What does a butcher shop in Easthampton have to do with the trio of classic, ring-shaped doughnuts (plain cake, powdered sugar and cinnamon sugar) found at 606 R&D in Prospect Heights? Well, just about everything. Co-owner Ilene Rosen first tried the doughnuts at Dreesen's about 20 years ago while visiting friends, and after researching what she wanted of her and partner Sara Dima's new restaurant, bought the franchise—machine, mix and all—from the shop's owners, the DeSanti family. The recipe itself might be a secret, but the homemade taste is not; they're a perfect cross between a yeast and a cake doughnut. Fresh batches are made at least twice daily, and more or less nonstop on weekends. Three for $4, one dozen $15. 606 Vanderbilt Ave between Prospect Pl and St. Marks Ave (717-230-0125, 606vanderbiltbklyn.com).
While cupcakes have been the dessert du jour in NYC for longer than most little ones have been alive, there’s just one problem: You can’t eat them in the morning. Doughnuts, on the other hand, are both delicious and acceptable to eat all hours of the day. Fortunately for city kids, doughnut shops in NYC go beyond the big national chains—here, you’ll find everything from cereal-topped and PB&J-inspired varieties to some made with mashed potatoes—plus that croissant-doughnut hybrid we’ve been hearing so much about. So are doughnuts the new cupcakes? See for yourself: We rounded up the best doughnut shops in the five boroughs for maximum morning sweetness.
Click the right arrow on the image below to see the city's best doughnuts.
RECOMMENDED: National Doughnut Day coverage
