“A small fried cake of sweetened dough, typically in the shape of a ball or ring”(Oxford Languages). This sentence describes one of the finest creations of all time, something that any sane person’s mouth craves daily: the donut.
Donuts are a popular sweet treat all around the world, including here in Sioux Falls. Whether a person prefers a classic glazed donut or something with exciting and innovative flavors Sioux Falls offers an impressive range of donut shops that can satisfy anyone’s taste buds.
We rated three of the numerous shops in Sioux Falls and picked out two random flavored donuts from each location. Each donut received a score in three different categories: taste, texture and tidiness, as well as an overall score. The score each shop received is based purely on the quality of its donuts, so prepare to rouse your sweet tooth as we dive into the best donut spots in town.
Flyboy Donuts:
Donut #1: Strawberry sprinkle donut
Taste: This donut was robbed by its frosting as it made each bite a bit too tangy. The donut itself tasted like pure magic; however, the strawberry frosting on top created an artificial flavor that overloaded one’s mouth with sweetness. Score: 5.54/10
Texture: Although the sweetness of the frosting overpowered the dough, there is no denying that this donut had a soft, fluffy texture, almost to perfection. Score: 8.95/10
Tidiness: This donut looked like every donut that any cop has ever eaten; the sprinkles with the pink frosting created a classic look for the donut that will never get old. Score: 9.95/10
Overall donut score: 8.15/10
Donut #2: Chocolate Long John
Taste: This donut had solid flavors with a mix of chocolate and white cream in the middle; however, the cream did not last the entire length of the donut, leaving us disappointed. The chocolate frosting tasted a little intense, but not to the point where it became overwhelming. Score: 5.78/10
Texture: The dough in this donut felt light and fluffy; however, the cream in the middle distracted us from appreciating its nice texture. Score: 7.42/10
Tidiness: The Long John does not look as classic as the sprinkle donut, so we did not have as much to appreciate from it. Score: 5.00/10
Overall donut score: 6.07/10
Overall shop score: 7.11/10
Hy-Vee Bakery:
Donut #1: Pumpkin donut with white frosting
Taste: This donut did not give us that cozy, fall feeling we expected. The pumpkin flavor greatly lacked, making the cinnamon sprinkled on top the most noticeable flavor. In addition, the unpleasant aftertaste did not help its case; if bland tasted like anything at all, it would taste like this donut. Score: 3.01/10
Texture: The donut overall felt dry and dense. When one envisions their ideal donut, they likely picture a light and fluffy one. This donut felt nothing like that. Score: 3.99/10
Tidiness: The display of this donut makes it evident of the pumpkin flavor it contains. The cinnamon on top gave it a cute touch, but its looks were all this donut had as an advantage. Score: 7.85/10
Overall donut score: 4.95/10
Donut #2: Glazed donut
Taste: The glaze on this donut had just the right amount of sweetness to satisfy our cravings. Score: 8.13/10
Texture: This donut had a fluffy texture, but it felt almost too airy, making it somewhat dry when you bite into it. Nonetheless, the thin, crispy layer of sugary glaze cracked with every bite.
Score: 6.17/10
Tidiness: The donut got thrown into the bag, ruining the glaze and making it squished, otherwise it looked like a standard glazed donut. Score: 5.26/10
Overall donut score: 6.52/10
Overall shop score: 5.75/10
Mr. Donuts:
Donut #1: White sprinkle donut
Taste: The flavor from this donut tasted like a “Pitch Perfect” harmony. Rather than overtaking the entire donut, the frosting complimented the flavor in the dough. Each bite had a rational amount of sweetness to it that would not overwhelm one’s taste buds. Score: 9.92/10
Texture: This donut came out of the oven cooked to near perfection. It did not feel too cakey and had a light, soft consistency. Score: 8.77/10
Tidiness: Similarly to the pink donut with sprinkles, this donut is a classic. The simple addition of sprinkles evolves this donut to the point where it may as well act as the star in a movie. Score: 8.47/10
Overall donut score: 9.05/10
Donut #2: Maple donut
Taste: This donut tasted like the feeling when the first leaf falls from a tree. The donut gave a warm sense of fall, as its frosting had a rich and buttery taste with a hint of caramel. It had a perfect ratio of donut to frosting, which always brings together any donut. Score: 9.70/10
Texture: This donut could have been fluffier, but overall it did not feel dry, which is always a win. Score: 7.32/10
Tidiness: The presentation of this donut was well done. It looked like the classic maple donut one would see in every donut shop across the U.S. Score: 7.00/10
Overall donut score: 8.01/10
Overall shop score: 8.86/10
Donut shops in town:
Mr. Donuts
Flyboy Donuts
Hy-Vee Bakery
La Guanaquita Panadería (bakery)
Manna Bakery
Sinless Sweets Sioux Falls
CNC Food Factory
Josiah’s Coffeehouse & Café
Dunn Brothers Coffee
LHS donut connoisseurs:
LHS staff member, Marshell Byrd
Q: “What makes a good quality donut?”
A: “The freshness; it has to be soft, it has to be flavorful and it has to have top-notch cream.”
LHS freshman, Trey Raph
Q: “What is the best place to get donuts in Sioux Falls and why?”
A: “Daylight Donuts because they had the fluffiest donuts in town, but sadly they closed.”
LHS teacher, Jared Jansen
Q: “What is the best donut flavor and why?”
A: “Raspberry Bismark donut because the combination of flavor and texture makes it a delectable treat.”
