This past winter we popped into Frangelli’s Bakery in Philadelphia to try their donnoli — that’s a donut filled with cannoli cream. Alas, they were out, and we returned home with a fine selection of “regular” donuts, which included a dossant (like the trademarked Cronut). Little did we know at the time that their jelly donuts are a force to be reckoned with. Frangelli’s jellies were just named one of America’s top 12 donuts by The Huffington Post (full disclosure: the story’s writers are from Philly).

The great Valrhona Chocolate doughnut from New York's Doughnut Plant

The great Valrhona Chocolate doughnut from New York’s Doughnut Plant

We are happy to note that of the dozen donuts selected, we’ve sampled only two (we say happy because we love it whenever we learn how much further we have to go): the Valrhona Chocolate from NYC’s Doughnut Plant (fantastic!) and the soft and light glazed specimens from Texas’ Round Rock Donuts (like Krispy Kreme but better). See the full list, which includes a Strawberry Cake with Strawberry Bull’s Eye Frosting in North Carolina and a Raspberry Cheesecake in Maryland.