14 Indiana Donut Shops That Look Ordinary But Deliver Legendary Flavor
Indiana is full of donut shops that may look ordinary from the outside, but step inside and the flavors tell a very different story.
From cozy small-town bakeries to hidden counters in busy streets, each spot offers donuts that are perfectly soft, sweet, and unforgettable.
Locals flock to these addresses across the state for morning treats and afternoon indulgences. Each bite proves that in Indiana, legendary flavor often hides behind the simplest facades.
1. Long’s Bakery — Indianapolis, Indiana
Walking past this unassuming brick building on North Tremont Street, you’d never guess it houses one of Indianapolis’ most beloved donut institutions.
Long’s Bakery has been slinging fresh pastries since 1955, and the no-frills interior with its simple counter and metal racks tells you they’re all about the goods, not the décor.
Their yeast donuts are impossibly light and airy, with a glaze that sets the gold standard across the state. Regulars swear by the chocolate iced longjohns, which disappear by mid-morning on weekends.
The building itself looks like a neighborhood corner shop, complete with vintage signage that hasn’t changed in decades.
Located at 1453 North Tremont Street in Indianapolis, this bakery opens early and closes when they sell out, which happens more often than you’d think.
Fun fact: Long’s still uses many of the same recipes from opening day, proving that some things truly don’t need improving.
2. Titus Bakery & Deli — Lebanon, Indiana
Boone County locals know that the plain white building on North Lebanon Street hides a donut powerhouse that’s been perfecting its craft since 1928.
Titus Bakery looks like any other small-town deli from the outside, with minimal fuss and maximum substance waiting inside.
Their cake donuts have a dense, satisfying crumb that holds up beautifully to their thick glazes and frostings.
The sour cream donut is legendary here, with a tangy richness that balances the sweetness perfectly.
Inside, you’ll find a straightforward setup with display cases showing off the daily selection and a few tables for those who can’t wait to dig in.
Find them at 820 West South Street in Lebanon, where generations of families have made donut runs a tradition
Interesting tidbit: the bakery has survived nearly a century by sticking to traditional methods and never cutting corners on ingredients, even when trends suggested otherwise.
3. Square Donuts — Terre Haute, Indiana
Yes, the donuts here are actually square, and yes, that geometric quirk is just the beginning of what makes this place special.
Housed in a modest strip mall location on South 3rd Street, Square Donuts proves that strip mall bakeries can absolutely deliver world-class treats.
The square shape isn’t just a gimmick; it actually creates more surface area for toppings and glazes, resulting in a better frosting-to-donut ratio.
Their maple bacon square is a masterpiece of sweet and savory balance, while the classic glazed square has edges that get extra crispy and caramelized.
The interior is bright and functional, with fluorescent lights and simple tables that keep the focus on the pastries.
Visit the Terre Haute shop at 935 Wabash Ave in Terre Haute, where that unmistakable fresh-donut aroma hits before you even reach the door. Another Terre Haute option sits at 2417 Fort Harrison Rd for a quicker in-and-out stop.
Fun fact: the square shape was originally chosen to maximize space in baking trays, but customers loved the novelty so much it became the signature.
4. Jack’s Donuts — New Castle, Indiana
Pull up to the standalone building on South Memorial Drive and you’ll see a structure that looks more like a fast food joint than a donut shop.
Jack’s Donuts operates with efficiency and consistency, churning out fresh batches throughout the day in a space designed for high volume production.
Their apple fritters are massive, crispy-edged wonders loaded with real apple chunks and cinnamon sugar.
The glazed buttermilk bars have a cult following among truckers and travelers passing through on nearby highways.
The building features large windows that let you watch bakers at work, and the drive-through window makes it dangerously easy to grab a dozen on your way to anywhere.
Located at 2410 South 14th Street in New Castle, Jack’s has been in business since 1961 and has grown beyond one shop while keeping the same straightforward approach.
Here’s something cool: they make over 50 varieties daily, rotating specials that keep regulars coming back to try new combinations alongside their tried-and-true favorites.
5. Rise’n Roll Bakery & Deli — Middlebury, Indiana
Nestled in Amish country, this bakery started in a barn and has grown into a beloved regional chain without losing its humble roots.
The Middlebury location sits in a practical building that prioritizes function over flash, with ample parking for the crowds that descend daily.
Cinnamon caramel donuts are the undisputed stars here, with a gooey caramel center that oozes out with the first bite.
