21 best doughnut shops in metro Phoenix whether you're craving mochi, jelly or glazed

One does not need an excuse to head to one of metro Phoenix's many shops making cake doughnuts, raised doughnuts, gourmet flavored doughnuts and even vegan and gluten-free doughnuts. For those who need one, call it celebrating life.

Doughnuts gained greaterpopularity during World War I when volunteer women with The Salvation Army, called "Doughnut Lassies", made them for the homesick soldiers. Without access to many kitchen supplies, the women improvised, using wine bottles and shell casings as rolling pins and baking soda tins as cutters. Legend has it, doughnuts were even fried in soldiers’ helmets. National Doughnut Day was created in 1938 to honor these women.

Whether you're in the mood for a classic old fashioned or a newfangled cheesecake-stuffed or whiskey-soaked treat, there are plenty of places to raise a pastry. Here's your guide to some of the best doughnut shops in metro Phoenix.

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Blooming Donuts

Located near the corner of Lower Buckeye Road and 99th Avenue, fans of this doughnut shop drive long distances for its glazed doughnuts. Those who don't want to make the trip can use Grubhub. Either way, there are 54 donuts to choose from with flavors ranging from chocolate glazed to maple bacon to strawberry and chocolate old fashions.

Prices: $1.38 for individual doughnuts, $8.09 for half dozen, $14.69 for a dozen doughnuts.

Details: 9820 W. Lower Buckeye Road, Tolleson. 623-936-7488, facebook.com/bloomingdonutstolleson.

Bosa Donuts

This Arizona-based chain offers raised doughnuts, like Boston cream and cinn-crumb, glazed cake doughnuts and devil's food with creative twists like toasted coconut and devil peanut. Bear claw, butterfly, apple fritter and cinn-roll fall under the fancy category.

Prices: $1.73 per doughnut, $9.22 for half dozen and 17.37 for a dozen doughnuts.

Details: multiple locations. bosadonutsaz.com.

Chin Up Donuts + Coffee

Owner Alex McEntire calls herself the Chief Donut Officer at Chin Up. Her mission is to bring positivity to the world with her sweet and spicy flavors. The menu divides into Mainstays, which are always available; In the Rotation, which are seasonal, and Oh you fancy, huh? which change weekly.

Examples of Mainstays include Lavender Fields, a yeast-raised doughnut with a lavender glaze sprinkled with dried lavender flowers and Ore-oh, a yeast-raised doughnut with a vanilla glaze coated in crushed Oreo cookie pieces. In the Rotation section features flavors like Whoa Wasabe, a yeast-raised doughnut with a sweet and spicy wasabi glaze topped with a ginger-infused caramel drizzle and Whiskey Pigness, made with maple glaze and topped with bacon caramelized in whiskey and brown sugar. The fancy options include flavors like creme brulee, cheesecake stuffed and mac and cheese fritters. Vegan options are brioche style and rotate weekly. The gluten-free options are cake doughnuts and require 48-hour pre-order.

Prices: $3.50 for mainstays and in the rotation; $4.50 to $5 for fancy options; $3.75 for vegan and $4.50 for gluten-free.

Details: chinupdonuts.com.

• 7325 E. Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd, #103, Scottsdale. 480-912-1240.

• 7021 E. Main St., Scottsdale. 480-765-3943.

Donut Parlor

This Cambodian-owned doughnut shop opened in 2016 as Chhaya Tan's passion project. The menu breaks down into three sections: Gourmet, Fancy-filled and Classic. Find Fruity Pebbles, Maple Bacon, M&Ms and apple pie in the Gourmet section; lemon poppy seed, red velvet crumb and blueberry-filled in Fancy-Filled and vanilla glaze, maple glaze and classic glaze under the Classic heading.

Donut Parlor offers a Texas-size doughnut that is 9 inches in diameter and costs $17.90.

Prices: $1.89 for individual doughnuts and $16.89 for a dozen.

Details: 1245 W. Elliot Road, #103, Tempe. 480-570-1900, donutparlor.com.

Donutsville Cafe and Bakery

California-based Donutsville makes raised, cake, specialty and fancy doughnuts plus doughnut holes from scratch daily. Choose from cinnamon rolls, apple fritters, bear claw and French cruller doughnuts. Prices: $1.49 to $2.39 for individual doughnuts and $14.90 per dozen.

