Chicagoland has some really great donut spots for families to try. If you’re looking for a place to satisfy your sweet tooth, check out these donut shops that are sure to do the trick.
A lot of these places have unique flavors using cereal or other sweet treats. If you’re feeling adventurous, go on the Underground Donut Tour.
This article was written on May 3, 2024, by Chicago Parent’s Audience Development Manager, Katina Beniaris. Her work included checking if the information provided on local donut shops is up to date. Questions? Please reach out to katina@chicagoparent.com.
Donut Shops in Chicago
Beacon Doughnuts
- Address: 810 W. Armitage Ave., Chicago
The donuts here are hand-made in small batches so pre-ordering is recommended. Some of the current donut flavors are Boston Cream, Blueberry Pancake, Birthday Cake Sprinkle, Oreo Old Fashioned, Cinnamon Coffee Cake and Strawberry-Passionfruit Bismark.
BomboBar
- Address: 832 W. Randolph St., Chicago
The donuts here, called Bomboloni, come with sundae-style toppings to pour on top or dip into. The sauces are salted caramel, strawberry, vanilla crème anglaise and chocolate hazelnut.
Daly’s Donuts
- Address: 2158 N. Halsted St., Chicago
This donut shop features classic cinnamon sugar donuts (also available in gluten free,) dunkers, chocolate dipped donuts, chocolate churro donuts and dunker cups. All donuts are baked fresh every day.
Dat Donut
- Address: 8251 S. Cottage Grove Ave., Chicago
Try this spot’s donuts in flavors such as apple fritter, bow tie donut, cinnamon roll, The Big Dat Donut and donut balls. They also serve muffins and sandwiches.
Do-Rite Donuts 👑 (Our Readers’ Favorite!)
- Addresses: 233 S. Wacker Drive, Chicago; 1027 W. Addison, Chicago; 181 N. Morgan St., Chicago; 233 E. Erie St., Chicago
The small-batch donut shop serves up a variety of unique sweets every day, including blueberry crumb, pistachio Meyer lemon and candied maple bacon. Donuts are made with all-natural ingredients and flavors change daily.
Doughnut Vault 👑 (Our Readers’ Favorite!)
- Address: 401 N. Franklin St., Chicago
Try this bakery’s artisanal handcrafted doughnuts that are either classic old-fashioned or glazed. Some of the popular donut flavors include Buttermilk Old Fashioned, Vanilla Yeast Doughnut, Almond Old Fashioned, Jelly Filled Yeast Doughnut, Lemon Poppyseed Old Fashioned, Apple Fritter, Pistachio Old Fashioned, Chocolate Old Fashioned and Vanilla Birthday Cake. Pair it with a hot coffee or cold brew, which are both made with their custom Project X dark roast blend.
Downstate Donuts
- Address: 1132 W. Wilson Ave., Chicago
Drop by this Uptown favorite potato donut flavors and to view the Clifton Street Art Gallery. Their classic donut flavors are Original Vanilla Sour Cream, Sweet Potato Maple, “The Trunchbull,” Miso Honey Butter, Lemon Mascarpone, Chocolate Sea Salt and Brown Butter Chai. They also offer seasonal and gluten-free donut options.
Firecakes Donuts
Inspired by the owner’s great-grandfather William “Billy” Hobbs, a baker who made “firecakes” to feed hungry workers in Wisconsin logging camps, the recipe at Firecakes is based off of Billy’s original recipe (now a closely guarded family secret.) Named one of the best donuts in the country by CondeNast Traveler, Firecakes sources locally-farmed products and unique ingredients to create cult favorites like birthday cake, pistachio old fashioned, Boston crème and orange poppyseed.
Mochinut
Mochi donut flavors here include Cookies & Cream, Milk Pebbles, Raspberry, Chocolate Churro, Mango, Churro, Tiramisu and Strawberry Funnel Cake. They also offer bubble drinks, coffee and Korean corn dogs.
Old Fashioned Donuts
- Address: 11248 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago
This shop has been around for over 40 years. They make classic-style donuts fresh daily. Try their apple fritters, glaze and chocolate glaze donuts.
Smack Dab Chicago
- Address: 6730 N. Clark St., Chicago
This spot features vegan donuts and their flavors rotate daily. They also serve coffee, sandwiches, bowls and more.
Somethin’ Sweet Donuts 👑 (Our Readers’ Favorite!)
- Address: 4456 N. Kedzie Ave., Chicago
A family owned and operated biz since 2012, Somethin’ Sweet in Albany Park offers both cake and yeast-raised donuts. Owner Jim Chao has been forming dough, frying to perfection and glazing donuts for more than 30 years. While Somethin’ Sweet has somethin’ for everyone, their signature donut is the lemon cake, Chao’s own recipe. This zesty donut packs a punch and is unlike any other donut found in the Chicagoland area.
