National Donut Day is in early June. Where to go to find the best locally made donuts.

Whether they’re served with coffee, or just by themselves, donuts are a sweet way to start the day. Some flavors are more reserved like cake donuts and Boston crème, while others are more eccentric, like Oreo or Fruity Pebbles. Either way, it’s a bite into a doughy, sugary treat. National Donut Day is the first Friday in June, and we've got you covered with some of the best locally made donuts in the area.

National Donut Day started in 1938, commemorating The Salvation Army’s Donut Lassies, who made donuts and served them near the front lines for American soldiers fighting in The First World War. This is why these soldiers were also known as doughboys. Whether you’re interested in a taste of history, or you just want a sweet treat, here are some local spots to buy donuts.

Dixie Donuts, 275 W. Town St., Norwich

Dixie Donuts in its current form has been open since 1999. The shop offers 36 flavors in total, and focuses on classic flavors. The most popular flavors are Sprinkle and Boston Crème, filled with extra custard, said owner Jennifer Baker.

The shop makes all its donuts by hand every day, with one of the employees coming at midnight to start making the donuts and everyone else comes in at 4:30 a.m. to finish them. All the donuts made in a day need to be eaten that day, Baker said.

“We don’t sell day-old donuts,” she said.

The reason why customers keep coming back is the quality of the donuts, and the friendly staff. It’s always the same people at the counter, and they get to know the customers and remember their orders, Baker said.

“Sometimes, we see people walking down the sidewalk, and we’ll have their coffee ready when they walk in the door,” she said.

Donuts are $1.75 each, a half-dozen for $8.75, or a dozen for $13.75. Coffee at Dixie Donuts is $2 for a small, $2.50 for a medium, and $2.75 for a large. For National Donut Day, they will giving out a free donut with a drink purchase.

The Baker’s Dozen, Various Locations

The Baker’s Dozen was started in 1980 as a traditional bakery. It evolved into a coffee shop in the 1990s adding a drive-thru to the original location in Brooklyn. Now, five locations are in gas station, and three are stand-alone stores, Trevor Cardinal, who owns the business with his father Ken Cardinal, said.

The Baker’s Dozen keeps 20-25 flavors of donut in at a time, though drinks and breakfast sandwiches are big sellers too. Some of the popular donuts include strawberry cheesecake, chocolate frosted, double chocolate, and Oreo, Trevor Cardinal said.

A good product and good customer service, including a culture of good managers, keeps customers coming back, Trevor Cardinal said.

Donuts are $1.59 each, $7.99 for a half-dozen, and $11.99 for a dozen. A medium iced coffee is $3.29, and a medium hot coffee is $2.79. On National Donut Day, they will offer a free donut with a beverage purchase.

The Painted Baker Café, 172 Main St., Putnam

Monique Maldonado said she and her husband had worked decades in the restaurant industry, but they went into different jobs. However, they came back into the restaurant business by purchasing The Main Street Grille, which was owned by their friends, and turned it into The Painted Baker Café, a breakfast and lunch spot with a retro, space-age theme, which opened in August.

Donuts make up 75% of the baked goods sold. The bakery has 12 to 14 flavors at a time. While there are basic donuts like glazed and chocolate cake, there are craft flavors ranging from Heath Bar Crunch and cannoli to Snickers and mint chocolate grasshopper, Maldonado said.

“We usually sell out every day, so we make them fresh every morning,” she said.

Donuts range from $2.50 to $4 each. Coffee is $2.95. There will be a promotion for National Donut Day.

Young Buns Doughnuts, 46 W. Main St., Mystic

During the pandemic, the owners of Bartleby’s Café sold the space to the owner of Sift Bakery, and who turned it into Young Buns Doughnuts, opening in 2020. The shop makes at least a couple hundred a day, and more in the summer, Manager Jordan Joyal said.

The shop offers 16 different flavors at a time. Young Buns uses its own recipes and makes them by hand. Some of the customer favorites include the Young Bun, which is an old fashioned with vanilla glaze and streusel, Samoa, and Strawberry Shortcake, Joyal said.

“It’s fun,” she said. “Doughnuts are always fun.”

Doughnuts are individually priced, ranging from $2.75 to $4 each. Regular coffees range from $2.75 to $4.50.

This article originally appeared on The Bulletin: National Donut Day Dixie Donuts Baker's Dozen Painted Baker Cafe