8 Walmart Bakery Donuts, Ranked Worst To Best

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Donuts are at their best when they're hot and ready. I feel that this isn't so much a subjective statement as it is an objective one. It's the reason that I see a line at the Krispy Kreme drive-thru not just in the morning, but at all hours of the day, and that mom-and-pop donut shops sell out before you can get your hands on your favorite jimmy-topped confection, Long John, or glazed delight.

However, as good as donuts are when they're fresh, that doesn't mean ones from the grocery store bakery should be overlooked. They have obvious advantages like their convenience factor and affordable prices — especially when you shop at Walmart. More importantly, you can still find satisfyingly sweet flavors and yummy bites in a plastic container, as long as you pick the right one. And you know what? A quick trip in the microwave is sometimes all you need to get that warm, right-from-the-donut-shop feel.

I tested several different Walmart bakery donuts, specifically from its basic Freshness Guaranteed brand, to see which ones are capable of producing that nostalgic feeling. From classic cake donuts to mini frosted and poppable donut holes, here's the picks I'd skip all the way up to the ones I'd fully recommend.

Ah, the great cake versus raised yeast donut debate. It usually boils down to whether you like your donuts more dense and cakey or more light and airy. Personally, I can get down with either as long as they're done well. And that's precisely the problem with these specific cake donuts from Walmart: They're not particularly well-made.

Even though they're called plain donuts, they did come with a small bit of clear icing smeared on top. And even that didn't save them from my last-place spot. The biggest problem is that they're too dry. They're very dense, just as they should be. But they lack moisture and a richer, sweeter taste to balance out the heavier texture. It was difficult to even swallow each bite without the help of a swig of milk. Beyond that, it had a more lemony flavor than a vanilla one – the final straw for these (non) plain donuts.

Donuts don't get much cuter than this. If we were going off of looks alone, this dozen would have been my top pick. Just look at their aesthetic drizzles and sprinkles, all on top of their adorable mini size. Who could resist that?

However, despite their charm, the hard truth is that they're easier on the eyes than the taste buds. There's just something about the strawberry frosting here that I don't prefer. It's very artificial, and it's no wonder, considering I don't see a single mention of real strawberries on the ingredient list — just natural and artificial flavors, plus a blend of various dyes to achieve that Pepto-Bismol color. The flavor reminded me of strawberry candy or even Play-Doh in some bites.

And despite the different drizzles and sprinkles, there's not actually much variety here. They all tasted pretty much the same, with the sprinkled ones just adding a little more crunch. It's a shame because the donut base itself is really good. It's fluffy with a neutral yeast flavor. The squishy texture reminded me of Krispy Kreme's donuts and made me want to grab another — but only for the texture.

If there's one upside to these donuts, it's that there is real cinnamon in them. In fact, I saw "cinnamon," "cinnamon coating," and then "cinnamon" again listed on the packaging. There's also a brief mention of nutmeg, so we know Walmart's leaning fully into fall flavors.

The smell of warm spices immediately hit my nostrils as I opened the box, and they hit strong on the palate as well ... a little bit too strong, if you ask me. It might sound dumb, but the powdered sugar coating is just a touch too cinnamon-y and not sugary enough. The donuts are overly spiced, so much so that they're bitter.

That said, I'm sure there are some people who would enjoy these — perhaps the same people who thought the cinnamon challenge was a good idea. Because of that, and their authenticity, they jump the mini strawberry donuts. The inside is actually pretty tasty as well, which helps. They have a yellow donut base that's both chewy and rich.

Powdered sugar mini donuts are perhaps my favorite kind of store-bought donuts. Of course, I usually get them from the Hostess brand, which calls them "Powdered Donettes." I've found that Little Debbie's version doesn't taste quite the same, and I was curious if Walmart's more affordable alternative could live up to my high expectations. Spoiler: They don't quite get there.

They look pretty much identical to the name brand. The inside is still made up of yellow cake — the same kind found in the cinnamon donuts. And the outside is covered in just the right amount of white powdered sugar. You really have to embrace the mess when you eat this breed of donuts. The texture is actually spot-on: soft and decently fresh with a light springiness. But the overall flavor is a bit off. It's sweet and sugary, but not quite on the same level as Hostess. It was hard to put my finger on the problem. Perhaps the powdered sugar was just a touch stale?

Whatever the taste discrepancy is, it pushed these mini donuts down just a bit in the rankings. They're really not bad, though. Without my preconceived feelings about the Hostess donuts, I probably would have thought they were pretty tasty.

