{Updated June 2023}
Today is the first Friday in June which means it’s National Donut Day. Never the one to pass up a reason to eat or celebrate, I jumped at the opportunity to review a few of Houston’s best donut shops.
Shipley Do-Nuts
You cant talk about Houston’s best donut shops without mentioning Shipley’s. Shipley’s has been around since 1936 and continues to be a donut frontrunner throughout Houston. These donuts never fail to impress. While they currently have over 60 varieties, their glazed donut is many Houstonians’ tried and true staple. Shipley’s price and accessibility (they are located throughout the entire city and surrounding areas) can’t be beat.
Voodoo Doughnut
A cult favorite, Voodoo Doughnuts is one of Houston’s best donut shops that you do not want to miss. Voodoo is known for it’s unique and bizarre flavors like Memphis Mafia (Fried dough with banana chunks and cinnamon, topped with glaze, chocolate chips, peanuts, and chocolate and peanut butter drizzle) and Ring of Fire (Devil’s food cake with cinnamon sugar, cayenne pepper, and a dried red chili pepper). When I asked what the most popular flavor was, the cashier directed me to The Homer (strawberry frosting with round sprinkles), which did not disappoint. Voodoo also has vegan donuts. I was curious if the vegan could stand up to the regular, so I tasted both versions of The Dirt (vanilla frosting with chocolate crème filled cookies). Admittedly, I confused which was which in the box and could not taste the difference. I would say that is a win!
Christy’s Donuts and Kolaches
While the crazy flavor combos are enticing, a good old traditional, no-frills donut is sometimes exactly what I’m craving. And if that’s you, Christy’s Donuts and Kolaches cannot be missed. This store is a local mom and pop shop has been around for decades and it’s clear why. Its incredible taste, reasonable prices, and fast service make it a neighborhood favorite and one of Houston’s best donut shops. The donuts are the perfect combination of fluffy and buttery. I’m a sucker for an old-fashioned donut and Christy’s certainly knows how to do it right.
River Oaks Donuts
River Oak Donuts is the place to go for personalized donuts. They are known for their customized letters and donut “cakes”. My son was immediately drawn to the fun shapes, so he picked out a crown and unicorn shaped donut. Both were adorable and quickly eaten. I chose a couple classic flavors to taste and one was as good as the next. They also have over 20 flavors of donut holes which makes it easy to sample a variety of their delicious flavors. River Oaks Donuts also has gluten free donuts available. Also, it has to be mentioned that this shop has a drive through option. Definitely a plus on those hectic mornings with the kids.
Robin’s Snowflake Donuts & Café
There are tons of incredible donut shops outside the loop and Robin’s Snowflake Donuts & Café is definitely one of them! Robin’s, located in Spring, was voted The Best Donut Shop in Texas by Travel and Leisure magazine. Their boudin egg rolls and brisket kolaches are out of this world! They also make some of the best fritters known to man – every day showcasing a different flavor such as apple, banana, and strawberry. The owners are known to be true gems in the community who love what they do and are amazing people inside and out.
Hugs & Donuts
Hugs & Donuts was last on my list of Houston’s best donut shops, but I was feeling kind of lazy so opted to have them delivered. Having these donuts dropped at my front door was the perfect pick me up. I ordered the Adventurous Half Dozen so did not know what I got until it came to my house. While it was unfortunately not labeled, the flavors were so incredible it was easy to tell what was what. My husband’s favorite was the Chocolate Bacon Donut because as he said, “It has bacon and chocolate. What’s not to like?” My personal favorite was the Biscoff donut with the Apple Fritter being a close second. Hugs & Donuts also offers vegan donuts for those with dietary restrictions.
Happy National Donut Day, mamas! Did we miss any of Houston’s best donut shops that you would add to our list?