{"id":178124,"date":"2026-02-14T17:04:33","date_gmt":"2026-02-14T17:04:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/178124\/"},"modified":"2026-02-14T17:04:33","modified_gmt":"2026-02-14T17:04:33","slug":"a-guide-to-sacramentos-best-classic-and-vegan-doughnuts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/178124\/","title":{"rendered":"A guide to Sacramento\u2019s best classic and vegan doughnuts"},"content":{"rendered":"

Few things are as deeply coded into American breakfast traditions as the doughnut. Homer Simpson gobbles them, policemen stereotypically hover around them, and local artist Jeff Nebeker memorializes them in ceramic<\/a>.<\/p>\n

We scoured the area\u2019s most famous, most popular and most unusual doughnut shops to get a sense of what makes Sacramento\u2019s doughnut scene so special. We then served them forth to the staff in The Sacramento Bee newsroom in blind tastings and asked for their feedback.<\/p>\n

To spare their A1C levels, we did this in three rounds.<\/p>\n

To the best of our abilities, we tried to make some consistent choices across all bakeries \u2013 plain old-fashioned, Boston creme, maple bars and the like. We balanced that with some of the bakeries\u2019 more unique selections.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve ever been curious why doughnuts invariably come in a pink box, you\u2019re not alone. The Bee\u2019s Managing Editor Scott Lebar couldn\u2019t help but wonder when he saw multiple boxes side by side in the office\u2019s kitchen, and uncovered that this tradition began with Cambodian-owned doughnut shops in Southern California<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Linda Linda Lee of Marie’s Donuts sells a half-dozen in one of their signature pink boxes on Jan. 27. There is speculation that Marie’s Donuts is the oldest doughnut shop in Sacramento. Sean Timberlake stimberlake@sacbee.com The Hole In The Wall: Stanely\u2019s, East Sacramento<\/p>\n

Tucked into an East Sacramento strip mall is a small, yet popular doughnut shop. Stanely Donuts often sells out by 11 a.m., as seen on its Instagram posts showing racks of empty baking trays. The doughnuts are on par with any other, but don\u2019t sleep on the croissant bites, small squares of glazed laminated pastry.<\/p>\n

The Bee\u2019s business reporter, Annika Merrilees, said the chocolate cake doughnut was \u201cperfect.\u201d Visuals Editor Nathaniel Levine noted the \u201cglazed crispness\u201d on the old-fashioned. Ishani Desai, The Bee\u2019s City Hall reporter, tried a doughnut hole and a cinnamon doughnut. She found them \u201cmoist and tender and fluffy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stanely\u2019s Donuts<\/p>\n

Address: 3710 J St., East Sacramento<\/p>\n

Hours: 5 a.m.-1 p.m. daily<\/p>\n

Phone: 916-454-3922<\/p>\n

The OG: Marie\u2019s Donuts, Land Park<\/p>\n

This Land Park staple is an institution in Sacramento and has been open since 1958. The original, still active Marie\u2019s in North Highlands, predates it by four years. There is pretty much always a line at the freestanding shack in the cluster of businesses along Freeport Boulevard. Marie\u2019s is also unusual in that they are open through the night.<\/p>\n

Todd Carrey goes to Marie\u2019s every day, but only buys himself a doughnut about once a week.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy favorite thing is the maple bar. I love the cinnamon roll,\u201d Carrey said. \u201cEverything\u2019s fresh, everything\u2019s warm. But I\u2019m here every day because I get coffee every day because I love the coffee.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Bee\u2019s general assignment reporter, Graham Womack, a Sacramento native, waxed rhapsodic about Marie\u2019s as a lifelong destination. California Legislature reporter Kate Wolffe also enjoyed the \u201cooey gooey in a good way\u201d maple bar.<\/p>\n

\"Marie's Marie’s Donuts in Curtis Park in 2024. Scott Lorenzo Special to The Bee Marie\u2019s Donuts<\/p>\n

Address: 2950 Freeport Blvd, Land Park<\/p>\n

Hours: Midnight-4 p.m. and 10 p.m.-midnight daily<\/p>\n

Phone: 916-444-5245<\/p>\n

The Comeback Kid: Broadway Donuts<\/p>\n

This classic shop made headlines last year when its owner since 1988 announced his intention to retire after a health crisis. At the 11th hour, the business\u2019s baker of 36 years took over management of the operation<\/a>. With the new management, Broadway Donuts is now open seven days a week.<\/p>\n

Broadway Donuts received some of the best overall feedback in our newsroom. Lauren Chapman, The Bee\u2019s service journalism editor, made some bold claims about the Boston creme. Most importantly, she called it the \u201cbest Boston creme (she\u2019d) ever had \u2014 and that means something. It\u2019s (her) favorite.\u201d Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado, a service journalism reporter, said it was her favorite for glazed and \u201cit was the fluffiest of the three options.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Melody Melody Mua packages doughnuts at Broadway Donuts on Dec. 12, 2025, the first day the shop was under new ownership. Hector Amezcua hamezcua@sacbee.com Broadway Donuts<\/p>\n

