Best Donut Shops In San Antonio

By Sara Branstetter | January 5, 2023

It’s no secret here, we have a major affinity for fried dough that’s been covered in sugar. We love them all - beignets, churros, funnel cakes, and of course, the queen mother over all the fried doughs, the donut. Very few things in life are more satisfying than sinking your teeth into a warm, fluffy donut that’s been covered in the perfect glaze. Add a hot cup of joe and you have hit upon the world’s best comfort food. If comfort food is what you’re after, keep reading, because we have compiled a list of San Antonio’s best donut shops.

Full disclosure: We aren’t including any of the major chains on this list – no Shipleys, no Dunkin’, no Krispy Kreme. Now don’t get us wrong, we like the chains. They sell donuts and we like donuts. Krispy Kreme, in particular, is marvelous. We’re fans, big fans. The “HOT NOW” sign is enough to elicit in us a full-on Pavlovian mouth-watering response when we see it. So we aren’t anti-Krispy Kreme or even anti-chain, for that matter. We are simply pro-variety and pro-“what’s unique to San Antonio.” Sometimes it just feels right to step out of the chain box and see what options are available in the wide world of donuts. And San Antonio has some stellar local options, as well as a few not-as-major chain options which are great as well.

Our list, which is in no particular order, has a bit of everything that can be found in San Antonio. Whether you want a basic glazed, an apple fritter, or an artisan white chocolate peppermint (that’s an actual donut flavor!), our list of San Antonio’s best donut shops has something for you.

San Antonio’s 10 Best Donut Shops

1. The Art of Donut

The Art of Donut has most definitely cornered the elevated donut market (is that even a thing?) by seeking to do exactly what its name implies – turn the everyday donut into an art form. And by all accounts, their vast selection of extraordinary flavors gets the job done. The Art of Donut’s menu offers standard, rotating, and seasonal flavor options and is positively HUGE. On the day that we visited, they had 25+ different artisan donut flavors to choose from. A few of our favorites were the sweet pig with maple icing and caramelized bacon, the blackberry lime, and the chipmunk with Nutella icing and crushed-up Ferrero Rocher chocolate.

While certainly unique, the Art of Donut isn’t for everyone for two main reasons. First, the donuts tend to be on the denser side. If you happen to prefer an airy, melt-in-your-mouth, “eat 6 and still have room for more” kind of donut, AOD may not be for you. Second…the price. Art in general doesn’t come cheap and that goes for artistry in donuts as well. Each donut is priced individually between $3-$4 and a baker’s choice assorted dozen rolls in at a hefty $32. But if you are looking for hand-crafted, crazy delicious, totally unique, and high quality, the Art of Donut won’t disappoint.

Protip: To save yourself time and maximize your options, place a pickup order online 24-48 hours ahead of time. In doing so, you’re less likely to see that dreaded “out of stock” notice by your desired donut.

WEBSITE | 3428 N St Mary's St, San Antonio, TX 78212

2. Duck Donuts

Another flavor monster on the San Antonio donut scene is Duck Donuts. Duck Donuts landed in Texas in 2018 and with 2 locations in the Alamo city and more than 30+ options of made-to-order donuts at the ready, guests are certain to find something that fits their tastes. Upon ordering, guests can watch as their donuts are coated, topped, or drizzled by hand with any countless combinations of toppings. We personally liked the Oreo cookie, the chocolate-covered strawberry, the pumpkin roll, the chocolate caramel crunch, and the blueberry pancake – which couldn’t have tasted more like a blueberry pancake than if we had been eating actual blueberry pancakes.

WEBSITE | Multiple locations

3. The Original Donut Shop

You may have seen us carry on about the Original Donut Shop before as they happen to be the home of some of San Antonio’s best breakfast tacos (toasted bean and cheese with bacon, be still our hearts), but their namesake donuts are also JUST. PLAIN. PERFECT. You can’t go wrong with a standard glazed or old fashion donut, but if you are feeling fancy, try their cream-filled, long johns, or apple fritters, which are arguably the best in the city.

There is limited parking off of Fredericksburg Rd. in front of the Original Donut Shop, but ample parking is located behind the restaurant. If you’re hitting up the drive-thru, be aware that the line often stretches down the road quite a ways, but you can avoid this by ordering ahead and picking up inside.

WEBSITE | 3307 Fredericksburg Rd, San Antonio, TX 78201

4. Snowflake Donuts

Snowflake Donuts is what most people think of when they think of a neighborhood donut shop – it’s quick, inexpensive, delicious, and super friendly. Their traditional donut choices as well as their kolaches are all pretty solid and pair nicely with a freshly brewed cup of coffee. Snowflake Donuts has one location in SA and a few in the surrounding areas including Boerne, Pipe Creek, and Fair Oaks Ranch.

