A winner has been crowned. Here are your favorite doughnuts in the Charlotte area

Cake doughnuts. Glazed doughnuts. Frosted or sprinkled. There’s so many ways to enjoy these fried creations, and Charlotte-area doughnut shops and bakeries have every kind you can imagine.

In fact, there are so many varieties, it’s difficult to choose which ones are the tastiest. So we asked for your help in finding the best doughnuts in Charlotte with our CharlotteFive Reader’s Choice Awards for Charlotte’s Best Doughnuts. 

• We started off Round 1 with 26 of your favorite doughnut shops in the Charlotte area, based on reader submissions.
• Round 2, the Frosted 13, closed with over 24,000 votes.
• And more than 55,000 votes came in during Round 3, the Sweet 8.
• Voting for Round 4, the Final Four, totaled more than 56,000 votes. A technical error affected the vote totals for two hours after Round 4 began on Wednesday, March 30, but it didn’t affect the overall outcome — the difference in votes outpaced the glitch by thousands of votes.
• Round Five was down to the Final Two, and more than 71,000 votes were received. Funny enough, neither of the top two doughnut shops are actually in Charlotte. Rock Hill and Gastonia are both represented in our poll — and it’s clearly worth the drive to check these places out.

The winner: Best doughnuts in Charlotte area

Without further adieu, here is the winner of the Charlotte area’s best doughnut shop:

Fill up your tank, friends — we’re going to Gastonia! About the winner:

Yummm Donut

Location: 2516 E Franklin Blvd Suite 9, Gastonia, NC 28056

Neighborhood: Gastonia

What to know: Yummm Donut just opened in Gastonia in December. You’ll find its fluffy, yeast doughnuts topped with your favorite childhood flavors, like Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Fruity Pebbles, Oreos and M&Ms. Classic sprinkles and s’mores topped varieties are on the menu, along with fresh apple fritters.

“We’ve gotten a lot of love from local people,” said co-owner Charlie Sun, whose family recently moved to Gastonia from Houston, where his parents owned a doughnut shop. “We feel very blessed, and we’re very surprised we got entered into this competition.”

He said the secret to the success of the shop he co-owns with his wife, Janice Zhou, is the time they spend making the doughnuts by hand. “We make them the traditional way — no shortcuts,” he told CharlotteFive. The team starts making doughnuts at midnight — each batch takes 4-5 hours — and spends 17-18 hours a day in the shop. This ensures that customers always have a large selection of fresh doughnuts to choose from.

Their favorite items in the shop? Top on Charlie’s list are the maple bacon doughnuts, and Janice goes for the apple fritters. “It’s huge,” she said, noting she can barely finish one.

The runner-up: Best doughnuts in the Charlotte area

Make sure to visit the runner-up, too. It’s worth the drive to Rock Hill!

Rise and Shine Doughnut Cafe

Location: 1807 Cherry Rd Ste 103, Rock Hill, SC 29732

Neighborhood: Rock Hill

What to know: Rise and Shine Doughnut Cafe is a casual, locally owned doughnut shop that offers traditional doughnuts and a few surprises, including bone-shaped doggie doughnuts. It also sells “jumbo” sized options, including bow ties, cinnamon rolls and eclairs. Its specialty doughnuts change daily, with flavors including Apple Fritters, Fruity Pebbles and M&Ms.

Owners Debbie and John Scalia opened Rise and Shine in Rock Hill last July after owning a doughnut shop in Massachusetts for 10 years. Debbie Scalia recommends customers try some of the wide array of baked goods the shop has to offer, including muffins, croissants and cookies. “I think our apple fritters are phenomenal,” she told CharlotteFive.

The couple thanked Rock Hill patrons for voting them. “We’re very proud to have such loyal customers that love us so much. It warms my heart,” she added.

More of Charlotte’s best doughnut shops

Why stop at the first two? We’ve got all the details about the doughnut shops in the Charlotte area that you told us were the best. If you decide to taste them all, we support you:

Burney’s Sweets & More

Location: 1200 N Davidson St, Charlotte, NC 28206

Neighborhood: Belmont Charlotte, North Charlotte

Location: 116 E South Main St Ste. C Waxhaw, NC 28173

Neighborhood: The Shoppes at Millview, Waxhaw

What to know: At Burney’s Sweets & More, you’ll come for the doughnuts and stay for the doughnuts, bear claws, stuffed croissants, cinnamon rolls … you get the point. Choose between cake doughnuts, iced doughnuts or filled doughnuts. Cake flavors include plain, chocolate, blueberry and red velvet. Throw in a Hot House Blend Coffee or a Red Eye to go with that sugar rush.