Stan’s Donuts
- Multiple locations in Chicago
Consistently ranked among the best donut shops in Chicagoland, Stan’s was one of the first places to kick off the donut craze that’s still going strong. Specializing in handmade, exotic doughnuts in more than 30 different variations, locals flock to Stan’s for their Biscoff pockets, croissant donuts, glazed pretzel and lemon pistachio old-fashioned donuts. Stan’s is also one of few donut shops in the area that caters to vegan and gluten free customers.
Voodoo Doughnut
- Address: 945 W. Randolph St., Chicago
Purchase a classic dozen, Voodoo dozen or vegan Voodoo dozen. They also have other unique donuts you can grab including Banana Cream Pie, The Homer, Bacon Maple Bar, Voodoo Bubble, Mango Tango and much more.
Donut Shops in the North/Northwest Suburbs
Bennison’s Bakery
- Address: 1000 Davis St., Evanston
A North Shore institution for more than 80 years, there’s always plenty of chatter about Bennison’s special occasion cakes. But owner Jory Downer, a certified master baker from the Retailer’s Bakery Association, makes sure that the donuts at Bennison’s deliver. While simple in flavor (chocolate long john, cinnamon swirl, jelly,) the taste is next level, as they are baked through the night, ensuring freshness the next day.
County Donuts
- Address: 1218 S. Roselle Road, Schaumburg
County Donuts is a mom-and-pop shop that has been serving the Schaumburg community since 2007. Twice a day, the dough is formed, rolled out and turned into various shapes that will eventually be filled, or just the standard rings with their secret in-house vanilla, strawberry and chocolate frosting. Fan favorite yeast donuts include honey dip and apple ‘n spice, while chocolate mint and buttercrunch top the cake flavors.
DB3
- Address: 1704 Central St., Evanston
With daily rotating donut flavors, your taste buds are always in for a surprise at DB3. Popular flavors that frequently make it on the menu include maple bacon, pistachio cream, Nutella chocolate mousse and coconut marshmallow snowball. DB3 is also known for its cereal donuts, with flavor variations in fruity pebbles, cinnamon toast crunch and lucky charms.
Donut Drop
- Address: 835 E. Algonquin Road, Schaumburg
Serving fresh-from-the-fryer donuts, the fluffy creations at Donut Drop come in unique flavors, like maple bacon long johns, toasted coconut cake, Nutella s’mores, salted caramel and cookie crumbs. Kiddos will love to sink their teeth into a colorful unicorn inspired donut. An added bonus — they serve Brewpoint Coffee, locally roasted in Elmhurst.
Joe Donut
- Address: 6969 North Milwaukee Ave., Niles
Don’t let the out-the-door lines deter you from Joe Donut, as their donuts are absolutely worth the wait. Made from scratch daily, Joes stands out by using local, seasonal ingredients, and no artificial flavors, sugars, oils or preservatives in their creations. Popular donut flavors include ginger lemon old-fashioned, apple fritter, s’mores and red velvet cream cheese. Hot tip: place a mobile pickup order and skip the long weekend lines.
Morkes Chocolate
- Address: 189 N. Rand Road, Palatine
Morkes Chocolates’ Deluxe Cake Donuts are a decadent treat that’s hard to resist. These deluxe donuts start with fresh, light and fluffy homemade cake donuts and are covered with delectable toppings (jam, bacon, cookies, candy.) Don’t skip on the homemade Yummy Whip – a cross between Cool Whip and whipped cream, Yummy Whip is a creamy, flavorful topping that can also be used as a filling or topping. Yummy Whip is so popular, it is also sold by the carton.
Schlegel’s Bakery
- Address: 3915 W. Touhy Ave., Lincolnwood
While many bakeries have become hot spots for their over-the-top donuts, Schlegel’s is a traditional, old-school bakery where simplicity shines, as they serve no-frills donuts that don’t skimp on taste. Fan favorite flavors are in the cake variety such as cinnamon cake, chocolate cake, vanilla cake and powdered cake.
Spunky Dunkers
- Address: 20 S. Northwest Highway, Palatine
For more than 60 years, Spunky Dunkers is a staple in the Palatine community. Ready to satisfy a craving when it strikes, Spunky Dunkers bakes three times a day to meet the demand of the 24-hour shop. Popular varieties include lemon drop, honeydew and peanut. We will let you in on a little secret — Spunky Dunkers has a secret menu that includes the super spunky, described as the “biggest donut around” fit for special occasions, and a caramel apple fritter.
Stan’s Donuts
- Multiple locations in the North/Northwest Suburbs
Consistently ranked among the best donut shops in Chicagoland, Stan’s was one of the first places to kick off the donut craze that’s still going strong. Specializing in handmade, exotic doughnuts in more than 30 different variations, locals flock to Stan’s for their biscoff pockets, croissant donuts, glazed pretzel and lemon pistachio old-fashioned donuts. Stan’s is also one of few donut shops in the area that caters to vegan and gluten free customers.
Looking for more donut shops? Check out some of our favorites near the North Shore and in the northwestern ‘burbs.
