Do not underestimate the power of the doughnut. During WWI, simple balls of fried dough were said to raise the morale of US troops. You can read more about the history of this delicious day here, but if you’re in less of an educational mood and more of a “how fast can I find a vegan doughnut?” craze, keep reading.
What makes a doughnut vegan?
Traditionally, doughnut recipes involve eggs and milk, which aren’t vegan, of course. But as these 20 spots below prove, it is possible to make doughnuts without animal ingredients. While recipes vary, many bakers choose to swap dairy milk for soy milk, and eggs for banana, egg replacer, or silken tofu. But whatever the ingredients, the result is just as delicious. To find out for yourself, head to one of the eateries below. You won’t be disappointed!
20 best vegan doughnuts in the US
From coast to coast and everywhere in between, here are some of the best vegan doughnuts (listed in no particular order) to start the day off on the right foot.
Donut Friend
1 Donut Friend’s Youth Brûlée
Los Angeles, CA
There’s so much wasted potential in a doughnut’s hole. Instead of leaving a gaping space of unsatisfying air, this vegan doughnut micro chain fills the gap with Bavarian cream that’s topped with sugar and torched for a crème brûlée effect. In terms of dessert mashups, this glazed doughnut-crème brûlée hybrid is a step above the cronut.
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Peaceful Provisions
2 Peaceful Provisions’ chocolate cake doughnuts
Beacon, NY
This doughnut is worth getting up early for. Based in Beacon, NY, and only open Fridays through Sundays with limited hours, this vegan bakery sells out fast. It’s a telling sign that you’re in for something great. Every morsel they make is epic, but the chocolate cake doughnuts are over the top. Go traditional with a vanilla glaze or try the indulgent Strawberry White Chocolate.
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Doe Donuts
3 Doe Donuts’ Strawberry Rhubarb Fritter
Portland, OR
This vegan doughnuttery specializes in yeasted, filled, and sweetly adorned fried dough. Its seasonal Strawberry Rhubarb Fritter donut is a delicious wonder with local strawberries and a strawberry rhubarb glaze. Enjoy with a double espresso.
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Dun-Well Doughnuts
4 Dun-Well Doughnuts’ PB&J
Brooklyn, NY
A step above the classic jelly-filled, this doughnut adds a thick layer of creamy peanut glaze to recreate this humble sandwich in fried dough form. There’s a reason why it’s a bestseller.
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Vegan Doughnut Company
5 Vegan Doughnut Company’s Passion Fruit & Sprinkles
Lakewood, OH
Based in the Cleveland area, this specialty bakery offers a rotating list of inventive doughnut flavors. This June, one of the stand-out options (both flavor- and looks-wise) has to be the Passion Fruit & Sprinkles doughnut.
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Ronald’s Doughnuts
6 Ronalds Doughnuts’ Birthday Doughnut
Las Vegas, NV
This no-frills vegan doughnut shop is cranking out some of the best vegan doughnuts in the country, according to its loyal fans. Grab yourself a dozen and make sure to snag a few sprinkle-topped, Birthday doughnuts with a smattering of rainbow jimmies and a thick vanilla glaze.
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Dottie’s Donuts
7 Dotties Donuts’ Boston Cream
Philadelphia, PA
The flavors change daily at this acclaimed vegan doughnut shop, so while we’d love to recommend the blueberry pop tart-topped option or the spicy chocolate cheesecake-filled chef special, it may not be around during your visit. Pro tip: order the constant Boston Cream and always go for the chef special if it’s not sold out.
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Erin McKenna’s Bakery
8 Erin McKenna’s Chocolate Dipped
Multiple locations
Looking for something gluten-free that doesn’t taste gluten-free? Erin McKenna’s got you. This bakery’s cake doughnuts are sublime and never gritty. It’s a tough choice, but we can never resist the chocolatey goodness of Chocolate Dipped.
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Vegan Treats
9 Vegan Treats’ Chicken and Waffles
Bethlehem, PA
This mashup only appears at the baker’s discretion, so if you see it in-store, grab it. Light and fluffy doughnuts are dipped in a maple glaze and then topped with two pieces of homemade crispy fried “chicken” and miniature Belgian waffles. If you thought chicken and waffles was a crazy combo, this doughnut will blow your mind.
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Good Town Doughnuts
10 Good Town Doughnuts’ Vegan S’mores
Costa Mesa, CA
Not all the doughnuts at this boutique doughnuttery are vegan, but at least half are. While the colorful Raspberry Pistachio or pretty Cherry Blossom may first draw your attention, feast your eyes on the colossal toasted marshmallow- and graham cracker-topped chocolate glazed pastry. You’ll have to unhinge your jaw to taste everything in one bite.
