Have you newly turned into a vegan and are desperately craving some freshly baked donuts?
We understand that you might be hoping someone would say that donuts are dairy-free. Sadly, donuts usually have dairy in their recipes.
In this post, we’ll discuss some of the popular donut chains in the US and if or not they have dairy. We’ll explore their vegan menus and decide if or not the place is vegan-friendly such that you don’t have to turn a ‘Chegan’ for the sake of donuts. Let’s get started!
Do Donuts Have Dairy?
Yes, typically, donuts have dairy in their recipe. Here are the most common ingredients in a donut: flour, butter, milk, eggs, yeast, salt, sugar, and oil.
As you see in this list, butter, milk, and eggs are commonly found in recipes used in bakeries. Having said that, with flourishing vegan culture, many bakeries offer vegan donuts that don’t contain milk or any dairy these days.
Moreover, instead of looking for dairy-free options in mainstream donut places, we’d definitely recommend you to visit dedicated vegan shops for the best dairy-free donut experience.
In fact, with a proper vegan donut recipe, you can make tasty donuts all by yourself. We’ll get into details on making dairy-free donuts later in this post.
Some Popular Donuts Chains
1. Do Dunkin Donuts Have Dairy?
While Dunkin Donuts offers a range of vegan beverages, they haven’t yet released vegan donut range in the US. However, in 2021, this beloved donut chain launched 41 vegan donuts in their Belgium unit.
So, if you wish to explore vegan Dunkin Donut specialties in the US, make sure to go for their bagels instead. Some of their most celebrated bagel flavors are Sesame, Garlid, Everything, Cinnamon Raisin, and Plain.
Vegan food choices are explicitly marked with a ‘V’ at Dunkin Donuts. While the company ensures that their vegan options are devoid of any animal products, including animal enzymes and derivatives, they cannot guarantee their customers that there hasn’t been any cross-contact.
2. Do Shipley Donuts Have Dairy?
Unfortunately, Shipley Donuts menus don’t feature vegan donuts. This donut chain is famous for its pumpkin spice cake and vanilla cream cheese flavors. Their plain glazed donuts are also exceptionally received among their customers.
3. Do Krispy Kreme Donuts Have Dairy?
The donut recipes at Krispy Kreme uses animal products, namely, eggs, milk, butter, yogurt, nonfat milk, and nonfat whey. Some of their popular donuts are glazed donuts, cinnamon sugar, double dark chocolate, and powdered cake. However, none of these donuts is dairy-free.
Unfortunately, Krispy Kreme hasn’t released any vegan donuts in the US yet. However, in December 2021, Krispy Kreme UK released three flavors of vegan donuts, namely,
Fudge Brownie Bliss – chocolate-filled donut with brownie pieces toppings,
Apple Custard Crumble – donuts with apple and custard filling and cinnamon crumble toppings, and finally,
Caramel Choc Delight – filled with Belgian chocolate and caramel.
So, if you’re a vegan, you’ll get to treat yourself with Krispy Kreme’s vegan delicacies only if you’re inside the UK.
4. Do Donuts at Duck Donuts Have Dairy?
Are you wandering around Orange County, California, in search of good vegan donut shops? Well, you might want to visit Duck Donuts.
This donut chain has been offering limited vegan options in selected outlets in the area since 2019. The vegan donut options available are plain or glazed. Some fancy donut options might also be available, depending upon the location. You might have to research this on your own.
However, if you’re outside of this area, well, you’re out of luck. Like any other mainstream donut chain, their regular donuts consist of dairy and eggs. Besides donuts, Duck Donuts offers vegan coffee, express, and bagels.
5. Do Tim Hortons Donuts Have Dairy?
While offering a range of vegan food and drinks options, Canadians’ and Americans’ beloved Tim Hortons haven’t been able to up their game when it comes to vegan donuts. However, they do offer raspberry-filled donuts in some selected locations.
The good news for us vegans is that many recipes at Tom Hortons are devoid of eggs. If you opt for yeast donuts, they’re probably eggless. However, these recipes might still contain palm oil, milk, and milk derivatives.
Tim Hortons offers a range of vegan bread, 7 types of bagels, and muffins if you’re craving something baked. Ask for vegan jam and jelly spreads for the best experience!