BW Sweets Bakery

Location: 5820 E W.T. Harris Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28215

Neighborhood: East Charlotte, East Town Market, Oak Forest

Location: 1425 Winnifred St, Charlotte, NC 28203

Neighborhood: South End, The Winnifred

Location: 2023 Beatties Ford Rd Charlotte, NC 28216 (coming soon)

Neighborhood: Washington Heights, West End

What to know: This Food Network famous spot may be known for its cakes and hot cinnamon rolls, but you’re not going to want to sleep on BW Sweets Bakery’s doughnuts, either. The bakery makes both cake doughnuts and yeast doughnuts. You can get glazed, iced or powdered sugar toppings. You can even order a sweet doughnut sandwich, with whipped cream chocolate or strawberry in the middle and drizzled on top. Or go for a Dannoli — yes, that is a doughnut and a cannoli combined.

Confections of a Martian

Location: 1824 Statesville Ave Suite 101, Charlotte, NC

Neighborhood: Camp North End, Druid Hills South, Lockwood

What to know: Both Confessions of a Martian and the future Beyond Amazing Donuts are run by former Leah & Louise pastry chef and Johnson & Wales University alum Jasmine Macon. B.A.D. will open later this summer at Camp North End, but you don’t have to wait. For now, order ahead to pick up Confessions of a Martian’s doughnuts at Hex Coffee every Saturday (you could just show up to see what’s available, but we don’t recommend that unless you want to be disappointed that they are sold out). When it opens as part of Bayhaven Restaurant Group’s four new restaurants, B.A.D. will serve doughnuts, fritters and cinnamon rolls, with both staple flavors and rotating seasonal menu items.

Daylight Donuts

Location: 482-A1, River Hwy, Mooresville, NC 28117

Neighborhood: Mooresville

Location: 1849 E Broad St, Statesville, NC 28625

Neighborhood: Statesville

What to know: You can find Mercy’s Daylight Donuts in Mooresville or Daylight Donuts in Statesville. Called “fancy donuts” on the Statesville location’s takeout menu, you can choose between flavors like angel creme, apple cinnamon, apple crumb, Bavarian cream or blueberry. Mercy’s Daylight Donuts features custom orders on its Facebook page — use them to ask a date to prom (how could he say no?) or to celebrate a T-ball championship. One customer hypes up the “scrumptious chocolate covering the delicious raspberry jelly filled doughnut” as a custom order. Chocolate covered jelly — who knew?

The Donut House

Location: 13803 E Independence Blvd, Indian Trail, NC 28079

Neighborhood: Indian Trail

Location: 3387 Cloverleaf Pkwy, Kannapolis, NC 28083

Neighborhood: Kannapolis

What to know: The Donut House doughnuts are not only massive, but its flavors are creative. Go for an old-fashioned sour cream, one topped with fruity pebbles or maple iced with bacon toppings. Even if you don’t live in Indian Trail or Kannapolis, readers say it is worth the drive — just go early for the best selection.

Donut I Love You

Location: Food Truck

Neighborhood: Various

What to know: Donut I Love You is a food truck featuring gluten-free mini doughnuts that are made to order. Go for the Are You Snickering: Chopped Snickers chocolate bar, Ghirardelli Chocolate Sauce and Ghirardelli Caramel Sauce. An order of these babies go perfectly with a cappuccino (brewed with Mooresville-based Black Powder Coffee). The toppings are fresh, and the team boasts its use of premium gluten-free ingredients.

Down For Donuts

Location: 880 E Iredell Ave, Mooresville, NC 28115

Neighborhood: Mooresville

What to know: Down For Donuts features rotating cake doughnut flavors, which means you may want to consult the menu before deciding which day of the week to visit. The yeast doughnut flavors are served every day, though, such as cinnamon sugar or PB&J. Haerfest Coffee is served here, and you can order just for yourself or to share — including a 96-ounce box of coffee or a bag to brew at home.

Duck Donuts

Location: 710 Kenilworth Avenue #220 Charlotte, NC 28203

Neighborhood: Dilworth, Kenilworth Commons

Location: 9931-C Rose Commons Drive Huntersville, NC 28078

Neighborhood: Huntersville, Rosedale Shopping Center

Location: 810 Brayden Parkway Fort Mill, SC 29708

Neighborhood: Brayden, Fort Mill

What to know: Born in (and named after) the quaint town in the Outer Banks, Duck Donuts features warm, made-to-order doughnuts. Customize yours with its selection of icing, topping and drizzle (chocolate + peanuts + peanut butter are our favs), and then watch your doughnuts go down the assembly line and get made right before your eyes. Best enjoyed straight from the box in your car in the parking lot (just don’t Bogart one of the prime spaces right beside the entrance).

