What is the Unhealthiest Donut and How to Identify It?

October 29, 2025 •

4 min read

According to a 2017 Men's Health report, a specialty donut like Winchell's Fancy Horseshoe can pack a staggering 700 calories in a single serving. Knowing what is the unhealthiest donut can help you navigate bakery displays with more awareness and choose a less indulgent treat.

Quick Summary

Specialty donuts with fillings, excessive toppings, and glazes, like the hybrid cronut, are typically the unhealthiest option due to their very high calorie, sugar, and fat content. These deep-fried treats are often made with refined flour and partially hydrogenated oils.

Key Points

Specialty Hybrids are Worst: Cronuts and other hybrid donuts are generally the unhealthiest due to their high calorie and fat content from layered butter and deep frying.
Fillings and Toppings Add Up: Donuts with cream fillings, thick glazes, and excessive toppings dramatically increase the sugar, fat, and calorie counts.
Large Size Equals More Calories: The sheer size of some donuts, like Starbucks' Old-Fashioned Glazed, contributes to their high calorie total, despite looking simple.
Trans Fats are Common: Many commercially fried donuts contain trans fats from partially hydrogenated oils, which are harmful to heart health.
Baked is Better than Fried: Choosing a baked donut over a fried one significantly reduces the fat and calorie intake.
Moderation is Key: All donuts are high in sugar and refined carbs, so enjoying them only occasionally is best for your overall health.

The Unhealthy Ingredients in a Donut

At its core, a donut is a combination of ingredients that offer little to no nutritional value, providing empty calories that can lead to a significant sugar crash. To determine what is the unhealthiest donut, it helps to understand the ingredients that make them so detrimental to your health in large quantities. The worst offenders contain a powerful trifecta of unhealthy components:

Refined Flour: The majority of commercial donuts are made with highly refined, bleached white flour. This type of carbohydrate is rapidly digested by the body, causing a sharp spike in blood sugar levels.
High Sugar Content: Whether it's in the dough, the glaze, or the filling, donuts are loaded with added sugar. This contributes to high blood sugar levels, insulin resistance, and can lead to increased cravings for more refined carbohydrates. The U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend limiting added sugars to no more than 10% of daily calories.
Unhealthy Fats: Many commercially produced donuts are deep-fried in partially hydrogenated oils, which are a major source of artificial trans fats. Trans fats raise bad (LDL) cholesterol and lower good (HDL) cholesterol, significantly increasing the risk of heart disease. They also contain high levels of saturated fat.

The Worst Offenders: Identifying the Unhealthiest Donuts

While all donuts should be considered an occasional indulgence, some varieties are far worse than others. The unhealthiest donut types are typically those that combine several unhealthy elements, including deep-frying, rich fillings, and generous toppings.

Cronuts and Other Specialty Hybrids

The cronut, a croissant-donut hybrid, is a prime example of an extremely unhealthy treat. These are made with a buttery croissant dough, filled with pastry cream, deep-fried, and then finished with a sugary glaze. The layering of butter, frying oil, and sugar creates a calorie and saturated fat bomb that far surpasses the average donut.

Overloaded and Filled Varieties

Donuts with multiple layers of toppings, rich fillings, and thick glazes are among the unhealthiest. Large, filled varieties like Dunkin's Bismarck have been reported to contain nearly 500 calories and high amounts of sugar. Examples like the Krispy Kreme Double Dark Chocolate also stand out for their high calorie counts. The combination of a fried cake or yeast dough base with sugary cream, jam, or custard filling and an outer glaze or frosting creates a significant nutritional burden.

Large, Old-Fashioned Glazed

Even a seemingly simple option can be deceptively unhealthy. Brands like Starbucks offer an Old-Fashioned Glazed donut with a high calorie count of 480 calories, making it one of the unhealthiest glazed options available. The large size and specific recipe contribute to its high caloric density, proving that ingredients and portion size matter more than just the type.

Comparison Table: Donut Nutrition at a Glance


Donut Type	Approximate Calories	Approximate Sugar (g)	Key Health Concerns
Cronut	>500	Very High	Extremely high in calories, saturated fat, and sugar; likely contains trans fats
Winchell's Fancy Horseshoe	700	27	Exceptionally high calorie count due to large size and toppings
Starbucks Old-Fashioned Glazed	480	30	High calorie count for a glazed donut, very dense
Cream-filled, Iced	350–400	20–25	High calories and sugar from both the filling and icing
Average Glazed	250–300	10–15	Still high in refined carbs and sugar, but less than specialty types

Making Healthier Donut Choices (In Moderation)

For those times when a donut craving is unavoidable, there are ways to make a slightly better choice. Opt for a smaller, simple version or consider alternatives altogether. A small, plain glazed donut hole, for instance, contains a fraction of the calories and sugar of a full-size filled or topped variety. Baked donuts are also a significantly better option, as they eliminate the large amount of unhealthy fats absorbed during deep-frying. Homemade versions, which allow you to control the type of flour, sugar, and oil used, are another great way to make a healthier treat.

Conclusion

When it comes to answering "what is the unhealthiest donut?", the clear winners (or losers) are the large, specialty, and hybrid varieties laden with fillings and multiple toppings. They combine the worst aspects of junk food: high levels of sugar, refined flour, unhealthy fats, and excessive calories in a single, indulgent package. While an occasional donut won't derail a healthy diet, it's wise to choose a simpler, smaller option and to remember that moderation is the key to enjoying such treats without negative health consequences. For more information on healthier fat options, you can consult the American Heart Association website.

Healthier Donut Alternatives

Baked Donuts: These are a healthier alternative to traditional fried donuts. They still offer a sweet flavor but with much less fat.
Donut Holes: Satisfy a craving with a couple of donut holes, which have far fewer calories and sugar than a full-size donut.
Fruit: Naturally sweet fruits like berries, grapes, or mangoes can curb a sugar craving while providing essential nutrients.
Homemade Muffins: Bake your own muffins using whole wheat flour, fruits, and nuts for a more nutritious breakfast pastry.
Healthier Homemade Donuts: Use whole wheat or almond flour, less refined sweeteners, and bake instead of fry to create a healthier version at home.

Frequently Asked Questions

The unhealthiest donut is typically a large, specialty variety like a cronut or one heavily loaded with fillings and toppings. These combine excessive sugar, refined flour, and unhealthy fats from deep-frying.

The calorie count for the unhealthiest donuts can be very high. Examples like Winchell's Fancy Horseshoe contain 700 calories, and Starbucks' Old-Fashioned Glazed has 480 calories.

Trans fats, often from the partially hydrogenated oils used for deep-frying, raise bad cholesterol (LDL) while lowering good cholesterol (HDL), significantly increasing the risk of heart disease.

Yes, even a standard glazed donut is considered unhealthy. It is high in sugar, refined carbohydrates, and fat, and lacks significant nutritional value. Some larger glazed versions, like Starbucks', can be especially high in calories.

Generally, yes. A filled donut, with the added sugar and fat from the cream, jelly, or custard filling, will have a higher calorie and sugar count than a plain donut.

Yes, baked donuts are a healthier alternative to fried ones. They contain less fat and are less calorie-dense, though they can still be high in sugar and refined flour.

Healthier alternatives include fruit to satisfy a sweet craving, homemade muffins using whole grains, or creating your own homemade baked donuts with less refined ingredients.