I Traveled Through Small-Town Maine To Sample 13 Donut Shops (And Found 4 I’ll Be Dreaming About For Weeks)
Last summer, I drove through Maine with one mission: taste every small-town donut I could find before my jeans stopped fitting. Thirteen shops later, my car smelled like sugar, and my notebook was covered in glaze fingerprints.
Most were good, some were forgettable, but four of them knocked me sideways with flavors so memorable I still think about them when I’m stuck in traffic.
Here’s the full rundown of where I stopped, what I tasted, and which spots earned a permanent place on my road-trip wishlist.
1. Frosty’s Donuts – Brunswick
Morning light hits Maine Street, and Frosty’s neon sign is already glowing, with a line of locals clutching coffee and pink boxes.
Hand-cut donuts have been coming out of this Brunswick shop since 1965, and regulars swear the raised glazed and maple frosted still taste like childhood Saturdays.
Staff keep the vibe easygoing, joking with customers while trays of old-fashioneds disappear before noon.
Many days, the shop runs on a simple rule: arrive early or miss your favorite flavor.
2. The Holy Donut – Brunswick & Scarborough
Potato in a donut sounds like a prank until that first bite of Holy Donut’s dark chocolate sea salt or maple bacon, where the crumb feels rich and tender at the same time.
Family ownership shows in the details, with dough made from real Maine potatoes and flavors that lean seasonal, like fresh cider or wild blueberry.
Lines form in Brunswick and Scarborough as early as opening, and cases often look half-empty by midmorning because regulars know exactly when their favorites drop.
One of the four stops that can easily haunt your cravings for weeks.
3. Congdon’s Doughnuts Family Restaurant & Bakery – Wells
Seaside fog hangs over Route 1 while headlights snake into Congdon’s parking lot long before sunrise, everyone hoping to score a warm honey dip straight from the fryer.
Family recipes dating back to the 1950s still guide the bakers, and many travelers measure their Maine vacations by how many Congdon’s runs they squeeze in.
Cake donuts come in old-school flavors like plain, molasses and coconut, while pillowy yeast rings carry thick icing that drips onto paper bags.
Easily one of the four places you leave talking about in the car for miles.
4. The Cookie Jar Pastry Shop – Cape Elizabeth
Cliffs and ocean spray sit just down the road, but folks in Cape Elizabeth often detour first for a box of Cookie Jar donuts.
Generations of locals praise the apple cider holes, molasses donuts and classic glazed rings that taste like fairs and church suppers.
Glass cases show rows of oversized donuts, frosted and filled in a way that feels generous rather than fussy.
Many customers grab a dozen, then wander off toward the lighthouses with sugar on their fingers and coffee warming their hands.
5. Lil’s Café – Kittery
Wallingford Square wakes up slowly, but Lil’s crullers do not last long. Bakers twist dough into golden spirals that shatter slightly when you bite, leaving a buttery trail of sugar on the table.
Regulars treat the cafe as a community living room, ordering crullers alongside strong coffee and lingering over conversations at small tables.
Travelers who stop just for a quick snack often leave with a box because one cruller rarely feels like enough.
6. Moody’s Diner – Waldoboro
Highway miles roll past pine trees until the iconic Moody’s sign appears and everyone in the car suddenly feels hungry.
Counter seats and old photos set the scene, but many early risers come specifically for donuts, which share space with the diner’s famous pies.
Servers keep coffee topped off while plates of simple, fresh-fried donuts arrive still warm, the kind you dunk absentmindedly while listening to locals talk weather and fishing.
Road-trippers often plan their timings so breakfast at Moody’s feels like the unofficial start of vacation.
7. Ruckus Donuts – Rockland
Rockland’s working harbor sits just a short walk away, yet much of the morning buzz gathers around Ruckus, where brioche-style yeast donuts look more like tiny art projects.
Flavors might shift from espresso cream to lemon poppyseed to cannoli-inspired creations, all made in small batches that vanish quickly.
Doors open and the room fills with the smell of butter, sugar and coffee while trays in the front case shrink by the minute.
One of the four spots that feels impossible to forget once you’ve tasted how playful a donut can be.
8. Village Donut Shop & Bakery – Raymond
Raymond’s lakes and camp roads stay quiet while headlights pull into Village Donut’s parking lot before dawn. Inside, staff moves quickly, frosting dozens of donuts and sliding raspberry scones and cinnamon rolls into the case.
Locals praise the way everything is made on-site, from sour cream cake donuts to hearty breakfast sandwiches on house-baked biscuits.
The dining room feels like a retro time capsule, where regulars linger at tables and visitors sense they stumbled into someone else’s beloved morning ritual.
9. Old Time Donuts – Damariscotta
Quiet Damariscotta mornings come with the smell of frying dough drifting out of Old Time Donuts, a small shop with a loyal following.
Family ownership leans into old-fashioned cake donuts in flavors like coconut, molasses, chocolate and specials such as maple walnut, all fried until the edges turn delicately crisp.
Hours run only until noon, so locals time their errands around donut runs, knowing favorites can disappear by late morning.
Another of the four stops that lingers in your memory, partly because every bite tastes like somebody cared about the recipe.
10. Village Ice Cream and Bakery – Port Clyde
Little Port Clyde feels like the end of the road, where the pavement gives way to sea air and fishing boats, and Village Ice Cream and Bakery fits that mood perfectly.
Certain days bring Doughnut Day, when trays of fresh-fried donuts join cinnamon rolls and chowder on the counter.
Locals check social posts for those announcements, then swing by for a hot donut before walking down to the pier.
Visitors who stumble in on a donut morning often feel like they’ve crashed a tiny village secret.
11. The Only Doughnut – Belfast
Belfast’s small harbor town energy blends with the smell of Maine potato dough rising inside The Only Doughnut, a cheerful shop just outside downtown.
Bakers focus on traditional potato and brioche donuts, shaping them into flavors like Boston cream, maple bacon, and rotating seasonal specials.
Staff keeps things relaxed and chatty, handing over boxes filled with dense yet feather-light rings that feel nothing like chain-store pastries.
This is the fourth place you might catch yourself daydreaming about, especially once you realize how far standard donuts suddenly fall in comparison.
12. Hello, Good Pie – Belgrade Lakes
Belgrade Lakes wakes up slowly around the water, while Hello, Good Pie hums with bakers rolling dough and filling cases.
Visitors know it first for pies, yet local fans talk excitedly about Polish-style donuts and occasional donut specials that sell out in bursts.
A small, homey space and dog-friendly attitude make it feel like a neighborhood kitchen where bowls of batter and racks of pastries are always in motion.
Regulars treat donut days like mini holidays, showing up early and leaving with boxes to share at camp or on the dock.
13. The Bankery & Skowhegan Fleuriste – Skowhegan
Skowhegan’s historic downtown holds The Bankery in a former bank building, complete with high ceilings and display cases loaded with pastries.
Menu leans toward cakes, pies and seasonal specials, yet locals mention donut-style pastries and fried treats that show up alongside the daily bakery spread.
Community events and word-of-mouth praise keep the place busy, especially in the morning when people grab coffee and something sweet to go.
Travelers passing through often walk in for just a look and walk out, balancing more pastry boxes than planned.