Polar Donuts

1111 N. Meridian Ave. 

polardonuts.com 

946-7448

The folks at Polar Donuts are so sure of their product that they are willing to let you sample one for free. They will even let you come trade in your sad, storebought dozen for a dozen of theirs. What do they do with the discarded dozen? Is there a wall of shame? They also have given some of their treats a humorous name update. The traditional bear claw is now the Strong Pimp Hand. Get one in your kung-fu grip and you’ll be set.

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Missy’s Donuts and Bakery

1122 N. Wentz St., Guthrie 

260-0603

It’s not certain what the exact recipe is for the exquisite donuts created at Missy’s, but the confections are so delicious they are definitely worth the trip. The melt-in-your mouth glazed are worthy of any comparison to a certain national chain, and it offers an assortment of other sweet treats and breads. In addition to doing fabulous business at the crack of dawn, it also has a selection of soups and sandwiches come lunchtime.

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Daylight Donuts

8900 S. Western Ave. 

daylightdonuts.com 

631-6202

This now-statewide brand got its start in Tulsa in 1954 when husband and wife Tommy and Lucille Day set out to create a new doughnut. Their light, doughy perfection was a success. The chain now has 900 stores, including locations in China and Romania. It has long been a state favorite for its perfect “old-fashioned” and its sausage rolls, which are a savory, easily portable treat that complements the sugary goodness.

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Republic Gastropub

5830 N. Classen Blvd.

republicgastropub.com 

286-4577

For those not familiar with what homemade doughnuts taste like, this is a brilliant introduction. The doughnuts at Republic are closer to what most would consider an “old fashioned” in most modern doughnut shops and are the perfect size. Each one is rolled in sugar with just a hint of cinnamon and spice and is accompanied by three dipping sauces — chocolate, caramel and fruit. The sauces are worth the trip alone.

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Kitchen No. 324

324 N. Robinson Ave.

kitchen324.com 

763-5911

Kitchen No. 324 made waves with an interpretation of the famous Cronut— made by the Dominique Ansel Bakery in New York City — which it called a “Joenut” after the pastry chef, Joe. The confection is a fried, laminated dough with a variety of fillings and flavors. If you are late to the game, its traditional cake donuts are a perfect balance of light and doughy. Or keep it simple and try classic flavors like blueberry and cinnamon-sugar.

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Gourmet Donut

518 N. Porter Ave., Norman

310-3781

If you wonder how delicious the offerings at Gourmet Donut are, consider this: it has college students getting up early. Normanites know what the rest of us are just finding out: it’s worth the trip. There will be a wait, and you should have a fallback option. Choosing shouldn’t be hard; everything is great. Try the special of the day. And you can never go wrong taking the Homer Simpson route and getting the classic frosted with sprinkles.

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Brown’s Bakery

1100 N. Walker Ave.

facebook.com/browns-bakery 

232-0363

This OKC landmark was Midtown before it was … well, Midtown. Local before it was cool, this landmark has been serving up its perfect confections since 1946. Come for the doughnuts, especially the glazed cake ones, and stay for the wide variety of treats, including breads and sausage rolls, which are some of the best in town. Brown’s offers a wide selection of cakes and cookies and also fills orders for any occasion.

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