Address: 2731 Broadway, Curtis Park<\/p>\n

Hours: 5 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday-Friday; 6 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays<\/p>\n

Phone: 916-736-2544<\/p>\n

The Virtuous: Babes Ice Cream & Donuts<\/p>\n

An outpost of Pushkin\u2019s Bakery, Babes carries on their mission to create delicious treats without gluten or animal products. As a result, they have a distinctly different appearance and texture from the other doughnuts in our blind tastings. This did not go unnoticed by our colleagues. Still, overall they found the doughnuts enjoyable.<\/p>\n

Executive Editor Chris Fusco said that they \u201clooked the most expensive,\u201d and thought the \u201ctexture was different, spongy?\u201d Wolffe said her blue doughnut \u201cwas beautiful\u201d and found the \u201cmochi-esque\u201d texture \u201cvery yum.\u201d Desai on the other hand found it \u201ca bit too dry and dense\u201d and prefers a doughnut \u201cthat is so soft and fluffy that it nearly falls apart in your mouth.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Customer Customer Emmy Jewett looks at the offerings at Babes Donuts & Ice Cream in Sacramento on Tuesday. HECTOR AMEZCUA hamezcua@sacbee.com Babes Ice Cream & Donuts<\/p>\n

Address: 2417 J St, midtown<\/p>\n

Hours: 8 a.m.-9 p.m. every day<\/p>\n

Phone: 916-476-4519<\/p>\n

Website: babesicecreamdonuts.com<\/a><\/p>\n

The Fastball Down The Middle: Donuts & Coffey<\/p>\n

We sent our editor Chapman to the South Natomas location to get a half-dozen doughnuts for the newsroom. The shop is tucked into a strip mall with FoodMaxx shoppers and a Taco Bell, but the shop itself is quiet and a little cozy. It has an extensive offering of traditional fare, mochi doughnuts and kronuts. This is the second location of the local shop, which started in East Sacramento on Folsom Boulevard.<\/p>\n

In head-to-head competition, Donuts & Coffey didn\u2019t stand out among the rest. But it still held its own.<\/p>\n

The newsroom reviews were mixed. Some found the texture to be a little off. Others found the flavor a bit lacking. Service journalism reporter Camila Pedrosa appreciated the \u201calmost sourdoughy, fermented flavor\u201d of the glazed yeast doughnut. And Chapman called the offerings the \u201cplatonic ideal of a doughnut.\u201d<\/p>\n

Donuts & Coffey<\/p>\n

Address: 3291 Truxel Rd., South Natomas<\/p>\n

Hours: 5 a.m.-3 p.m. daily<\/p>\n

Phone: 279-345-0691<\/p>\n

Website: donutscoffey.com<\/a><\/p>\n

The Party Favorite: Java Time Donuts<\/p>\n

This Elk Grove doughnuttery is popular for its unusual flavors (we tried the ube glaze) and for its supersized donuts that can be iced for special occasions. A 10-inch donut will set you back $20, and the massive 16-inch one costs $37.<\/p>\n

Food & dining reporter Sean Timberlake and Pedrosa both noticed an unusual cinnamon note in the glaze on the Old Fashioned, with Pedrosa noting that \u201cit kind of tasted like Red Hots candies more so than actual cinnamon bark.\u201d Womack said the Boston creme was \u201cgood, not too sweet,\u201d and Wolffe thought the strawberry cruller \u201ctasted very FRIED.\u201d<\/p>\n

Java Time Donuts<\/p>\n

Address: 7811 Laguna Blvd., Elk Grove<\/p>\n

Hours: 5 a.m.-2 p.m. Wednesday-Monday<\/p>\n

Phone: 916-684-9696<\/p>\n

The Delicious Dive: Bakers Donuts<\/p>\n

Inside a lonesome standalone shack on a stretch of Florin Road just east of Highway 99, Suzy Hem has been serving up colorful, fanciful doughnuts since 1985. Local food writer and cookbook author Illyanna Maisonet cites it as her place of choice<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Fusco thought the Boston creme was \u201cthe best of the bunch.\u201d Chapman respectfully disagreed, but it was \u201can easy second place.\u201d Pedrosa enjoyed the chocolate glaze\u2019s warm flavors, saying it \u201creminded (her) a bit of abuela\u2019s hot chocolate.\u201d Timberlake noted the old-fashioned\u2019s \u201cnice, crispy edges.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Suzie Suzie Hem, owner of Baker\u2019s Donuts on Florin Road in Sacramento, hands an order of her doughnuts to a driver in 2022. HECTOR AMEZCUA hamezcua@sacbee.com Bakers Donuts<\/p>\n

Address: 5880 Florin Rd., south Sacramento<\/p>\n

Hours: 5 a.m.-7 p.m. daily<\/p>\n

Phone: 916-392-8466<\/p>\n

The Alternative: Sweet Dozen<\/p>\n

Ironically, doughnuts are not the star attraction at this spot, though they make plenty of them. The first Saturday of each month, Sweet Dozen fries up malasadas, a Hawaiian pastry that\u2019s somewhere between a doughnut and a beignet, dressed in different flavors. It\u2019s also popular for the \u201cdoissant,\u201d a donut-croissant hybrid \u2014 just don\u2019t call it a Cronut.<\/p>\n

