumbs Fell
That’s all [s]he wrote! With this edition of Fountain City Superlatives in the books, below is a recap of your favorite Kansas City donut shops fared for 2025:
Vee’s Sweets & Treats Deli racked up the Superlatives. The Long John (BACK CENTER) and Apple Spiced (FRONT RIGHT) both received deserved love. PHOTO CREDIT - disKCovery
Fountain City Superlative Winners:
Mr. D’s Donut Shop (3)
Donut King (3)
Jack’s Donuts (2)
Yos Donuts (2)
“If you stop eating donuts you will live three years longer. It’s just three more years that you want a donut.”
Big Daddys Donuts (1)
Blackhole Bakery (1)
Doughboys Donuts (1)
Fluffy Fresh Donuts - Mission (1)
Fluffy Fresh Donuts - Stateline (1)
Fresh Donuts (1)
Fox & Bull Baking Co. (1)
Hana’s Donuts (1)
Holt’s Donuts (1)
Lamar’s Donuts and Coffee (1)
Louisburg Cider Mill (1)
Vee’s Sweets & Treats Deli (1)
While Ray’s Donuts didn’t win any categories outright, it had quite a few honorable mentions. PHOTO CREDIT - disKCovery
Honorable Mentions:
Fluffy Fresh Donuts - Stateline (3)
Holt’s Donuts (3)
Lamar’s Donuts and Coffee (3)
Ray’s Donuts (3)
Vee’s Sweets & Treats Deli (3)
Yos Donuts (3)
Donut King (2)
Doughboys Donuts (2)
Fresh Donuts (2)
Hana’s Donuts (2)
M&M Bakery and Deli (2)
Mr. D’s Donut Shop (2)
Sweet Dream Donuts (2)
Big Daddys Donuts (1)
Fluffy Fresh Donuts - Mission (1)
Jack’s Donuts (1)
Johnny’s Donuts (1)
KC Donut Co. (1)
Rochester Brewing and Roasting Company (1)
Yummy’s Donut Palace (1)
Together, we dove into donuts of all shapes and kinds. We talked about frosted ones, glazed ones, creme-filled ones, and jelly-filled ones. There were vanilla cake, chocolate cake, blueberry cake, and red velvet cake. Glazed yeast, frosted yeast, donut holes. There were old fashioned donuts, cider donuts, long johns, bismarcks, and cinnamon twists. French crullers, cronuts, mochi. And that, that’s about it.
Unlike chocolates, when I reach for a box of donuts, I know exactly what I’m going to get!
Hopefully, now you will too.
What did I miss? What’s your favorite donut in KC? Where and what do I need to try? As always, leave it in the comments!