I don't think I've ever met a donut hole I didn't like. I mean, come on. They're so poppable, and they make it perfectly acceptable to eat multiple donuts in one sitting. I'm just glad someone found this particular loop "hole." And Walmart's take on the tiny treat definitely holds its own in the donut hole department.

These old-fashioned donut holes are adorned with a glaze. That means the sweet little orb takes after a cake donut, with a tender-yet-crumbly interior that's much like a vanilla cupcake. The exterior is fully enrobed in a thin layer of icing. The makeup may sound similar to the lower-ranked plain cake donuts. But these are so much better. They're squishy and not dry whatsoever. There's almost a butteriness to them that brings them far above the cake donuts and above several other options as well.

They're pretty close to that quintessential donut hole. The only thing missing is that extra bit of crispness around the outsides. You know that just-fried kind of bite? If they had that, they just might have been my top pick.

Out of the three kinds of Walmart mini donuts I tried — cinnamon, powdered sugar, and chocolate – I did not expect chocolate to be my favorite of the bunch. But here we are. My apologies, chocolate, for doubting you.

These taste just as good as any other store-bought chocolate-frosted donut I've had before. The best comparison is to the chocolate donuts from Entenmann's. That sweet and soft cakey base is back — the same kind that made up Walmart's cinnamon and powdered sugar mini donuts. But this time, it's covered in chocolate goodness. The frosting has a rich, fudgy flavor, and the texture is waxy in a good way. Altogether, each donut is a little bit chewy and greasy, making it nearly impossible to just eat one.

There were two more Walmart donuts that surpassed these little chocolate-dipped rings. But I was thoroughly impressed with this box. And it made me even happier that it cost just $3.47.

These vanilla and chocolate donuts offer all the cuteness of the mini strawberry dozen, but with much better flavors. Yes, I did say flavors plural, because there is a bit of variety in this box. It's not just an illusion. And all of them come on that agreeable, soft and chewy yeast foundation, so you really can't go wrong.

One option in the pack is a classic vanilla iced donut with chocolate sprinkles. It's simple and has a delectable jimmies crunch. No notes there. Then, if you want something a bit more indulgent, you could go with either the chocolate iced with rainbow sprinkles or the chocolate iced with strawberry drizzle. Don't worry: The drizzle doesn't taste quite as processed as the strawberry donuts did. Lastly, there's my favorite of the bunch: the white iced donut with maple drizzle. The sweet, caramel-like notes of maple are the perfect match for a light wash of frosting and the bready taste of the donut below. I could have easily eaten five of them in a row.

There was another option from Walmart's bakery that feels a bit more elevated — like it came from a specialty donut shop. They would certainly be a crowd favorite. 

Now this is a Walmart donut worth raving about. It definitely doesn't look the most scrumptious. When I first opened the box, all I saw were the scraggly edges and what looked like an insufficient amount of glaze, which makes the donuts appear dry and flavorless. But you have to trust me and not judge these glazed sour cream donuts by their cover.

Since sour cream donuts are a kind of cake donut, they have a denser texture. But it's not overly concentrated or heavy. Instead, it practically melted in my mouth when I took a bite. I would almost describe it as creamy, which I was certainly not expecting.

The addition of sour cream takes this donut to the next level. Instead of a traditional vanilla taste, it's far richer, with a buttery quality and a tang that a plain cake donut simply can't offer. Then there's the bit of white icing on top, which adds just the right amount of extra sweetness. It doesn't send the donut overboard, but instead complements all of those other flavors perfectly. So, while I won't tell you how to draw up your Walmart shopping list, this is the box I'd add to my cart next time I'm at a Supercenter.

This taste test started with a trip to my local Columbus, Ohio, Walmart Supercenter. Once there, I made a beeline for the bakery area, which is sandwiched right between the fresh produce and meat sections, to pick up as many different kinds of donuts as I could find. Now, Walmart doesn't have donut cases like you may see at Kroger or Meijer. But it does have a decent amount of options that are prepackaged and are a bit fresher than the donuts you'll find in the baked goods aisle. Those were the ones I was on the hunt for, and I came home with eight different packages of donuts, including full-sized donuts, mini donuts, and even donut holes.

There are two things a donut needs to have to be good: a great texture and a craveable, sweet flavor. So, those were the two main components I looked for as I tasted. The texture of a donut can vary depending on whether it's a cake donut, yeast donut, or another style, so I looked for donuts that fit well into their respective categories and that were soft and moist above all else. I also wanted a donut that had plenty of flavor all by itself, rather than one that relied too heavily on its toppings. When it came to icing, I looked for donuts with a naturally sugary taste and nothing too artificial or overbearing. Additional adornments like drizzles or sprinkles were nice to have, but I focused more on the core of the donut.