There are quite a few donut chains here in Houston like Southern Maid, Dunkin’ Donuts, and Krispy Kreme. However, being the proud Houstonian that I am, my heart {and my stomach} remain true to Shipley Do-Nuts. Nothing beats a freshly made, hot, glazed original donut with a cup of dark roasted coffee. But every now and then, I do like to venture out and try gourmet donuts at new places around town.
Please note that I had to sacrifice my beach body {Clearly a joke…my body hasn’t been beach ready since I started having kids!} to do this donut reconnaissance mission. But it was worth it, all to find some of the best Houston donuts. Without further adieu, here they are…
The Grove Do-Nutz
Located near the Pecan Grove subdivision, this place makes your donuts to order. That means you will have to wait for your order, but it’s worth the little wait time. Promise. All of the donuts aren’t on display like your typical donut shop, so you may have to ask about each donut flavor if you can’t tell by the name on their menu. Their yeast donuts are so light and plush. It reminds me of the fried bread I had at Chinese buffets when I was little. My favorite at this place was The Funky Monkey, a yeast donut smothered in Nutella and topped with sliced bananas. Enjoy the tables and sitting area with your kids while you enjoy their donut creations, and schedule your visit wisely – they are closed on Mondays.
Morningstar
Tucked in the corner of a strip center, you can easily miss this place if you didn’t know it was there. It’s a trendy coffee bar, as well as a brunch and donut shop. Each donut that they have for the day is displayed in a glass case at the counter, which helps make ordering easier. I especially loved this place because they had a good selection of vegan donuts that tasted delicious! I enjoyed a light and airy, powdered cake donut the most out of all the donuts that I purchased there that morning.
River Oaks Donuts
I had the biggest smile from the minute I stepped into this place. There isn’t any sitting room, but the donuts are displayed in a glass case at a kid-friendly level. All of the donuts were almost too pretty to eat. You can also preorder Texas-sized donuts, donut-shaped cakes, and alpha donuts {donut-shaped letters}. I seriously stared and smiled at my chocolate sprinkled donut for a very long time before I took a bite. The smore’s donut was heaven.
Hugs and Donuts
Located off of Shepherd, Hugs and Donuts makes their donut fillings in house. The décor is fun and inviting. They too make alpha donuts and have donut-shaped tables to sit at. Want to know what else is so cute about this donut shop? How about milk that comes out of beer taps! They have chocolate, strawberry, and a rotating third flavor. Some of the fan favorites are the sour cream donuts and cookie butter donuts.
Glaze Doughnuts
This mom and pop donut shop is located on Franz Road in historic Katy off of I-10 and offers a wide variety of classic and signature flavors daily. Make sure that you go early because they do run out of their specialty donuts later in the morning. There are two tables to sit at, but this is more of a grab and go kind of place. Their Nutella donut holes are to die for, and I especially loved their blueberry fritter.
Mr. Donut at Telfair
Located in the Telfair subdivision of Sugar Land, Mr.Donut is known for its family-friendly atmosphere, customer service, and delicious donuts. It reminds me of the donut shops that I visited with my parents as a child. Mr. Jeff is sure to ask about your plans for the day and make sure your kids are taken care of. Take the kids for breakfast and enjoy the sitting area, and be sure to ask about customizing a donut order to fit a theme for birthdays and other celebrations. I hear that the maple bacon donut is outstanding!
My love for donuts runs so deep that I could probably write a whole book on donuts. I’ve even attempted making semi-homemade donuts from canned biscuits and making them from scratch. They both yielded way too many donuts for me to eat in one sitting, and the homemade ones took hours to make. Having a list of local favorites just makes getting your donut fix so much easier. I can’t wait to order some of these donuts for my upcoming donut-themed party for my daughter’s adoption day too!
Picking out a donut can sometimes be such a unique experience. Whether you try something new or go with one that reminds you of childhood, it’s personal! We want to know – where is your go-to donut shop and what is your favorite donut there?
Love the article Christine! I would love to talk to you about my donut business that I’ve brought over to Houston. We’re still going strong in Orange County, CA and actually was just named one of the “Best Donut Shops in Orange County.” http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2017/05/30/best-donut-shops-in-orange-county/ It’s right up your alley considering it’s National Donut Day! I’d love to chat!
Love, Love, LOVE your website Molly! I was totally drooling over the mini donuts picture. Let me inbox you so we can chat about donuts. 🙂
Just saw your reply. Where have I been!? Still would love to chat!
I would like to add Karma Kolache (formerly Koala Kolache) in the West ‘burbs between Katy and Cypress off 529. Over here we can’t drive all those distances just for donuts but this place opened last year and they make wonderful donuts and kolaches for we who are deprived of city life !
Thanks Michelle for the add! What’s your favorite donut at Karma Kolache?