I am ashamed to admit it: donuts have become my vice. It’s not that I’m eating them every day, but there have certainly been days when I have had a late-night craving and brought home a half-dozen of these sweet, fluffy bits of temptation. Breakfast for a week, I say. The only problem is that before bed the next day, I’m left staring at an empty box and shouting, “Oh, come on!”
Donuts are remarkably ubiquitous, and everyone has their own take on it. In my youth, I worked in a Chinese restaurant, and even they had their own special recipe for these American-fried indulgences. So for this article, I took one for the team. I set out to sample as many different doughs as I could on your behalf, whether it be from one of the big names or a local Knoxvillian who is doing it all right. No need to thank me. Instead, join me on a flavor-filled road trip chock full of these sugary delights.
Dough Joe
Our first stop is Dough Joe, and that’s for a simple reason: they close when they run out of dough! Being a former Beaver, I chose to pay my respects at the Karns location. Here I was pointed to a donut named The Homer, the first of a few Simpsons-inspired donuts I’d encounter on this journey, with the iconic strawberry-pink icing and sprinkles. Dough Joe also had some of the largest cinnamon rolls I have ever seen, though regrettably as this is an article about the hole-iest of fried doughs, I will have to save that treat for another time.
Karns, Farragut, North Knox, South Knox | facebook.com/beaversdoughjoe
Status Dough
Next stop: Status Dough. No matter where you find yourself along Kingston Pike, you can probably find your way to one of these prime donut spots. The go-to choice here is the buttermilk donut, which as you can see, has a unique sort of texture as donuts go! That, they explained to me, is because they fry these special delights longer and at a lower temperature. And I must say, despite this donut not having the flashy colors and toppings of some of its kin, I did not regret my choice. Delish!
Bearden, Farragut, Downtown | statusdoughnuts.com
Richy Kreme
Richy Kreme has something of a claim to fame: they are the oldest donut shop in Knoxville. They also have something of a special pastry I just had to get my hands on: the Kronut. That is, a Croissant-Donut. While croissant donuts aren’t exactly trademarked by Richy Kreme, after tasting their take, I can safely say that these are the ones to eat. There’s a classic flakiness you expect from a croissant but crisped and rich like a donut. Top it off with a nice glaze. Oh, and they also had red velvet donuts. I may or may not have taken one for later!
Northshore, Maryville | facebook.com/richykremedonuts
Buck’N Good Donuts
Next I shipped out to Seymour for a visit to Buck’N Good Donuts. It’s a small spot, sharing its building with a gas station and a convenience store, but this anything but gas station food. If you happen to experience the happy accident of stopping by and giving it a try, you won’t be disappointed. In fact, the staff say, happy accidents are the way to go at Buck’N Good; it’s how they discovered their bestseller: the salted caramel donut. One day, they just happened to get an order of them by mistake, and they flew off the counter. If that was a mistake, I say, best keep making it.
Seymour | facebook.com/buckngooddonuts
Donut Theory
True to their name, Donut Theory’s donuts aren’t characterized by being flashy, but rather by careful selection of ingredients. Their claim to fame is that they are “home to Knoxville’s best (and only) gluten-free donuts,” and if you’ve ever tried to make gluten-free pastries, you know how hard that is to do! But these donut theorists have pulled it off. Taking my first bite of their glazed donut, I’d forgotten they were gluten-free; the texture and taste were on point. As of this writing, Donut Theory is a pop-up shop, but will soon be setting up a permanent shop at Kerns Food Hall.
Kerns Food Hall | facebook.com/thedonuttheoryknox
Donut Place
It’s a good sign when you walk into a donut shop and the customer coming in behind you points and says, “These are the best donuts in town.” I found myself at the Donut Palace during the Maryville leg of my donut road trip, which just happens to be built out of an old Sonic. Inside, however, you find not a roller-skating burger joint but good, old-fashioned, fresh-made donuts. I was treated to a classic glazed donut (actually, make that two classic glazed donuts), straight out of the fryer, still warm enough to feel like it was melting in my mouth.