Details: 8275 W. Lake Pleasant Pkwy, #107, Peoria. 623-825-4406, donutsville.com.

Donut Worry Coffee and Smoothies

This family owned business started in 2016 with owner Sam Yin's love of cooking. The menu features raised, cake, fancy, filled, special order doughnuts and malasadas or Portuguese doughnuts made of fried flat yeasted dough and rolled in cinnamon sugar.

Prices: $1.61 for a single, $9.19 for half dozen and $16.23 for a dozen.

Details: 9115 E. Baseline Road, Mesa. 480-621-6600, donutworryaz.com.

Dutch Donut Factory

With more than 50 doughnut options, including buttermilk, old fashioned, Bavarian cream filled coconut doughnut, chocolate bar, maple bar and Texas kolaches, this family-owned doughnut shop has something for everyone.

Prices: $1.49 for regular, $2.59 for fancy, $1.69 for a dozen doughnut holes. On weekends, grab a dozen chocolate doughnut holes for $1.89.

Details: 1152 N. Power Road, Ste106, Mesa. 480-748-4037, dutchdonutfactory.godaddysites.com.

Express Donuts

Vietnamese owned shop makes cake and yeast doughnuts that come glazed and filled. Express doesn't make it too complicated with over the top doughnuts, but what it does make, like blueberry doughnut or apple fritter, has a strong fan base.

Prices: From $1.39 to $2.19 for individual doughnuts, $13.49 for a dozen.

Details:13824 W McDowell Rd #103, Goodyear. 623-536-7443, Express Donuts Goodyear AZ on Facebook.

Glazed Donuts AZ

The family-owned doughnut shop has original doughnuts, French crullers, filled doughnuts and lots of fancy cake and yeast options, like devil's food, apple fritter and maple Long John.

Prices: $1.39 for original glaze, $1.79 for filled and French crullers, $2.19 for fancy doughnuts.

Details: 4815 E. Carefree Highway, # 112, Cave Creek. 480-748-4418, glazedonutscarefree.com.

HiHi Donuts

This family-owned shop, in business since the 1980s, offers raised and cake doughnuts and Texas Kolaches. Some of the doughnuts include, bacon maple, Oreo chocolate, cereal and blueberry cake as well as espresso bars.

Prices: $1.49 for individual doughnuts, $7.99 for half dozen, $14.99 for a dozen.

Details: 8714 North Seventh St. Phoenix, 602-216-0766, hihidonuts.com.

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Hurts Donut Company

Hurts Donut Company promises to "break the rules," and it delivers with over 70 varieties of oversized doughnuts in flavors like cotton candy, cookie monster, bubble gum and Tang. Hurts creates themed doughnuts as well. Some past examples include Star Wars, Teacher Appreciation Day and Mother's Day varieties.

Gluten-free doughnuts are available every Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Prices: From $1.50 to $3 for single doughnuts, $8.25 to15.75 for half dozen and $15 to $22 for a dozen doughnuts.

Details: 2161 E. University Dr., Tempe. 480-765-2101, wannahurts.com.

LaMar's Donuts and Coffee

The origins of this doughnut shops dates back to 1933 with 17 year old Ray Lamar making doughnuts at Jack Frost Donuts Company. He opened his own shop in 1960 and started franchising in 1990. Arizona has only one location. On the menu find endless options under the headings, originals, cake doughnuts, French cruellers, Bizmarks, knots, Lamar's bars, buttermilk bars, cinnamon twists, fritters and doughnut holes.

Price: $1.59 for original, $2.89 for specialty doughnuts. 2.89, dozen $13.99 per dozen or $23.99 for manager's special, which is half specialty and half original doughnuts. Dougnut holes are 50 cents individually or $4.50 for dozen.

Details: 2340 W. Bell Road, Suite 138, Phoenix. lamars.com.

The Local Donut

Owners Daniel and Margarita Tes are third-generation doughnut makers, hoping to be the place where people create weekly sweet rituals and build memories. Their large menu features traditional, classy, fancy and schmancy categories. Ferrero Roche, creme brulee and s’mores are a few of the schmancy choices.