Donut Shops in the South Suburbs
Do-Rite Donuts 👑 (Our Readers’ Favorite!)
The small-batch donut shop serves up a variety of unique sweets every day, including blueberry crumb, pistachio Meyer lemon and candied maple bacon. Donuts are made with all-natural ingredients and flavors change daily.
Fleckstein’s Bakery
- Address: 19225 South La Grange Road, Mokena
Family-owned and operated for nearly 50 years, Fleckstein’s originated as a local go to for wedding cakes. Word of mouth quickly spread around Mokena and throughout the South Suburbs that they serve the best donuts in town. Here, four variations of donuts (Bismark, cake, French donuts and Long John) are served in flavors like devil’s food, Fruity Pebble and multi-sprinkle cake.
Frosted Donuts
- Address: 17119 88th Avenue, Tinley Park
Made from scratch in-house everyday, Frosted Donuts range from classic styles like chocolate glazed and old-fashioned, to gourmet options, such as cocoa puffs, cinnamon toast crunch and banana cream. Kiddos will especially love the fun creations that have become menu staples, including sour patch kids, cookie monster and skittles.
Orland Park Bakery
Serving Chicagoland for over 40 years, Orland Park Bakery always carries a full line of donuts, made fresh daily. They serve raised yeast donuts, also known as fry cakes, cake donuts and donut holes. Customer favorites include glazed pretzel, apple fritter and pecan.
Stan’s Donuts
- Address: Multiple locations in the South Suburbs
Consistently ranked among the best donut shops in Chicagoland, Stan’s was one of the first places to kick off the donut craze that’s still going strong. Specializing in handmade, exotic doughnuts in more than 30 different variations, locals flock to Stan’s for their biscoff pockets, croissant donuts, glazed pretzel and lemon pistachio old-fashioned donuts. Stan’s is also one of few donut shops in the area that caters to vegan and gluten free customers.
Find even more family-friendly donut spots in the South Suburbs.
Donut in the Western Suburbs
Dear Donuts
- Address: 570 S. Randall Road, St. Charles
This bakery serves handcrafted brioche donuts, Korean corn dogs and more. Make sure to wash it down with bubble tea.
Duck Donuts
- Address: 3124 Illinois Route 59, Naperville
Duck Donuts offers made-to-order donuts that come out fresh and warm. The process begins with their cake donut, then you take it from there and pick your coating (chocolate, blueberry, peanut butter) or topping (bacon, graham cracker crumbs, sprinkles) and drizzle (raspberry, hot fudge, salted caramel.) For those having a hard time putting together their flavors, the shop offers some popular pre-set combos for customers to choose from.
Fiene’s Bakery
- Address: 1603 North Aurora Road, Naperville
Owner Meghan Fiene is a Naperville native who brought a sense of nostalgia to the area when opened Fiene’s nearly three years ago. Instead of over-the-top creations, she focuses on using simple ingredients — sour cream and buttermilk — to get a smooth, dense base. Flavor variations include everything from apple cider and blueberry to chocolate peanut butter mousse and fan favorite creme brulee.
Firecakes Donuts
Inspired by the owner’s great-grandfather William “Billy” Hobbs, a baker who made “firecakes” to feed hungry workers in Wisconsin logging camps, the recipe at Firecakes is based off of Billy’s original recipe (now a closely guarded family secret.) Named one of the best donuts in the country by CondeNast Traveler, Firecakes sources locally-farmed products and unique ingredients to create cult favorites like birthday cake, pistachio old fashioned, Boston crème and orange poppyseed.
My Sisters Lil Donut Shoppe
- Address: 25 South Madison St., Oswego
My Sisters Lil Donut Shoppe is a charming bakery with delicious donut staples (try the apple fritter) and a highly anticipated flavor of the month. Previous specialties have included peppermint, peanut butter and jelly, and lemon fluff. My Sisters Lil Donut Shoppe also caters to coffee lovers, as they roast their own coffee beans in-house.
Petit Three Doughnut 👑 (Our Readers’ Favorite!)
- Address: 3015 East New York St., Aurora
At Petit Three, all doughnuts are carefully made from scratch in small batches throughout the day using real ingredients without any artificial flavorings. Inspired by flavors from all around the world, Petit Three boasts menu staples including burnt and salty (brown butter glaze infused with wildflower honey and miso,) cacao (Belgian chocolate ganache, topped with cacao nibs) and Samoa (sweet coconut glaze topped with lightly fresh toasted organic coconut flakes.)
Stan’s Donuts
- Multiple locations in the Western Suburbs
Consistently ranked among the best donut shops in Chicagoland, Stan’s was one of the first places to kick off the donut craze that’s still going strong. Specializing in handmade, exotic doughnuts in more than 30 different variations, locals flock to Stan’s for their biscoff pockets, croissant donuts, glazed pretzel and lemon pistachio old-fashioned donuts. Stan’s is also one of few donut shops in the area that caters to vegan and gluten free customers.
Find more kid-approved donut places in the West Suburbs.
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