Fusco felt that the fritter was \u201cthe top thing of anything brought in over the past coupla weeks.\u201d Both Pedrosa and Chapman enjoyed the crispiness of the old-fashioned, but Chapman took exception to the Boston creme, calling it \u201coffensive.\u201d Timberlake enjoyed the doissant, finding it \u201cremarkable.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Cronut-like Cronut-like “doissants” at Sweet Dozen. HECTOR AMEZCUA hamezcua@sacbee.com Sweet Dozen<\/p>\n

Address: 5207 Madison Ave., Old Foothill Farms<\/p>\n

Hours: 5 a.m.-1 p.m. daily<\/p>\n

Phone: 916-344-2000<\/p>\n

The Totally Tuber-ular: Spudnuts Donuts<\/p>\n

Where most doughnut shops bake exclusively with all-purpose or bread flour \u2014 or gluten-free at Babes \u2014 the cleverly named Spudnuts makes use of starchy potato flour for a unique take on the treat. Don\u2019t expect a naturally gluten-free pastry, though. The shop adds wheat flour into the base mixture.<\/p>\n

Spudnuts is a chain shop with numerous associated locations across the country and as far as Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. For an added benefit, early morning visitors to the Sacramento outpost can purchase their potato doughnuts at the shop\u2019s drive-thru window.<\/p>\n

No one in The Bee\u2019s newsroom clocked the alternative ingredient, though opinions on the doughnuts were mixed. Desai felt the dough was too dry, while Elk Grove and Rancho Cordova watchdog reporter Camryn Dadey found Spudnuts were her favorite of the bunch.<\/p>\n

Spudnuts Donuts<\/p>\n

Address: 2445 Arden Way, Arden Arcade<\/p>\n

Hours: 4:30 a.m.-4 p.m. daily<\/p>\n

Phone: 916-927-8088<\/p>\n

Website: spudnutshop.com<\/a><\/p>\n

The Multi-culti: Bad Bakers<\/p>\n

This mini-chain has several locations around the Sacramento region, with ones coming in Citrus Heights and Woodland, as well as an outlier in Santa Ana. It offers a whimsical selection of doughnuts with playful names such as Unicorn Clouds (glazed with sprinkles) and Movie Time (glazed with chocolate malt and popcorn), but the buttery Filipino Spanish rolls \u2014 sweet ones called Staxx and savory, stuffed Czech-style kolaches \u2014 are not to be missed.<\/p>\n

Bee education reporter Jennah Pendleton said the maple bar was \u201cvery good, soft and extra sugary.\u201d Desai liked Bad Bakers\u2019 doughnuts best across the board, saying they \u201chad the most flavor and were the softest \u2014 the winning combination for (her).\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Bad Bad Bakers\u2019 doughnuts bear topping such as Cinnamon Toast Crunch, berry compote and mini M&Ms. Benjy Egel Sacramento Bee file Bad Baker<\/p>\n

Address: 1140 Exposition Blvd., Johnston Business Park<\/p>\n

Hours: 7 a.m.-7 p.m. daily<\/p>\n

Phone: 916-571-2118<\/p>\n

Website: badbakers.com<\/a><\/p>\n

This story was originally published February 11, 2026 at 5:00 AM.<\/p>\n


\n \"Profile
\n <\/a><\/p>\n

Sean Timberlake<\/a><\/p>\n

The Sacramento Bee<\/p>\n

Sean Timberlake is the food and dining reporter for The Sacramento Bee. He has been writing professionally for nearly 30 years, and about food for 20. A variety of well-known outlets have published his work, including Food Network, Cooking Channel, CNN, Sunset Magazine and SF Weekly.\u00a0\n <\/p>\n


\n \"Profile
\n <\/a><\/p>\n

Camila Pedrosa<\/a><\/p>\n

The Sacramento Bee<\/p>\n

Camila Pedrosa is a service journalism reporter at The Sacramento Bee. She previously worked as a summer reporting intern for The Bee and reported in Phoenix and Washington, D.C. She graduated from Arizona State University with a master\u2019s degree in mass communication.\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Few things are as deeply coded into American breakfast traditions as the doughnut. Homer Simpson gobbles them, policemen…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":178125,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[84672,84669,84675,84673,84674,121,123,122,84671,84670],"class_list":{"0":"post-178124","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sacramento","8":"tag-bad-bakers","9":"tag-doissant-sacramento","10":"tag-donuts-coffey","11":"tag-doughnut-guide-sacramento","12":"tag-java-time","13":"tag-sacramento","14":"tag-sacramento-headlines","15":"tag-sacramento-news","16":"tag-spudnuts-arden-arcade","17":"tag-supersized-donuts-elk-grove"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/178124","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=178124"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/178124\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/178125"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=178124"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=178124"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=178124"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}