Fresh Donuts: the start of ‘The Doughnut Wars’ (Lebanon Valley Food Critics)

Editor’s Note: In 2021, Michael and Nicole Borrell began reviewing Lebanon Valley’s restaurants and eating attractions as the Lebanon Valley Food Critics. Since then, the couple has aimed to offer unbiased reviews of the eating and drinking establishments the Lebanon Valley has to offer. LebTown is pleased to be partnering with LVFC to share these reviews with our readers. Bon appétit!

I posed the question to our followers and the response was overwhelming: Where can I find the best doughnut in the Lebanon Valley? Thank you to all who offered suggestions and responses.

We are going to run a mini-series, The Doughnut Wars, where we will attempt to find the best doughnut in the region. We will try a vast selection from each location and pick our top three. At the end, we will write a Lebanon Valley Top 5 Best Doughnut in the Valley list.

Our first stop, Fresh Donuts, is certainly a fan favorite, as evident from the numerous commenters telling us to go there.

Located at 12th and Cumberland streets, Fresh Donuts is a stand-alone donut shop and coffee counter open early in the morning that is almost always busy with customers wanting their sugar fixes cured by these tasty doughnuts.

Today we ordered a dozen with vanilla cream, Boston, peanut butter, angel, strawberry, strawberry cheesecake, lemon & cream, glazed, old fashion, cream cheese, apple fritter and donut holes.

The first thing that stands out is the filled doughnuts are fully filled. And the fillings themselves are not too sweet and allow for the flavor to blend well with the doughnut.

The second item of note is the powdered sugar does not make a huge mess while eating.

The doughnuts themselves are all the same, manageable size, while being very satisfying. Fresh Donuts also offers something unique: glazed donut holes.

They are a great, bite-sized treat. Imagine if they added filling to these treats? YUMMY!

The LVFC Top Three

3: Apple Fritter – Larger than the rest. Glazed and crispy. Chunks of apple. Need I say more?

2: Blueberry – Blueberry, glaze, crispy cake. A simple doughnut that tastes amazing.

1: Vanilla Cream – A personal favorite of mine. The cream is strong on the vanilla and sweet taste. Great as a powdered sugar or chocolate iced.

Honorable Mention: Donut holes, Lemon & Cream, Cream Cheese.

Do you agree with our list? Let us know in the comments.

If you have a favorite doughnut or shop that you would like to be considered for “Doughnut Wars,” please message or email usand let us know. We thank everyone for the recommendations and the kind words we have received.

If you have a restaurant you would like us to visit or review, whether a place you like or are nervous to try, please message us on Facebook or email lvfoodcritics@outlook.com and let us know. We thank everyone for the recommendations and the kind words we have received.