Sweets take on special significance in Wyoming, especially when it comes to delicious doughnuts. Brought by the Dutch to New York, this (now) American pastry has become ubiquitous with beginning the work day, alongside a steaming cup of joe, or as a welcome indulgence for those on the road. Here are the best places to grab a fresh doughnut in Wyoming.
This establishment’s slogan is succinct: “Dang Good Donuts.” Since 2010, this Wyomingite labor of love has served some of the best hot confections in the frontier West. And in a region of a state desperately needing some house-made sweets, this shop’s creations have been happily gobbled-up, both due to the expert execution and love & support for the local community. Seven days a week, this bakery turns-out 55 varieties of warm, soft and sweet goodies: from pristine glazed to doughnut holes and stellar fritters, any selection’s a revelation.
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Alpine, Wyoming, is a humble rural town at an intersection of rural highways and substantial rivers. It’s picturesque and the population is well under 1,000. But this area’s craving for warm morning treats rivals any larger locale. This delightfully small operation is the place in the state for mini doughnuts, the oft-forgotten brother to the ubiquitous glazed and fritters. There are five flavors here (chocolate, vanilla, cinnamon, plain and powdered sugar). But this simplicity makes sense: all the work goes into the baking, and it tastes like it! They’ve some amazing coffee as well, brought-in from a renewed roaster in Utah.
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An assorted box from Breanna’s is a thing of beauty: an unadorned wax box brimming with golden browns and shiny glazes and colorful sprinkles, all warm and soft and sweet. The local quick-stop is an ideal swing-by before work (or after) and after family gatherings, where everyone needs a sugary boost. And on top of some excellent sweets, the casualness here is supremely attractive, with friendliness, unpretentiousness and great prices fortifying the experience. And leave the credit card at home: this place is cash only.
From humble Oklahoma roots, this 75-year-old, nationwide institution has perfected the warm, sweet, light and airy. There are several locations across Wyoming, providing that morning (or anytime) treat that pairs so well with a morning coffee (they’ve even their own brand!). Daylight handcrafts all the classics, the glazed and the sprinkled and jelly-filled, and does its best to stay ahead of the curve with trendy flavors. This includes the more unique creations not found at other bakers’, like cake doughnuts and sausage-filled rolls.
Perhaps a pure doughnut is a bit much in the morning. A sweet bagel, perhaps? How about a house-made cinnamon-raisin slathered in mountain berry cream cheese? A Jackson Hole staple, this shop is a magnate for great bagels and morning pastries as well. Things here are made from scratch, with love, and with an attention to sustainability and quality product. And Pearl Street is welcomingly local: humble, friendly, affordable, and its logo is of the winged dinosaur (the pteranodon) that flourished in the area millennia ago.