Donut Hunt: Glazed Donuts - Key West, FL

When I have the opportunity to travel, I love to track down local donut places and try them out. I've always been a big donut fan, and even make them at home for special occasions, but given all the different styles of donuts and all the flavors that can be added to them, it's just fun to see what's out there. I'm not necessarily in search of the "best donut", but I'm not not searching. So, I figured a good place to start with this series is to set the bar...

It's been more than a decade since I've had the chance to visit Glazed Donuts in Key West, FL, but they've been my measuring stick for great donuts since. A combination of high-quality donuts and unique flavors, I often went out of my way to get these for clients when I was there for work, just to make sure I got a few. While the menu rotates quite regularly, I don't recall ever having something that wasn't at least "very good". The donut itself is always light on the inside and crispy on the outside.

Some of my favorites included the Key Lime donut (filled with key lime custart and topped with toasted meringue and graham cracker crumbs, pictured above), the Blood Orange donut (filled with a blood orange jam, also pictured above, I believe), and the Apple Fritter (that felt like nearly equal portions apple and donut, not pictured). They aren't cheap, but they are worth it.

Since the days I traveled there more regularly, whenever the topic comes up, I love to bring up Glazed Donuts, because it's really not a place where you'd expect to find great donuts. (More power to them working regularly in that humidity.) If you ever find yourself down there, make sure to stop by...it's a true highlight, and well worth the trip!