The yeast donuts are pillowy soft, and the selection includes creative flavors like blueberry cake and peanut butter icing.
Inside, the space is clean and efficient, with Amish-made furniture and displays that nod to the area’s heritage without being kitschy.
You’ll find the Middlebury location at 1065 N 1150 W in Middlebury, where the crowd often tells you everything you need to know.
Fun detail: Rise’n Roll still operates with many Amish employees who bring traditional baking knowledge passed down through generations, resulting in products that taste genuinely homemade.
6. Fingerhut Bakery — North Judson, Indiana
Blink and you might miss this tiny bakery tucked into a residential-looking building on Main Street in one of Indiana’s smallest towns.
Fingerhut Bakery has been a North Judson fixture since the 1930s, operating out of a charming but utterly ordinary structure that could easily be mistaken for someone’s home.
Their raised glazed donuts achieve that perfect balance of crispy exterior and tender interior that seems simple but requires serious skill.
The chocolate covered cream-filled longjohns sell out fastest, with a custard filling that’s rich without being cloying.
The bakery interior is cozy and cramped in the best possible way, with vintage equipment still in use and a display case that’s been there for decades.
Located at 119 Lane Street in North Judson, this bakery keeps small-town hours and small-town charm that feels like time travel.
Quirky fact: the Fingerhut family ran the bakery for over 50 years, and new owners have preserved every recipe and technique, refusing to modernize what already works perfectly.
7. H&R Bakery — Salem, Indiana
Southern Indiana doesn’t get enough credit for its food scene, but H&R Bakery is quietly doing legendary work in a plain storefront on East Mulberry Street.
The building is standard small-town commercial architecture, nothing fancy, just a door and windows and a sign that gets straight to the point.
Buttermilk donuts here have a subtle tang that elevates them above standard cake donuts, with a tender crumb that practically melts on your tongue.
Their peanut butter iced donuts are dangerously addictive, with real peanut butter in the topping that hardens into a satisfying shell.
The interior is no-nonsense, with a long counter, a few stools, and bakers working in full view of customers.
Find them at 103 East Walnut Street in Salem, where locals have been starting their mornings since 1946.
Here’s a fun bit: H&R stands for the original owners’ first names, and while ownership has changed, the initials and recipes remain untouched, preserving decades of donut-making wisdom.
8. Munster Donut — Munster, Indiana
Despite the name that sounds like a Halloween costume, Munster Donut is all business when it comes to pastries.
The shop occupies a nondescript building on Ridge Road that blends into the suburban landscape, making it easy to drive past without noticing the magic happening inside.
Old-fashioned cake donuts here have that characteristic craggy exterior that traps extra glaze in every crevice, creating pockets of concentrated sweetness.
The bismarks filled with Bavarian cream are generous to the point of messy, requiring multiple napkins and zero regrets.
Inside, you’ll find a dated but spotlessly clean space with laminate counters and fluorescent lighting that screams 1980s but works just fine.
Located at 8314 Calumet Avenue in Munster, this bakery has been serving Northwest Indiana since 1969 without changing the simple, no-nonsense setup that regulars love.
Amusing fact: the name causes endless confusion with tourists expecting monster-themed donuts, but regulars know the only scary thing here is how quickly you can demolish a dozen.
9. Schmidt Bakery — Batesville, Indiana
German heritage runs deep in Batesville, and Schmidt Bakery honors that tradition in a modest brick building downtown that’s been feeding the community since 1920.
The exterior is classic early 20th century commercial architecture, with big display windows and a recessed entrance that’s seen countless generations pass through.
Their pershing donuts are a regional specialty rarely found elsewhere, featuring a unique twisted shape and delicate sweetness.
The raised glazed donuts are ethereally light, with a glaze that’s neither too thick nor too thin but absolutely perfect.
Inside, the bakery maintains its original tin ceiling and wooden display cases, creating an authentic vintage atmosphere without trying too hard.
Visit them at 125 Batesville Shopping Village in Batesville, where the Pershing donut remains a signature pick for many regulars.
Cool detail: Schmidt Bakery still bakes traditional German pastries alongside American donuts, and many recipes came directly from the founder’s family in Germany, making this a genuine taste of old-world baking technique.
10. Concannon’s Bakery Café — Muncie, Indiana
College towns need good donuts, and Concannon’s delivers for Ball State students and Muncie residents alike from a cheerful yellow building on Tillotson Avenue.
