The Absolute Best Store-Bought Donuts Come From This Iconic Brand
People enjoy donuts in many ways all around the world — whether you are frying them up yourself or waiting in line at your favorite artisanal bakery, grabbing a donut is always a good idea. However, if you don't have time to wait for a freshly glazed one to start your morning or to end the day with a sweet treat, store-bought may be the way to go. There is one brand that we will always enjoy eating by the sleeve-full: Hostess. Hostess powdered Donettes ranked number one on our list among all the best store-bought donut brands.
Hostess is well known for a classic lineup of treats including heavy hitters like its popular frosted cupcakes, Twinkies, and Sno-Balls. But don't count out their selection of mini donuts, aptly called Donettes. The small but mighty treat comes in multiple flavors ranging from powdered to strawberry glazed. You can also buy them by the sleeve or by the bag, making them a great on-the-go snack. Hostess Donettes have a distinct texture and taste that rise above other store-bought donut brands, providing a mouthful of balanced sweetness without any uncomfortable dryness. Hostess Donettes, specifically the powdered sugar flavor, don't even compare to other store-bought donuts — although we do recommend that you be careful not to get too much powdered sugar on your outfit while chowing down.
Hostess Donettes have been around since the 1940s
Every Hostess snack brings something special to snackers with a sweet tooth, but the Donettes are still a favorite for over 80 years for good reason. Per Hostess, Donettes arrived on the snack scene 21 years after the Hostess company was founded, following in the footsteps of the brand's cupcakes and Twinkies. Although the snack has remained a delicious and nostalgic go-to for donut lovers everywhere, the Hostess company has had its fair share of struggles. The snack cake company first filed for bankruptcy in 2004 which lasted until 2009. Hostess again filed for bankruptcy in 2012,this time taking Donettes — along with other fan favorites — down with the ship as the snacks were pulled from shelves. After a grueling few months and lots of disgruntled fan feedback, the treats reemerged in 2023 for customers to enjoy yet again.
In 2023, the Hostess company was purchased by The J. M. Smucker Co., the parent company to brands like Smuckers, Jif, and Folgers. According to the press release announcing the acquisition, "the sweet baked goods category is one of the largest and fastest growing in the industry," and Hostess is positioned as one of the most popular brands in that category. If that means more Donettes in stores for us to enjoy, we are happy to hear it.