Fat Cat Burgers + Bakeshop

Location: 2410 Park Rd, Charlotte, NC 28203

Neighborhood: Park Square, Dilworth

What to know: At Fat Cat Burgers + Bakeshop, the rotating doughnut menu changes, but there’s something savory that is always available: The Fat Franny is a sandwich, with two maple bacon donuts as the bread. Add either a beef burger or crispy chicken with spicy jack cheese and onion strings to complete the meal. You don’t even need to save room for dessert — but sure, there’s always room for an order of mini donuts, right?

Manolo’s Bakery

Location: 4405 Central Ave, Charlotte, NC 28205

Neighborhood: East Charlotte, Windsor Park

What to know: This Latin bakery whose owner, Manolo Betancur, was named USA Bread Hero 2021, cranks out some doughnut specialties in addition to its other bakery treats, including churros, cake pops, cheesecake, cupcakes and more. Look for special doughnuts that celebrate the seasons, with icing and sprinkles designed to match the occasion.

milkbread

Location: 624 Jetton St, Davidson, NC 28036

Neighborhood: Davidson

Location: 1431 Central Ave, Charlotte, NC 28205 (coming soon)

Neighborhood: East Charlotte Plaza Midwood

What to know: If the words “milk bread doughnuts’‘ aren’t enough to make milkbread worth the drive to Davidson, well — we don’t know what is. Katy and Joe Kindred’s newest cafe also boasts espresso drinks by Hex and drip coffee by Summit, which pair perfectly with a chocolate iced doughnut and one of the restaurant’s signature grain bowls. We can’t wait for the cafe to expand into Plaza Midwood.

MJ Donuts

Location: 325 S Polk St, Pineville, NC 28134

Neighborhood: Pineville, Pineville Towne Market, South Charlotte

What to know: If MJ Donuts gives off old school doughnut shop vibes, well, that’s because that’s exactly what it is. Visit this Pineville staple for double chocolate cake, buttermilk with sprinkles, raised cinnamon crumb donuts and more. Free doughnut holes are thrown in if you order a dozen, so go ahead and get some for the office.

MoMo Donuts

Location: 636 Crown Pointe Ln Site 101, Rock Hill, SC 29730

Neighborhood: Rock Hill, South Carolina

What to know: This small, family-owned doughnut shop opened last year in Rock Hill. This place has it all: Cake doughnuts, glazed doughnuts, even doughnut holes. Order specialty flavors like M&M or Oreo doughnuts, which pair perfectly with a hot coffee. The store sells out frequently, so show up early for the best selection.

Move That Dough Baking Co.

Location: 4420-A, Monroe Rd, Charlotte, NC 28205

Neighborhood: Echo Hills, MoRA, Oakhurst

What to know: Looking for vegan, gluten free doughnuts? You can find Move that Dough at The Common Market Oakwold Fridays through Sundays. Keep your eye on Move That Dough’s Instagram page, where owner Kacie Steele will post the current menu and any other details you need to know. Make sure to visit now, while you can: Steele announced on Monday evening that she will stop Move That Dough this year — an official timeline or future plan for the business has not been set.

OMG Donuts

Location: 6209 Old Post Rd Suite 108, Charlotte, NC 28212

Neighborhood: East Charlotte, Meridian Place, MoRA

Location: 10005 Weddington Rd Ext., Concord, NC 28027

Neighborhood: Concord

What to know: When OMG Donuts expanded from Concord to MoRA, a celebration was to be had. If you’ve never been, you’ve been warned: These California-style yeast doughnuts are bigger than what you’re used to (3.5” to 4” across). The shop regularly sells out of both its doughnuts and apple fritters. Coffee drinks include both locally roasted Pure Intentions coffee and espresso drinks and Cafe du Monde, the New Orleans-famous chicory coffee.

Pepperbox Doughnuts

Location: 2810 N Davidson St, Charlotte, NC 28205

Neighborhood: NoDa

Location: 101 W Worthington Ave #150, Charlotte, NC 28203

Neighborhood: South End

What to know: If you’ve been to Pepperbox Doughnuts only once, it’s time to return. With one location in South End and the other in NoDa, its menu changes based on the availability of fresh fruit and locally sourced ingredients. All of the doughnuts here are handmade and with limited quantities, so go early and go often. Most of the doughnuts are vegan — for plant-based eaters who always avoid the maple bacon varieties, here you can order the vegan Cinnamon Spiced Maple Bourbon doughnut. Pepperbox also serves locally roasted coffee.