6. Do Donuts at Winchell’s Donut House Have Dairy?
According to Winchell’s donut house website, their recipes might consist of allergens such as egg, nuts, wheat, soy, and milk. Given how important eggs and milk are in donut recipes, Winchell’s donuts definitely have these ingredients in their donuts.
Winchel’s Donuts has been promising their customers to bring vegan donuts on their menu soon, and vegan donut vegans are excited about it. However, this popular donut chain doesn’t have donut vegans as of now.
On the brighter side, the good thing about Winchell’s donut house is that their dozen always comprises 14 donuts instead of the regular 13!
7. Do Donuts at LaMar’s Donuts Have Dairy?
Sadly, LaMar’s donuts, famous for their original glazed donuts, aren’t vegan-friendly either.
Their recipes have stood the test of time and date back to 1933 when they first established the bakery. While this is one celebration-worthy achievement, it’s definitely high time LaMar’s Donuts up their vegan game.
As of now, the only vegan-friendly option at this famous donut chain is cinnamon rolls and a few beverages. Their cinnamon rolls come plain as well as with raisins and pecans. So, if you’re a vegan and you don’t like cinnamon rolls, LaMar’s will, unfortunately, disappoint you with its menu.
8. Do Voodoo Donuts Have Dairy?
‘Good things come in pink boxes’, says Voodoo Donuts. We second that! Voodoo Donuts have limited outlets in selected states, namely, Oregon, Texas, Colorado, Florida, California, and Washington.
If you’re around these areas, you’ll get to enjoy a range of vegan donuts. As long as you tick for a vegan topping, staff at Voodoo donuts will make any vegan donut of your choice upon preorder. Vegan heaven, we’d say!
Do Mochi Donuts Have Dairy?
A popular American-Japanese hybrid confectionary item, mochi donuts, has been sweeping off Americans by their feet with their scrumptiousness! These delicacies are gluten-free, given how it uses rice flour and silken tofu as two major ingredients.
But are mochi donuts dairy-free? While these donuts are advertised as dairy-free donut options, commercial bakeries use dairy while making these. However, vegan mochi donuts are much more common than vegan donuts, and one can easily follow the recipes at home.
Moreover, remember that bakeries might use all-purpose flour or other flour to prepare mochi donuts. Therefore, if you’re allergic to gluten, it’s always prudent to ask beforehand and not just assume the donuts to be gluten-free just because the internet said so.
Do Glazed Donuts Have Dairy?
Sorry to say that America’s second-favorite donut of 2021, right after cream-filled donuts, glazed donuts, aren’t dairy-free either! The dough of glazed donuts and regular donuts are more or less the same.
Therefore, unless you aren’t in a dedicated vegan donut shop, please do not automatically assume glazed donuts to be vegan. The glaze on the donuts can be either dairy or vegan.
Typically, the glaze is made up of confectioners sugar, butter, honey, vanilla, and water. Another famous recipe for the glaze is mixing sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Krispy Kreme’s famous glazed donuts use a glaze made up of corn syrup, milk, and sugar.
What’s the Purpose of Milk in Donuts?
So, why is milk one of the most common ingredients in donuts? Firstly, the added fats and sugars from milk add richness in texture, flavor, color, and crispness to baked goods. The dough featuring milk is also stronger, given the proteins released from the milk.
Dry milk is generally used in donut recipes, and the finer the powder, the better the result, as the nutrient distribution becomes more even.
What to Substitute Milk and Butter With in Vegan Donut Recipes?
While attempting to prepare homemade vegan donuts, you can always replace milk in the recipe with plant-based milk. Soy milk, coconut milk, or almond milk works great for the purpose.
And, if the recipe featured a small amount of milk and if you don’t have any plant-based milk handy, substitute the amount with warm water. There shouldn’t be much difference in the result.
If you’re strictly vegan and don’t want any butter in your donuts either, opt for soy margarine or dairy-free butter prepared using plant-based oils. In fact, there are plenty of homemade butter recipes available on the internet if you’re up for the DIY!
Summary
Unfortunately, there aren’t many commercial donut chains that serve vegan donuts. And even if they do, the options available are sadly limited.
Nevertheless, as long as you follow a good vegan recipe and put your best time and effort into the recipe, you can always make some delicious vegan donuts all by yourself!
If you ever make dairy-free donuts, feel free to share your recipe and experience with us. We’re all ears!