Bonus: Snowflake Donuts will whip you up a batch of super fun decorated donuts for holidays or birthdays. Check out their website for pics of their Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Easter, and St. Patrick’s Day donuts.

WEBSITE | 5802 Babcock Rd, San Antonio, TX 78240

5. M&M Donut

Folks in Converse, drop what you are doing, and head directly to M&M Donut. This SA area longtimer was recently named the second-best donut shop in the city by the San Antonio Express-News, and justifiably so. Everything and we do mean everything, is delicious. Glazed donuts here are on the lighter side while cake donuts offer a near-perfect texture. Don’t miss their signature cinnamon glazed donut with a perfectly balanced hit of cinnamon sugar running right through the middle of the donut.

Photo Credit: Anna B. Yelp

WEBSITE | 9081 FM 78, Converse, TX, United States, Texas

6. Instant Donuts

Donuts, kolaches, and croissants – the trio of yumminess – are the primary offerings at Instant Donuts on the far northeast side of San Antonio. Instant Donuts is beloved for its attentive and thoughtful service, and they offer an excellent selection of glazed and cake donuts with icings and flavors that change daily. We highly recommend their filled donuts as that is where they shine. We loved (loved, loved, loved!) the fluffy, glazed donut that had been sliced like a bagel and was filled with cream and strawberries. Yummers.

WEBSITE | 6820 Alamo Pkwy #114, San Antonio, TX 78253

7. Grand Donuts

Grand Donuts, located just off Bulverde Rd, is another “mom and pop” type donut shop with a loyal clientele and excellent donuts. And with prices that are exceptionally affordable, Grand is a great place to drop in for your morning coffee/donut hit. Grand has a respectable variety of donuts to choose from, but we recommend the old-fashioned maple cake donuts which are shaped like a gear and taste divine.

21920 Bulverde Rd, San Antonio, TX 78259

8. Chacha Bedoy Donuts and Bakery

Chacha Bedoy is an unassuming gem of a donut shop. Located off of Babcock Rd, the bakery is a “blink and you’ll miss it” kind of place, so don’t blink, because Chacha Bedoy is something special with scrumptious donuts, low prices, and wonderful people. Need we say more? While there, we sampled the apple fritters, chocolate with a raspberry-filled glazed donut, and a cinnamon apple and cajeta with a cream donut – and they were stunning, all stunning. And at a $1.00/donut, that perfection came wildly cheap.

Bonus: Chacha Bedoy’s donuts are certainly must-haves, but be sure not to miss their pan dulces, pastries, and substantial variety of scratch-made macarons.

WEBSITE | 1723 Babcock Rd, San Antonio, TX 78229

9. Plantyful Sweets - GF/Vegan!

Plantyful Sweets is a charming gluten-free and vegan bakery specializing in superfood ingredients. Guests to Plantyful will have their choice of a few different donuts, muffins, cookies, cakes, and hot drinks (be sure to ask about their allergy-friendly and nut-free options). And while the selection wasn’t exactly enormous, any options in this niche market are very much needed. We tried the apple sage, cranberry orange, and chocolate donuts (chocolate was where it was at), as well as the unique maca horchata hot drink with oat milk, Peruvian maca, cacao powder, and agave.

Full disclosure: Plantyful is on the pricier side with donuts coming in at around $4 a piece and hot drinks priced at $5.50.

WEBSITE | 1723 Babcock Rd, San Antonio, TX 78229

10. ST Donuts

Family-owned, ST Donuts, is the newest kid on the donut block but has hooked people with its friendly service and fresh donuts. ST offers a balanced selection of both traditional and unconventional flavors, as well as kolaches and breakfast sandwiches. Their mini-kolaches, in particular, are a great savory addition to any donut order. Sweet and savory, donuts and kolaches, the perfect balanced breakfast.

WEBSITE | 9793 Culebra Rd #104, San Antonio, TX 78251

*Bonus - Voodoo Doughnuts

Portland’s own offbeat Voodoo Doughnut has opened its first-ever location in SA. Voodoo’s quirky approach to doughnuts, theming, and merchandise has been so successful over the last 20 years that they have grown from Portland’s lone doughnut shop into a popular chain. The shop opened on December 20 and gives guests 24-hour access to over 50 different flavors of Voodoo’s delicious and wacky doughnuts.

Photo Credit: Andy L. Yelp

WEBSITE | 400 E Houston St, San Antonio, TX 78205