There’s nothing quite like biting into a perfectly fluffy, golden donut — whether it’s glazed, filled, or coated in cinnamon sugar. But behind every irresistible donut is a key ingredient that often gets overlooked: the flour. The type of flour you use can make or break your donuts, influencing everything from texture to flavor and even how well they hold up after frying or baking. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or just diving into homemade donuts, choosing the right flour is the first step toward donut perfection. In this guide, we’ll explore the best flours for making donuts and what makes each one shine in the kitchen.
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10. Imperial Donut Cake Mix 400g.
This is one of the best baking flours that you can use to make great donuts for your family. This flour comes in a mix of 400 gram under the name of “Imperial Donut Cake Mix”. In addition to baking donut, this baking powder is also great for cooking dessert as a complement to your amazing donuts.
9. Stonewall Kitchen Cinnamon Sugar Doughnut Mix, 18 Ounce Box
This is the Cinnamon Sugar Doughnut Mix from Stonewall Kitchen. It is one of the best and popular flours in the market that should get. It has been ranked as the winner of 2012 specialty outstanding food innovation award. Made in the USA, this baking flour lets you bake mouth-watering donuts right from your kitchen.
8. Stonewall Kitchen Doughnut Mix with Powdered Sugar, Buttermilk, 18 Ounce
Ranking at number eight, this is another edition of flour from Stonewall Kitchen that also marks its place in the top ten best flours list. It is a buttermilk edition that gives another special taste to your donuts. It comes in an 18-ounce box, which is a very handy essential to have around the kitchen for baking purposes.
7. Bob’s Red Mill Unbleached White Pastry Flour, 24 Ounce (Pack of 4)
Another great flour product you may get for your bakery or pastry routine is this unbleached white pastry flour from Bob’s Red Mill. One of the special features of this baking flour is the fact that it is milled from the finest white wheat that takes away bran and germ to make it a very light and delicate-textured flour.
6. Great River Organic Milling Organic Whole Grains Soft White Winter Wheat
This organic whole grain soft white winter wheat from Great River Organic Milling is certified and highly rated baking flour that is perfect for baking and pastry, especially making donuts. Packed in a 50 pound bag, this baking flour features lower protein and gluten content, resulting in a lighter flour that is good for tender baking. Perfect for baking cake and pastries like donut, this flour should be the perfect choice for everyone.
5. Sun Flour Sun Flour Pastry Flour 32 oz
This Sun Flour pastry flour is also a great deal you should get for your baking ingredients. It is light and delicate flour that lets you bake perfect cakes or donuts at your own convenience. With Sun Flour product, taste means everything; therefore, it is perfectly ensured that you will have a pleasant baking experience for your donuts.
4. Rumford Aluminum Free Baking Powder, 8.1-Ounce Canisters
This aluminum free baking powder from Rumford is another great choice you should consider. This baking powder ensures you with the best possible outcome you would get with your pastry products, particularly making donuts. You will surely get very tasty and delicate donuts for your family’s breakfast.
3. Arrowhead Mills Organic Pastry Flour, 5 Pound
Arrowhead Mills organic pastry flour also offers a great choice for your essential baking ingredients. This flour is excellent and well-textured flour that has low gluten than regular wheat flour. It is also a low fat and sodium-free product that lets you bake a tasty and healthy pastries or cake for your family.
2. King Arthur Flour Perfect Pastry Flour
Standing second of the list, this King Arthur Flour Perfect Pastry flour is one of the most highly-rated baking flour that lets you bake perfect and mouth-watering pastries. It is a natural, lower-protein and preservation-free product that is great for all-purpose baking. Thus, you can easily make the best donuts at your own kitchen with this amazing King Arthur’s product.
1. Swiss Pastry Flour – 50 Pound Bag
The best-of-the-best donut flour goes to this amazing Swiss Pastry Flour that is developed and packed by Honeyville Farms. Specially milled from clean and selected soft white wheat, this high-quality pastry flour offers a great ingredient for making the perfect donuts around the house.
How to Choose the Best Flour for Donuts
Choosing the right flour for donuts starts with understanding the type of donut you want to make — yeast-raised or cake-style — and the role flour plays in each. Here’s what to keep in mind when picking the perfect flour for your recipe:
1. Know Your Donut Type
- Yeast Donuts are light, airy, and chewy. They rely on gluten development and yeast fermentation, which means a higher-protein flour (like bread flour) is often ideal.
- Cake Donuts are denser, tender, and more crumbly — closer to, well, cake. These do best with low-protein flours like cake flour or even a mix of cake and all-purpose.
2. Check the Protein Content
Flour protein levels affect gluten formation, which impacts structure and chew:
- Cake flour (6–8% protein) = soft, tender texture
- All-purpose flour (10–12%) = balanced structure and versatility
- Bread flour (12–14%) = chewy, sturdy texture
If you’re after melt-in-your-mouth softness, cake flour is your go-to. Want a bit more structure for filled or fried donuts? Blend in some all-purpose or bread flour.
3. Consider the Cooking Method
- Fried Donuts: Can handle a slightly stronger flour since frying requires structure to prevent collapsing.
- Baked Donuts: Tend to be more delicate, so a softer flour keeps the texture light and moist.
4. Experiment with Blends
Many bakers find success in blending flours — like half cake flour, half all-purpose — to get the best of both worlds: tenderness and structure.
5. Special Diets or Flavors
If you’re baking for gluten-free diets or looking to try alternative grains, you can explore:
- Gluten-free blends (look for those with xanthan gum or binders)
- Spelt or whole wheat flour for a nutty flavor and more fiber (best in cake donuts)
Conclusion
At the end of the day, the best donut flour depends on the kind of donut you’re making and your personal preferences — whether you’re chasing that classic fried crispness or a tender, cake-like crumb. Bread flour, all-purpose, cake flour, and even alternative flours like spelt or gluten-free blends each bring something unique to the table. The right flour sets the foundation for flavor and texture, so experimenting with a few can help you discover your ultimate donut recipe. Happy baking — and may your donuts always be light, airy, and deliciously satisfying!