45 Mouth-Watering Donut Facts That Every Foodie Should Know

Doughnuts are one of the most irresistible and delightful treats in the world.

Have you ever been curious about its origin story? Did you know that 'doughnuts' is the original spelling and its shortened version 'donut' is more often used today?

Let us dive deep into these intriguing questions and check out some delicious donut facts. Doughnuts are considered a delicious fried pastry that usually take on the shape of a ring or a circle.

They come in various flavors and have a wide variety of fillings. This fried goodness is dipped and filled with just about anything. The gooey center of a filled donut is a mouthwatering sight.

The History Of Donuts

Doughnuts are tasty treats that most people cannot resist. They come in so many different varieties that there is sure to be a flavor suiting each person to perfection. So, where did it all begin? Let us delve right into these questions and answers.

Donuts were first introduced to America by Dutch settlers in the 1700s. They were called 'olykoeks' or oily cakes. 

Doughnuts were first mentioned in literature by Washington Irving, the author of 'The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow' in 1809.

The first recipe for doughnuts appeared in a handbook for homemakers in 1803.

In the 19th century, sailors were given donuts as a reward when they managed to procure 1,000 barrels of whale oil.

Donuts flourished in America during World War I. They were distributed to American soldiers in France to boost their morale and to remind them of home. These soldiers craved the sweet treat once they returned home.

Doughnut shops sprung up on every street corner with the invention of automated doughnut machine by Adam Levitt in 1920.

During World War II, the American Red Cross installed doughnut machines in trucks to hand out fresh doughnuts to soldiers.

The first Friday of every June is celebrated as National Donut Day in the United States of America. It was established in 1938 to raise funds during the Great Depression by the Chicago Salvation Army.

In the '50s and '60s, police officers on night patrol became regular customers of doughnut shops, which stayed open late into the night and early morning. It gave these shops protection against crime, so they welcomed the cops.

During the Chicago World Fair in 1993, donuts were titled 'Hit Food of the Century of Progress'.

Donut Shapes: Ring, Holes, Filled, Other Shapes

This delicious fried and sweetened dough comes in all shapes, sizes, and flavors. The doughnut shape varies from circular, ball-shaped, and ring-shaped to twisted, ribbed, and braided.

The ring shape of the first donut is credited to Hanson Gregory, a sailor in the 1800s. Displeased with the uncooked center of the round donut, he ordered the cook to punch a hole in the center for more even cooking.

Guinness World Record's largest box of donuts was a Krispy Kreme box that contained 2,700 donuts and weighed 297.6 lb (135 kg).

Long and thin donuts that are twisted and glazed are called yum yums.

Some outlandish doughnut flavors include champagne, wasabi, fried chicken, southern spice, bubble gum, and more.

Torus is the geometric name of a ring-shaped doughnut.

Spudnuts are doughnuts made of potato rather than flour. 

Regional Variations

Doughnuts, as we know them, are relatively new treats. Fried dough strips were dipped in sweet and savory syrups in ancient Greece and Rome. Regional doughnut variations are prepared in unique ways. The sheer number of variations in doughnuts is enough to make one's head spin.

The Italian version of a doughnut is its Tuscan treat called the bombolone. This fried dough is coated in sugar and filled with custard or cream. 

Ring donuts are called 'gravy' rings in Northern Ireland.

A Polish doughnut called the Paczki contains a regional vodka, Spiritus.

A popular version of donuts in South and Central America is called churros. They are long strips of sweetened dough, fried and rolled in cinnamon sugar. This yummy goodness is usually eaten with chocolate.

American glazed doughnuts are called 'dough rings' in Scotland.

In Japan, twisted doughnuts are called 'sakubei'; in China, they are called 'muhua', and in Korea, 'kkwabaegi'.

Jewish and Israel communities call their jelly doughnuts 'Sufganiyot'. It is most popular during Hanukkah.

The French doughnut was called 'Pet de Nonne', meaning 'nun's farts'.

The Dutch version of doughnuts are ball-shaped, stuffed with raisins, and are called oliebollen.

'Balushahi' is a flaky doughnut-like Indian dessert fried in clarified butter or ghee.

'Youtiao' or Chinese crullers are salted doughnuts eaten with porridge or soy milk at breakfast.

'Koeksisters' are South African twisted doughnuts. Crunchy and sticky, they are soaked in cinnamon-flavored syrup after frying.

The Turkish doughnut, 'Tulumba', is similar to cullers and is well-liked across Mediterranean countries.

A sweet fried pastry, 'Jalebi' is a favorite among South Asian, Indian, and Middle Eastern communities.

In Popular Culture: Australia, Canada, And The United States

Doughnuts have been a massive part of pop culture on the North American continent and Australia since World War I. It is often featured in movies, TV shows, and other entertainment programs.

Randy's Donuts has an enormous 32 ft (9.75 m) doughnut sculpture on its roof. It is the most sighted doughnut shop in Hollywood movies.

In a movie, 'It Happened One Night', Clark Gable shows America how to dunk a donut in coffee correctly.

Adweek has reported that Boston has one doughnut shop for every 2,480 people.

The Guinness World Record for the largest doughnut in the world was held by Donato's Bakery, Hemstrought's Bakeries, and the radio station WKLL-FM in Utica, New York, USA, in 1993.

They collaborated to create a giant filled doughnut, which weighed 3,739 lb (1.695 tons).

Canada is the most doughnut consuming country in the world. They have the most number of doughnut shops per capita in the world.

About 20 million doughnuts are produced in a single Krispy Kreme store annually.

The Golden Cristal Ube is known as the most expensive donut in the world. It costs a whopping $1,200.

It is created by Bjorn DelaCruz, the chef at the Manila Social Club in Miami. 

Dunkin Donuts sells their doughnut holes as 'munchkins'.

The Voodoo Doughnut, in Oregon, used to sell doughnuts topped with Pepto Bismol or NyQuil until the FDA banned it.

Dunkin Donuts is the largest American doughnut chain. They have 11,000 doughnut shops in 33 countries.

Australian, Shamus Petherick, set the record for eating the most powdered doughnuts in 3 minutes in 2010.

A person would gain about 1 lb (0.45 kg) every ten days if they ate a doughnut every day.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Krispy Kreme offered its U.S. customers a free doughnut if they were vaccinated.

FAQs

Who made the first donut?

The first donuts were made at the suggestion of Hanson Gregory of Rockport.

How many donuts are made each year?

More than 10 billion donuts are made and sold annually in the United States of America alone.

How did the doughnut get its name?

The doughnut got its name due to its uncooked 'doughy' middle.

What were donuts first called?

Donuts were first called olykoeks or oil cakes.

How many types of donuts are there?

There are innumerable flavors of donuts, but they could be classified into yeast donuts, cake donuts, long John donuts, spudnuts, and donut holes.

Why does a donut have a hole?

The doughnut hole was made so that its inside and outside cook evenly.

What was the first donut flavor?

The story goes that the first donut was made of flavored cinnamon, nutmeg, and a touch of lemon rind by Elizabeth Gregory, mother of the seaman credited with inventing the ring-shaped donut.

What's the most popular donut?

According to a recent Ipsos poll, the most popular doughnut in America is the cream-filled doughnut, followed by plain glazed doughnuts.

What are twisted donuts called?

Twisted doughnuts are often called crullers in America.

What are donuts without holes called?

Donuts without holes and are circular are referred to as filled donuts or jelly donuts (if they are filled with jelly).

What is the biggest donut in the world?

The biggest donut in the world was an American-style jelly donut.

Which country has the best donuts?

America produces about 10 billion doughnuts every year.