Happy National Doughnut Day, y'all! Whether you spell it Donut or Doughnut, the Bluegrass State makes some of the finest rings of fried dough you'll ever taste. In fact, a few years ago, the New York Times even charted out a Doughnut Trail right here in the Commonwealth. We consulted family, friends, and acquaintances. We tested a lot of donuts. And we ranked our five favorites. (Nord's Bakery in Louisville's Germantown/Schnitzelburg neighborhood gets an honorable mention for those insane bacon donuts. This was a really hard list to narrow down, y'all.)

5. Burke's Bakery, Danville. When I lived in Lexington, I'd come up with every excuse I could think of to visit this old-school bakery and pick up a hot, glazed donut (or two). My Boyle County friends started to wonder why I wanted to go visit their parents so often, but it was so worth it... 

4. North Lime Coffee & Donuts, Lexington. This Lexington shop has some of the most creative pairings I've ever seen. They even make a brisket donut! Even if you steer clear of the savories, they offer fresh, unique, amazing flavors!

3. Doughdaddy's, Versailles. When we were house-hunting in Nashville, a homeowner inquired where we were from. When we said Kentucky, he immediately asked, in broken English, "Have you been to Doughdaddy's?" That anecdote doesn't quite prove that they're world-famous, but word certainly gets around about these light, fluffy donuts!

2. Hi-Five Doughnuts, Louisville. Louisville's high-end catering and food truck donuts. Amazing flavor combinations every. single. time.

1. Red's Donuts, Paducah: As Sarah Stewart Holland told us in the earliest days of HerKentucky, Paducah natives can attest that Red's donuts are the best anywhere.

So, did I get it right, or do you have a favorite Bluegrass State donut spot that I missed? I'm happy to do more research if y'all think it's necessary!

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