Why Does Doughnuts Have Holes?

Come on Marty, you know this one.

Exactly how the name "doughnut" came to be used is the subject of some disagreement. According to some sources, the Dutch twisted their dough into knots, hence "dough knots". Others point out that the olykoeken tended not to cook through in the very middle, so some makers would put nuts in the center ("dough-nuts") to make them more palatable.

The uncooked centers seem to have been, directly or indirectly, the reason behind the hole. According to several widely diverging accounts, the doughnut hole was the invention of a New England sea captain named Mason Crockett Gregory (or Hansen Gregory or Hanson Gregory, depending on who you ask) around 1847. Gregory needed a place to put his olykoek while he steered the boat, so he impaled it on one of the spokes of the steering wheel. Whatever Gregory's real reason for adding the hole, it had the beneficial effect of making the doughnuts cook more evenly, and the idea quickly caught on. There is no independent verification of this claim.

Also, the hole makes it easier to stick a rod through in order to glaze them when making them at home.

According to wiki:

Doughnuts have a disputed history. One theory suggests that they were introduced into North America by Dutch settlers, who were responsible for popularizing other American desserts, including cookies, cream pie, and cobbler.

The earliest known recorded usage of the term dates an 1808 short story describing a spread of "fire-cakes and dough-nuts." Washington Irving's reference to "doughnuts" in 1809 in his History of New York is more commonly cited as the first written recording of the term. Irving described "balls of sweetened dough, fried in hog's fat, and called doughnuts, or olykoeks." These "nuts" of fried dough might now be called doughnut holes. "Doughnut" is the more traditional spelling, and still dominates outside the US. At present, "doughnut" and the shortened form "donut" are both pervasive in American English. The first known printed use of "donut" was in a Los Angeles Times article dated August 10, 1929. There, Bailey Millard jokingly complains about the decline of spelling, and that he "can't swallow the 'wel-dun donut' nor the ever so 'gud bred'." The interchangeability of the two spellings can be found in a series of "National Donut Week" articles in The New York Times that covered the 1939 World's Fair. In four articles beginning October 9, two mention the "donut" spelling. Dunkin' Donuts, which was founded in 1948 under the name Open Kettle (Quincy, Massachusetts), is the oldest surviving company to use the "donut" variation, but the now defunct Mayflower Donut Corporation appears to be the first company to use that spelling, having done so prior to World War II.




* Argentina - Facturas
* Armenia - Chickies, Ponchik, Tukalik
* Austria - Faschingskrapfen, Kiachl, Bauernkrapfen, Prugelkrapfen, Hauberlinge, Kniekiechl, Hobelscharten, Houwlschoatn, Schartelkrapfen, Schoadlkropfn, Funkenküechle, Schlipfkrapfen, Kaskrapfen, Schlutzkrapfen, Dirtln, Zillertal Krapfen, Gebackene Mäuse
* Azores - Filhós Malasadas
* Belgium - Smoutebollen
* Bohemia - Listy
* Bolivia - Masitas
* Bulgaria - Ponichki, Mekitsas
* Cameroon - Puffpuff
* Canada - Crullers, Timbits (wrongly thought of as doughnut holes; name comes from Tim Hortons), Beaver Tails, Potato Flour Doughnuts
* China - Tikoy, Zha Gao, Jin Doi, Chien Doi, Youtiao
* Colombia - Buñuelos
* Corsica - Fritelli
* Croatia - Trijesce, Primoštenske fritule, Istarski cukarini, Krafne, Krofna, Krafna
* Czech Republic - Cheregi (this may be a Slovak-originated term or recipe, but it is also in use or available in the Czech Republic)
* Denmark - Klejner, Æbleskiver
* Finland - Munkki (without a hole), Berliininmunkki/Piispanmunkki (no hole, sugar coating), Donitsi (with a hole)
* France Beignet, Merveille Provence, Bugne
* Germany - Bismarck, Berliner (Berliner Pfannkuchen), Obst Krapfen, Fastnachts, Faschingskrapfen, Nougatkrapfen, Vanillekrapfen, Powidlkrapfen, Apfelkrapfen, Eierkuchen, in Lusatia Skalje (Sorbian)
* Greece - Svingi, Thiples, loukoumades, loukoumathes
* Hawaii - Malasadas, Punahou Malasadas
* Hungary - Csöröge, Farsangi Fánk, Forgácsfánk, Tok Csokany, Langos Bundas kenyer
* Iceland - Kleinuhringir, Kleinur, Kleina, Berlínarbollur
* Indonesia - Donat Kentang (sweetened fried mashed potato)
* Israel - Sufganyot
* Italy - Struffoli, Guanti, (Assisi) Bastoncello, (Calabria) Scaddateddi, Zeppole Spignesi, Chiacchiere, Lattughe (this may not be classifiable as doughnut, but it is fried pastry, in a 'Lettuce' style) Cenci, Donzelle, Frappe, Sfrappole, Bugie, Crostoli, Fritole, Ciambelli (Cocullo, Abruzzi) Bombolini
* Japan (Okinawa) - Dango, Sata-andagi, Taiyaki (fish-shaped)
* Jersey - (Channel Islands) Jersey Wonders (Mèrvelles)
* Kazakhstan - Baursaki
* Kenya - Mandazi, Mahamri, Mandalas
* Lebanon - Awami [1]
* Lithuania - Spurgos
* Malaysia Kuih Keria, Kuih Gelang, Kuih Tayar
* Mexico - Bunuelo, Sopapilla Dona
* Moldova Schlitzküchla (from German cuisine)
* Netherlands - Oliebollen, Bossche bollen, Poffertjes
* Nigeria - Puffpuff
* Norway - Hjorte Bakkels, Futimonbuckles, Fattigmann Bakkels, Smultring
* Paraguay Chipas
* Peru - Picorones
* Philippines - Bitso
* Poland - Pączki, Chruściki
* Portugal - Fillozes, Malasadas
* Romania - Gogoşi
* Russia - Ponchik
* Sardinia - Zippulas
* Serbia - Ustipci, Krofne
* Siberia - Kalachik
* Sicily - Pignolatti, Sfingi, Cuddureddi
* Slovakia - Sisky, Shisky, Ceregi
* Slovenia - Krofi, Fanke
* South Africa - Vetkoek, Oliebolle Met Suurmelk (Sourmilk Doughnuts), Koeksisters (twists)
* Spain - Churros, Porras, Chimeneas, Orange Roscos, Wine Roscos, Roscos de anis, Rosquillas de Ledesma, bunuelos, bimuelos, birmuelos, bermuelos, burmuelos, bunyols, Rosquillas listas de san Isidro, rosquito tonto, rosquilla tonta
* Sweden - Klenater
* Switzerland - Ringli, Basler Krapfen, Chüechli, Öhrli
* Syria - Zabeh
* Tunisia - Ftair
* Turkey - Hanim Göbeği, Tulumba Tatlisi, Izmir Lokmasi
* Turkish Cypriot - Lokma
* UK - Similar to North American doughnuts, but traditionally topped with granulated sugar rather than powdered sugar or glaze.
* Ukraine - Pampushky (sweet filling or garlic flavored)
* USA - Crullers, Vanities, Comfits, Long Johns, Boston Cream, Potato Doughnuts, Simball, Olicook, Olykoecks, Bear Claws, Elephant Ears, Yum Yums, Fasnachts, 'Italian Croquembouche' (a 'pyramid of fried pastry balls'), Frying Saucers, Bear sign (cowboy slang for ring doughnuts) Brown Bobby
* Yemen - Zalabiya
* Yugoslavia - Prusurate


Thanks to wiki.. :)