Posted to Chanukah on
by Danny Goldstein

Perfectly Crispy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside and oozing with delicious jelly - i set out on a quest to find the perfect jelly doughnut - that greasy chanukah treat we look forward to an entire year. So, I took a stroll up Kingston Ave. and ate every type of jelly doughnut i saw, from every bake shop in Crown Heights. (On a side note, I think I'll be sticking to the latkes over this year's Chanukah.)

Where Are the Best Jelly Doughnuts in Crown Heights?

by Danny Goldstein

Perfectly Crispy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside and oozing with delicious jelly – i set out on a quest to find the perfect jelly doughnut – that greasy chanukah treat we look forward to an entire year. So, I took a stroll up Kingston Ave. and ate every type of jelly doughnut i saw, from every bake shop in Crown Heights. (On a side note, I think I’ll be sticking to the latkes over this year’s Chanukah.)

These are my findings on the classic Jelly doughnut, with the winner appearing at the end. Enjoy!

Ahrele’s Bagels:

Price: $1.00
Dough: Outside is a perfect golden brown, but the inside is underdone.
Jelly: Very little inside, and very bland – more like preserves than good ole’ jelly.

Score: 1 2 3 4 5

Khan’s:

Price: $.80
Dough: Regular doughnuts like all year round, a bit on the dry side.
Jelly: Nice amount, but a little too sweet.

Score: 1 2 3 4 5

Kingston Bake Shop:

Price: $1.00
Dough: Delicious golden brown, though a bit doughy on the inside; great sugar powder on the top.
Jelly: Great blend of color and taste

Score: 1 2 3 4 5

Gombo’s:

Price: $1.00
Dough: A little dry and crumbly.
Jelly: Great blend of color and taste.

Score: 1 2 3 4 5

Albany Bake Shop:

Price: $1.10
Dough: Perfect golden brown and fully cooked on the inside, the only downside is the sugar on the top is a bit too sweet.
Jelly: Perfect amount and delicious .

1 2 3 4 5

And for the Winner:

It comes down to Kingston and Albany Bake Shops. I’m going to go with Albany because it’s the perfect doughnut even though im not a fan of the suger on the top; the underdone doughnuts of the Kingston Bake Shop don’t make it easy to down a few at a time.

Had a great (or not) doughnut experience in Crown Heights? Share it with us below!

Happy Chanukah!

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35 Comments

  • MH

    From last years experience Glicks @ Empire Kosher had the best in CH.
    But no one beats MH bakery!:)

  • Kingston bake shop 5 stars

    Kingston bake shop has the best
    Baked on Premises same day doughnut .
    The best ever tasted year after year
    thank you rivkah

  • Yup, Groginskys of london wins

    If one of the bakeries can clone that doughnut (coated in real sugar, not powdered, oozing with smooth red jelly, not bitty jelly) I would pay $5.00 a doughnut. Yes they are that good!

  • Grodz!

    100% u cannot get a donut like the ones in Grodz! Always looking for a way to get some sent here!

  • WHAT REAL DOUGHNUTS ARE

    i agree with u ppl on grodzinsky doughnuts!!!!!!! nothing can beat them!

  • Jelly Donuts!!!!!

    Sorry I haven’t tried the donuts in Crown Heights this year yet but if you want a great donut its Cafe Ne’man in Israel(especially their milchig ones). But if you aren’t wiiling to travel that far then Fallsburg Bagels in Boro Park/South Fallsburg is a great option.

  • Albany Bakery Fan !!

    albany bakery has had the best doughnuts for years! im sorry but there’s nothing like it!! :) love it!

  • A geshmak doughnut!!!

    I am eating the best doughnut ever. It tastes mamesh just as I imagine Gan Eden! The flavor captures my soul and gives my body the ultimate pleasure. The aroma enters me and embraces me from within…I am having such pleasure during this break from learning the ma’amor which I will be teaching tonight at the shiur.

  • First upset now happy

    Just went to kingston bake shopp, the one near crown, got 2 dozen assorted doughnuts, i must tell you, I am very dissapointed. Terrible service and its completely RAW inside. I threw them out and went to Gombo’s. I must tell you, its simply amazing stuff.

    My kids love them and I will only go to Gombos for the rest of Chanuka,

  • Grods of London all the way

    They even make these mini ones for Chanukah which you just pop straight in your mouth. Ahhhh, a slice of heaven!

  • Fake donuts

    Empire Kosher wins hands down!!!!!! the rest are all fake donuts!

    the donuts are suppose to be filled with custard or jelly, and the ones Ive tasted on the Avenue, only have a drop of it, but from the outside it looks like its overflowing with delicous creame or jelly. but sadly thats not the case.

  • #15

    I GET IT! Your message: We are a bunch of megushem behaymos who lig zich in tayvos and are removed from chassidishe inyonim.

  • A mom

    So I ended up with Kingston Bake shop donuts, and Empire Kosher donuts at my chanukah party. Both were delicious!! Kingston has more flavors though….

  • Crown Heights wins!

    Did the taste test one year also including some bake shops in BP. Albany and Khans I found to be the best…YOu don’t have to go far to get great doughnuts!

  • To 24

    Lighten up – it’s a minhag to eat doughnuts, so enjoy the mitzvah to its fullest!

    There is nothing wrong with getting the fringe benefit of gashmiyus pleasure (example: Eating a good crispy fresh piece of matzah on pessach – is that tayvos?? Enjoying a geshmak cholent and kugel as part of oneg shabbos – does it need to be cold and disgusting to satisfy your “chassidish standards???!!!).

    Especially on chanukah you need to ”lighten Up” dude!! Enjoy the latkes, doughnuts and milchigs!!

  • Overseas Opinion

    Yes i think the donuts in London are the best!!
    But if you are in Cape Town SA then Checkers is where its at :)

  • You gotta love doughnuts!

    Grods can do jelly doughnuts but no one beats, Kahan’s custard doughnut, that’s something I miss from Crown Heights! oh and Grodz is more expensive!! Make sure to go to “and daughters”.

  • Best in the World

    Real doughnuts are very yeasty and are deep fried! NOT BAKED (sorry Albany). The Best Chanukah Doughnuts in the world are at Pizza Uri in Jerusalem. They are caramel, dairy, and taste like heaven. The only downside is that they make them only on Chanukah so get them while you can and eat them hot:)

  • douhnut pro

    Kingston Bake shop has the best doughnuts.Not only are they freshly made but they have such a great selection of flavors.Not like other bakeries on the avenue that claim to have an assortment of flavors but an assortment of colors to the same doughnut.Kingston Bake shop is simply the best!!