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Donut Run
11 Donut Run’s Apple Fritter
Washington, DC
As the country’s capital, it was high time DC had its own vegan doughnut shop. Established in January 2021, the small shop with a light pink exterior specializes in yeasted and glazed confections. Certainly, grab your fill of these frosted treats, but leave room for the head-sized apple fritter. It’s sweet, craggly, soft, and fluffy all in one.
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Revolution Doughnuts
12 Revolution Doughnuts’ Mint Julep
Atlanta, GA
It was extremely vexing to choose just one stand-out flavor from this vegan-friendly shop, but the Sweet Coconut Cake edged ahead by a nose. The pastry is a baked cake doughnut topped with coconut glaze and sweetened shredded coconut.
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13 The Donuttery’s Blueberry Cake
Huntington Beach, CA
This surftown doughnut shop will never let you down. It’s open 24/7, 365 days a year. We profiled The Donuttery in 2020 for National Doughnut Day to see how it managed to stay afloat (and open) during the turbulence of the pandemic. Given the vast assortment of vegan options here, we always try to mix it up whenever we visit, but the humble blueberry cake doughnut will forever be a constant in our orders.
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Kimberly Deflores
14 Vegan Donut Gelato’s Old Fashioned
Oakland, CA
This old-school, Oakland-based doughnuttery is serving up affordable, accessible, pink-box doughnuts in the Bay Area. Each bite into this crinkly, maple-glazed old-fashioned-style doughnut is utter perfection.
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Valkyrie Doughnuts
15Valkyrie Doughnuts’ Birthday Cake
Orlando, FL
There’s more than one reason to visit Orlando, and it’s not Disney World. These square-shaped doughnuts surpass any vegan-friendly treat you may find in the surrounding amusement parks. When it’s in rotation, snag the Birthday Cake if you can. Think of it as a traditional sprinkle doughnut kicked up 13 notches—it’s hand-sized yeasted dough topped with a thick birthday cake-flavored glaze, rainbow sprinkles, and homemade funfetti cake crumb. Stick a candle in it and start celebrating.
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Voodoo Doughnuts
16 Voodoo Doughnuts’ Vegan Voodoo Doll
Multiple locations
Not for the easily offended, this edgy, in-your-face doughnut chain is known for its crass inventions both in name and shape (we won’t sugarcoat it—several cream-filled flavors are phallic-shaped). We’re fans of several of the vegan flavors, but first-timers have to try the brand’s namesake Voodoo Doll doughnut. Shaped exactly as it sounds, the playful yeasted treat is filled with raspberry jelly, glazed with chocolate, and stabbed with a salted pretzel stake. This is definitely a time to play with your food.
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Dough Joy
17Dough Joy’s Everything but the Bagel Donut
Seattle, WA
Even Seattle locals can get a bit down when the weather is exceedingly dreary and they haven’t seen the sun in 10 days. That’s where Dough Joy comes in. While we don’t recommend eating your feelings for every cloudy Seattle day, treating yourself to any one of these yeasted, filled, and frosted treats can lighten the mood. Those who like it savory cannot skip the shop’s inventive Everything but the Bagel flavor featuring a fluffy yeasted dough, everything bagel seasoning, and a cream cheese center. Don’t question it—just enjoy.
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Cloudy Donut Co
18 Cloudy Donut Co’s Grapefruit Mimosa
Multiple locations
Vegans are spoiled for choice at Cloudy Donut Co. Every single doughnut served at this eatery is totally animal-free. You can choose from classic flavors such as Strawberry, Blueberry, and Cinnamon Sugar, but the brand is best known for its innovative flavors, like this Grapefruit Mimosa option, which comes with a tiny pipette of champagne. Don’t miss their tasty creations the next time you’re in Baltimore, MD or Brooklyn, NY.
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Holey Grail Donuts
19Holey Grail Donuts’ Chaga Chai
Multiple locations
Most of the doughnuts at Holey Grail Donuts are vegan-friendly, just watch out for honey or bee pollen in a few flavors. With locations in Southern California and Hawaii, expect to find many delicious flavors on the menu, including the Chaga Chai, which is topped with tasty cinnamon sugar. Best of all? Holey Grail’s doughnuts are fried to order, so you’re guaranteed to enjoy a hot treat every time.
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Cake Girl
20 Cake Girl’s Matcha Cake Donut
Los Angeles, CA
Why drink your matcha when you could eat it in doughnut form instead? Stop by Cake Girl and grab a delicious Matcha Cake Donut with matcha green tea glaze. And while you’re there, maybe stock up on some cookies, cupcakes, and cakes, too. Why not? It’s all vegan and gluten-free, after all.
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