Red Donut Shop

Location: 117 N. Main St., Lexington, NC 27292

Neighborhood: Lexington

What to know: Lexington is 60 miles from uptown Charlotte, but that didn’t stop readers from entering Red Donut Shop into the best doughnuts contest. Just because it boasts that it’s Lexington’s ONLY doughnut shop does not mean it doesn’t deserve to be the city’s BEST doughnut shop, too. Next time you’re up this way, stop in for some handmade, fluffy and sweet doughnuts with a coffee served in a doughnut-themed mug. It’s the perfect setting for your next Insta.

Reigning Doughnuts

Location: 3120 N. Davidson Street, Charlotte, NC 28205

Neighborhood: NoDa

What to know: Reigning Doughnuts, from the masterminds behind familiar restaurants Growlers, Haberdish, Supperland and now Ever Andalo, are made freshly and served warm from a walk-up window that was once a storage closet for Growlers. Look for flavors to change daily and seasonal offerings, but no matter the seasonal flavor, always add a cinnamon sugar doughnut (or two) to your order.

Second Street Sundries

Location: 221 N. Second Street, Albemarle, NC 28001

Neighborhood: Albemarle

What to know: This cafe on a mission to support individuals with autism sells chocolate-covered and glazed doughnuts, along with specialty doughnuts and cinnamon rolls. You can also pick up a breakfast panini, or hot meal for lunch on weekdays. The cafe serves Starbucks coffee, so if you need a caffeine fix and a snack, a Cafe Americano pairs nicely with a handmade glazed doughnut.

Stoke

Location: Charlotte Marriott City Center, 100 W Trade St., Charlotte, NC 28202

Neighborhood: Fourth Ward, Uptown

What t.o know: This isn’t your typical doughnut adventure. Stoke’s dessert menu offers doughnut holes with salted caramel cream and Oreo crumble. Or you can really go for broke and dig into The Doughnut, an $18 creation stuffed with diplomat cream and topped with Heath Bar crumble. Sharing is highly recommended.

Suarez Bakery

Location: 4245 Park Rd, Charlotte, NC 28209

Neighborhood: Montford, Park Road Shopping Center

Location: Optimist Hall, 1115 N Brevard St. #4, Charlotte, NC 28206

Neighborhood: Optimist Hall, Optimist Park

What to know: At Suarez Bakery with 48 hours’ notice, you can pre-order letter and number doughnuts to spell out Happy Birthday or any other message your heart desires. The shop also sells (pre-order only) Texas Doughnut Cakes, which are made of three doughnuts that measure 7” across, layered with vanilla cream. Now that’s a doughnut order if we’ve ever seen one!

Sugar Donuts

Location: 11914 Elm Ln #120, Charlotte, NC 28277

Neighborhood: Ballantyne East, South Charlotte

What to know: Sugar doughnuts are hand rolled and hand cut before they’re fried in small batches throughout the morning, ensuring you’ll always have a shot at getting a fresh one. (Pro tip: pre-order in advance if you can.) The fillings and toppings are handmade in house, too, and local ingredients are used when possible.

Team Rose Bread

Location: Matthews Community Farmers Market, 3524 Seward Place, Charlotte NC (Every other Saturday.)

Neighborhood: Matthews

Location: 3524 Seward Place, Charlotte NC (Pre-order, once per month on Saturdays only.)

Neighborhood: Myers Park

What to know: Team Rose Bread bakes out of a specially built bakery in its garage, taking the family-owned business to a new level. It primarily focuses on sourdough breads, but sourdough doughnuts appear monthly as part of a specialty Saturday menu. The doughnuts are also available at the Matthews Community Farmers Market, along with bagels, breads and other baked goods. Standard flavors are vanilla glazed, chocolate glazed, sprinkle and cinnamon sugar, while specialty flavors can include sea salt and caramel, apple pie, pear streusel, apple crumble cream pie and more.

Your Mom’s Donuts

Location: Davidson Farmers Market, 120 S Main St, Davidson, NC 28036 (Pre-order only during market season) 

Neighborhood: Davidson

Location: 11025 Monroe Rd, Matthews, NC 28105

Neighborhood: Matthews

Location: 4205 Park Road Charlotte, NC 28209

Neighborhood: Montford

What to know: Locally sourced ingredients are used to make these craft doughnuts, which have a distinctive square shape. Between 12-15 flavors are available daily, and creative seasonal flavors include Golden Milk, Apple + Fennel and Chocolate Mousse. Pair the treats with a locally roasted cup of Jags Head Coffee before heading out to start your day.

The fine print

The rules were simple: You could submit your vote for the best doughnut shops in our survey. This was not a scientific poll or survey. If you have more than one favorite, you could refresh the page and submit a second option. When voting on doughnuts, everyone wins!

This story was originally published March 22, 2022 at 6:17 AM.