Maryville | thedonutpalacemaryville.com
Parlor Doughnuts
Normally in these articles, I don’t include chains; we’re a local publication, after all! However, there are a few places I’d feel remiss not mentioning, and the first of these is Parlor Doughnuts. If you’re looking for a place that somehow feels simultaneously like a classic 50s diner and a gourmet restaurant, Parlor Doughnuts downtown is that place. Their donuts are presented individually on proper tableware, and each is practically a fortress of flavor. I tried my hand at the French toast donut, which tasted so remarkably like real French toast that I asked the staff if it was made with the same recipe. Turns out, it’s all a trick of the maple syrup glaze. I’ll take it!
Farragut, Downtown | parlordoughnuts.com
Ultimate Doughnut Shop
Time for a particularly colorful stop on our road trip: the Ultimate Doughnut Shop! This shop offers a variety of custom donuts, including letter-shaped ones for a special day. But colorful and creative display doesn’t necessarily tell you what’s on the inside of a pastry, which is why I’m here to tell you that what’s on the inside is a very tasty treat. At the owner’s recommendation, I took a leap and got a blueberry cake donut (I’m not usually much of a blueberry fan), but I’m glad I did. The flavor was rich, the texture was fluffy, and the desire to have another was at an all-time high.
Karns | facebook.com/UltimateDoughnut
Krispy Kreme
Krispy Kreme, if my childhood memories serve me right, was the home of my very first donut. I recall being able to peer through a window to see the entire donut-making process in the back; those of you who have been around donuts longer than I might be able to tell me which Krispy Kreme this was—or if I am simply hallucinating. Regardless, a nostalgic location calls for a nostalgic donut, so here I went not for some wild concoction but a simple glazed donut. My younger self had good taste, it seems. Krispy Kreme still holds up.
Bearden, North Knox | krispykreme.com
Duck Donuts
Am I allowed to say that this is the home of the publisher’s favorite donut? He and I were at an early photo shoot for Best of the Best a few years back, and when we were done, he said that I had to give Duck Donuts a try. I wish I remembered what I got that day, but I remember what he got: the Maple Bacon, which is, I’m told, the iconic Duck Donut (though they suggested the slightly grander Maple in the Sun for this article, which adds a caramel drizzle overtop the maple icing and bacon). Everything is made to order at Duck Donuts, so it comes to your fingers steaming and soft. Don’t forget napkins because your hands will be sticky!
Bearden | duckdonuts.com
Family Dough Mini Donuts
Family Dough is unique on this list because they exclusively serve mini-donuts. I met up with the Family Dough team (adults and kids alike) at the Cove for a bit of an impromptu picnic, where they showcased a dozen of their finest. Several are named after their children. The Harper, for example, is a delectable cherry cheesecake donut. But if you’ve got a different kind of sweet tooth, they also recommend the Owen (which is an Oreo donut), or maybe the white (and orange) chocolate Power T. Right now they exclusively work out of their food trailer, doing events and other catering, but they have several regulars who order a weekly dozen, and they’d be happy to add you to the list.
Delivery only! | familydoughminidonuts.com
Master Donuts
I must admit, this one got off to a bad start when I saw the North Carolina Tar Heels merchandise behind the counter at its Lenoir City location. Because of that, I felt compelled to order the orange-iced donut, as my small act of Volunteer rebellion. I suspected when I did so that it was just vanilla with a splash of color thrown in, but no, it was actually citrus-flavored! It was a very welcome surprise, a sort of mini-Dreamsicle donut. I walked out of this shop feeling much better about this spot than when I walked in, and I suspect next time I’ll be more willing to try out the staff favorite: the apple fritter.
Lenoir City, Clinton | facebook.com/Masterdonutstn
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