NYC's 8 Most Creative Donuts

Cake, yeast or filled, doughnuts seem to have made a comeback as a trendy treat in New York City. From out of the ordinary toppings to interesting shapes, these bakeries and restaurants are serving up deliciously fried sweets.  By Sarah Shaker.

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More: Astoria Coffee Shop Brews Up 'Donutccinos'

The newest doughnut craze has hit New York City. The new "donutccino" by Gossip Coffee is a cold-brewed coffee drink with chocolate sauce and whipped cream topped with a mini doughnut and sprinkles. The hip coffee shop located in the heart of Astoria also offers an eclectic selection of doughnuts crafted by Chef Scottish Francis, whose creative dessert creations eventually earned him the unofficial title of "Donut King." Try some of Francis' current creations -- like the "Orange Creamsicle," "Prosciutto Guinness" and "Lemonseed Poppy" varieties in-store -- or call ahead to order a dozen or more.

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Before the Donutaccino, the Cronut craze swept the city and garnered all sorts of media attention. Half croissant, half doughnut, this uniquely New York creation by Dominique Ansel caused a foodie buzz -- and created massive lines outside the Dominque Ansel Bakery in SoHo. Arrive early if you're hoping to celebrate National Doughnut Day with a Cronut.

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Fany Gerson of La Newyorkina, known for her delicious Mexican sweets, specially crafted this crema de caramelo stuffed doughnut, dusted with house-double smoked sugar and cinnamon for Chelsea's fast casual Mexican eatery, Tres Carnes. Those with a sweet tooth will go crazy for the gooey caramel filling. Enjoy this treat alone or as the perfect ending to the fresh Texas smoked Mexican fare, like the smoked brisket burrito.

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With hundreds of doughnuts, it's hard to choose a favorite at Dun-Well. This Vegan doughnut shop in Brooklyn bakes fresh creations daily, so there's never a chance your sweet will be stale. The doughnuts rotate from their long list, but staples include traditional glazed, cinnamon sugar, coconut and chocolate. The Peanut Butter & Jelly is a favorite, stuffed with jelly and covered with creamy peanut butter frosting.

With gourmet flavors like Hibiscus, Lemon Ginger and Dulce De Leche with almonds, you'll always feel like a winner here. This Bed-Stuy shop is known for their airy, yeast doughnuts as well as stuffed creations with fillings like Nutella. Don't forget to check out their other offerings, like their doughnut ice cream sundaes and "doughkas," a twisted doughnut-bread loaf inspired by classic Jewish tradition.

Doughnut Plant has handcrafted a savory take on the classic doughnut with their DOUGHPODS.  These doughnuts come packed with fresh avocado or samosa-inspired filling -- making for a perfect lunchtime treat. For those with a sweet tooth, opt for their cashew orange blossom or vanilla bean varieties.

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Traif, translated as "unkosher" regarding to meats in Hebrew, is true to its name, as this Williamsburg restaurant serves a number of pig-heavy dishes including their popular Bacon Donuts. Deep fried dough balls are dipped in dulce de leche and sprinkled with chopped bacon. These are the ultimate in a sweet and savory doughnut tasting.

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Flex Mussels may be known for their fresh seafood and great happy hour specials, but their doughnuts are worth traveling for. These stuffed fried dough balls are offered in rotating flavors like PB & J, S'mores, Fluffernutter, Salted Caramel and Wild Blueberry, just to name a few. The delicious flavors change often, so you can always try something new when dining at Flex.