Tennessee has quietly built a reputation as one of the South’s best places for great donuts. From the Smoky Mountains to Memphis, small bakeries and family-run shops are turning out everything from classic glazed donuts to creative flavors that people happily wait in line for.
Whether you live here or you’re planning a sweet stop on a road trip, these nine places stand out as some of the best donut spots in the state right now.
1. Five Daughters Bakery — Franklin
The 100 Layer Donut isn’t just a menu item—it’s basically an edible work of art that put Five Daughters on the map. This Franklin bakery rolls, folds, and layers its dough by hand every single morning before the sun comes up, creating pastries that are part croissant, part donut, and completely unforgettable.
Every bite delivers that perfect crunch on the outside with soft, buttery layers inside. The bakery has expanded to multiple locations across Tennessee, but the Franklin shop still draws crowds who know that fresh-from-the-oven quality can’t be beaten.
2. Fox’s Donut Den — Nashville
This Nashville institution has been turning out yeast and cake donuts the old-fashioned way for decades, earning a spot on Tennessee’s official tourism site for good reason…