Prices: From $1.75 for traditional doughnuts to $4.10 for schmancy doughnuts, $10.35 for half a dozen and $17.38 for full dozen.

Details: 3213 N. Hayden Road, Scottsdale. 480-500-5236, thelocaldonutshop.com.

Lucky Donuts

Lucky carries regular doughnuts, some with cereal toppings like cookie crisp and fancies, like peanut butter and jelly pocket, bear claw, cronut and apple fritter. Customers can order online for delivery or pickup.

Prices: $1.49 to $2.59 for singles, $8.99 for half a dozen and $14.99 for a dozen.

Details: 2510 W. Thunderbird Road, #1, Phoenix. 602-439-2057, luckydonutsandboba.com.

The Original Rainbow Donuts

Different from Rainbow Donuts chains, this family-owned business donates their extras to St. Vincent de Paul. The menu features raised, cake, old-fashioned, buttermilk, jelly-filled, creme-filled and fancy doughnuts. The doughnuts change seasonally. On the fancy list, find tiger tail, which is chocolate and glazed twisted together, cronuts and whipped cream bar.

Prices: $1.69 for a single doughnut, $11.99 to $12.99 for a dozen, $6.49 to $6.99 for half a dozen.

Details: 15834 N. Cave Creek Road, Phoenix. 602-867-9502, theoriginalrainbowdonuts.com.

Mesa Donuts

Mesa Donuts is veteran-owned and open since 2015. The menu includes classic cake and raised doughnuts, filled, long johns and fritters.

Prices: $1.50 for individual doughnuts, $8.52 for half a dozen and $15.16 for a dozen.

Details: 6008 E. McKellips Road, Mesa. 480-219-3066, facebook.com/Mesadonuts.

Mochidot Donuts

This newly opened, family-owned boutique doughnut shop provides small batch, handmade mochi doughnuts in flavors like matcha, cocoa crunch, ube and black sesame.

Prices: $3 for single doughnut, $16.50 for half a dozen and $30 for a dozen.

Details: 914 E. Camelback Road, Suite 4a. mochidot.com.

Mochinut

The Mochinut store is a chain from California that openedits first Arizona location in Tempe, Arizona. The colorful, flower-shaped treatswill no doubt stop you in your tracks. Try churro, mocha, Oreo and custard pudding. The flavors change weekly.

Prices: Three for $9, half dozen for $16.50 and a dozen for $30.

Details: 117 E. Southern Ave., Tempe. 480-248-3516, mochinut.com.

Short Leash Hot Dogs + Rollover Doughnuts

Brad and Kat Moor, the owners of this Melrose district hot dog and doughnut shop, offer creative savory and sweet brioche and hand rolled doughnuts along with three cake doughnuts. Some examples are cold brew cream, spicy Thai coconut and chai filled maple glaze.

Prices: $3 for an individual doughnut, $15 for half dozen and $30 for a dozen.

Details: 4221 N. Seventh Ave., Phoenix. 602-795-2193, shortleashhotdogs.com/rollover-doughnuts.

SoJo's Doughnuts

This all vegan doughnut shop is owned by husband and wife, Sonny and Jocelyn DeCarlo. Jocelyn utilizes her training from the French Pastry School in Chicago to create treats like Cookie Dough, a chocolate covered donut stuffed with cookie dough and Scarf S'more, chocolate glazed doughnut with house-made toasted marshmallow and graham cracker crumble. Additionally, a selection of seasonal flavors is available.

Prices: $3 to $3.50 for singles, $18 for half dozen and $30 for full dozen. Gluten-free singles are $3.75, half dozen $22 and a dozen $36.

Details: 1305 W. Guadalupe Road, E3, Mesa. 480-590-6716, sojosdonuts.com.

Sunrise Donut

Sunrise offers a large variety of doughnuts including filled and specialty doughnuts like strawberry and custard, maple bacon and cronuts.

Prices: $1.41 to $2.39 for individual doughnuts, $8.08 for half dozen and $15.18 for a dozen.

Details:

• 3536 W. Baseline Road, Laveen. 602-687-7688.

• 13011 W. Greenway Road, El Mirage. 623-466-6314.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: 21 best donut shops in metro Phoenix. Forget Dunkin and Krispy Kreme