The structure is bright and welcoming without being pretentious, with plenty of windows and a layout that accommodates both quick grab-and-go customers and leisurely coffee drinkers.
Maple bacon longjohns here strike that perfect sweet-salty balance that’s easy to attempt but hard to nail.
Their cake donuts have a fine, even crumb and come in creative flavors that rotate seasonally, keeping the menu fresh and interesting.
The café side of the business means you can actually sit down and enjoy your donuts with a proper cup of coffee, a luxury many donut shops don’t offer.
Located at 4801 North Baker Lane in Muncie, Concannon’s opened in 1959 and has kept the pastry case busy for decades
Fun tidbit: the bakery employs several Ball State students, and many have gone on to open their own bakeries across the country, spreading Concannon’s techniques and standards far beyond Indiana.
11. Donut Bank — Evansville, Indiana
Originally housed in a converted bank building (hence the name), Donut Bank now operates from several locations around Evansville, all maintaining the same unpretentious vibe.
The original location on North First Avenue keeps the bank theme alive with vault doors and teller windows repurposed as service counters, creating a quirky but functional space.
Blueberry cake donuts here are loaded with real fruit that bleeds purple streaks through the batter, creating both flavor and visual appeal.
The chocolate iced custard-filled longjohns are messy, decadent, and worth every sticky finger.
Each location maintains the same commitment to quality despite the expansion, with donuts made fresh throughout the day rather than just one morning batch.
Donut Bank’s first shop opened in Evansville in 1967, and today you can pick from their current listed locations to grab a dozen.
Interesting note: the founders actually did buy a defunct bank building in 1969, thinking the vault would make great storage, and the gimmick helped them stand out in a crowded market.
12. Parlor Doughnuts — Evansville, Indiana
Evansville gets two entries on this list because the city takes donuts seriously, and Parlor Doughnuts brings a slightly more modern approach while keeping things refreshingly unpretentious.
The storefront on Main Street features clean lines and minimalist design that feels current without being trendy or intimidating.
Layered donuts are the specialty here, with a laminated dough that creates flaky, croissant-like layers in each bite.
The salted caramel variety achieves perfect sweet-salty harmony, while seasonal flavors showcase local ingredients when possible.
The interior is bright and airy, with white subway tiles and blonde wood that create an Instagram-ready backdrop without sacrificing substance for style.
Located at 204 Main Street in Evansville, Parlor has expanded beyond Indiana while keeping a hometown connection through its Evansville shops.
Fun fact: the layering technique requires folding the dough over 80 times, creating hundreds of delicate layers that give these donuts their distinctive texture and set them apart from traditional yeast or cake varieties.
13. Mary Lou Donuts — Lafayette, Indiana
Purdue students and Lafayette locals have been making pilgrimages to this tiny shop on Main Street since 1972, drawn by donuts that punch way above their weight class.
The building is absolutely nothing special, just a small storefront wedged between other businesses, with a counter and barely enough room to turn around inside.
Glazed twists are the signature item, with a texture somewhere between cake and yeast that’s unique to Mary Lou’s recipe.
The chocolate iced donuts have a deep, dark cocoa flavor that tastes like actual chocolate rather than generic brown sweetness.
Everything is made in small batches throughout the morning, ensuring maximum freshness even if you show up closer to noon.
Find them at 1304 Main Street in Lafayette, where parking is tricky but the donuts are worth circling the block.
Charming detail: Mary Lou herself still occasionally works the counter in her 80s, greeting regular customers by name and remembering their usual orders from decades of serving the same families.
14. Dan’s Variety Bakery — Kokomo, Indiana
Variety is right there in the name, and Dan’s delivers with over 40 types of donuts made daily in a humble building on West Sycamore Street.
The exterior is pure Midwest functional, with vinyl siding and a parking lot that’s seen better days, but none of that matters once you step inside.
Coconut cream donuts here are legendary, with real shredded coconut mixed into both the filling and the topping.
The apple fritters are plate-sized monsters that could easily serve as breakfast for two, studded with apple chunks and drizzled with glaze.
Inside, the bakery is clean but worn, with equipment that’s clearly been producing donuts for decades and a display case that fills and empties multiple times each morning.
Located at 1415 West Sycamore Street in Kokomo, Dan’s has been a local institution since 1972 without any fanfare or fancy marketing.
Fun bit: Dan’s son now runs the bakery using the exact same recipes, and regulars swear they can’t tell the difference between donuts made in 1975 and donuts made today.