Doughnut

A doughnut or donut is a type of fried or baked good made from leaveneddough. It is popular in many countries and is prepared in various forms as a sweet snack that can be homemade or purchased in bakeries, supermarkets, food stalls, and franchised specialty vendors.

Doughnuts are usually deep fried from a leaveneddough. Baked or cake doughnuts are made with a thick leavened batter. Various toppings and flavors are used for different types, such as sugar, chocolate or maple glazing.

The two most common types are the ring doughnut and the filled doughnut, which is injected with fruit preserves (the jelly doughnut), cream, custard, or other sweet fillings. Small pieces of dough are sometimes cooked as doughnut holes. Once fried, doughnuts may be glazed with a sugar icing, spread with icing or chocolate, or topped with sugar, cinnamon, sprinkles or fruit. Other shapes include balls, flattened spheres, twists, and other forms. Doughnut varieties are also divided into cake doughnuts, including the old-fashioned (known outside of the US as baked doughnuts) and yeast-risen doughnuts. Doughnuts are often accompanied by coffee or milk in the US.