This Detroit Donut Shop Barely Closes Its Doors, And People Still Line Up For It

Dutch Girl Donuts has been a staple of Detroit's sweet treat scene since 1947, and it spent decades building a deeply loyal customer base. In 2021, Dutch Girl fans were left heartbroken when the family-run bakery closed due to the owner's cancer diagnosis and subsequent passing. After a multi-year hiatus, the shop reopened under new ownership. It's no secret that when a generational business changes hands, success isn't guaranteed, but it certainly seems as though Dutch Girl Donuts is doing its founder proud.

Not only did the new leadership retain members of Dutch Girl's founding family and their time-tested recipes, but they also rehired many of the store's former staff and continued to work with the old suppliers. When Tom Perkins of Detroit Metro Times attended the 2024 reopening to answer the question, "Is the new Dutch Girl as good as the old?" his assessment was: "Yeah, it tastes like the OG Dutch Girl that I remember. It's awesome."

However, the quality of the donuts isn't the only thing that makes Dutch Girl stand out from the competition. It's also open 24 hours a day, six days a week. The doors open to a line of eager customers every Tuesday at 6 a.m., and close on Sunday at 6 p.m. — or sooner, if they run out of donuts. This means that not only do they get the expected morning rush for sugary pastries and hot coffee, but it's not uncommon to see a late-night crowd lining up for a midnight snack, too. And while a line might be expected, you'd struggle to find anyone who says these donuts aren't worth the wait, making it a strong contender for being one of the best donut places in America.

Whether you're a Detroit local or you've made a pilgrimage to Dutch Girl Donuts, you might be wondering what to order. It has plenty of types of donuts to choose from, ranging from classic glazed rings to more complex creations. The bakery even offers two different dough bases — a yeast-raised recipe for those who prefer lighter donuts, and a cake-style recipe for those who prefer a denser treat.

"Among the highlights was the Bavarian cream, with rich filling and a lovely chocolate frosting slathered across the top," writes Tom Perkins. He also gives special mention to the red velvet donut holes. Read through customer reviews, and you'll see the cinnamon roll-style donuts appear time and time again as a fan favorite. When Chicago-based YouTuber and food reviewer SalCanEat decided to see what all the fuss was about, he also loved the cinnamon roll donut, but it was the apple fritter donut that stole the show. "This was so damn good, I should have got a dozen of these alone," he raved.

However, if you rock up to Dutch Girl Donuts and find yourself struck with decision paralysis, you can always order an assortment of different flavors. A single donut starts at $2, while a half dozen box costs $10, and a full dozen is $18. And if your eyes were bigger than your stomach and you end up with more than you can eat or share in one sitting, you can simply save them for later and quickly revive any stale donuts in the microwave.