For the past couple of months I’ve been on a search to find the best cream filled donut in the area.  My search has taken me to several bakeries in Philadelphia and Delaware.  In my opinion, here are the top 5 best cream filled donuts…

#5:  Frangellis’s Bakery in Philadelphia.  This donut surprised me.  It was a long-john style with white frosting on top.  The actual donut had a deep-fried, homemade taste.  Delicious.  The frosting on top was sweet.  The cream was interesting…a bit of coconut flavor to it.  I’m not a big fan of coconut, but it worked.  Fran…drop the coconut, and you’ll probably climb the ladder.

#4:  Jes-Made Bakery in Lenni.  It was a round donut sprinkled with powdered sugar.  Airy and tender.  Pleasingly sweet cream but not too sweet.  The actual dough was delightful.

#3:  Phatso’s Bakery in Chester.  This donut made a serious run for the top spot.  Each bite had just the right amount of flavor mix between the donut and the cream.  This donut was also round and coated with powdered sugar.  The cream was very sweet but did not leave an aftertaste.

#2:  Fresh Donuts in Lebanon.  This round donut was the only one in the taste tests that did not have powder or frosting on top.  It was actually glazed…and glazed to perfection.  It was somewhat crisp on the outside, but moist and filled with cream on the inside that left you wanting more.  Absolutely spectacular.

#1:  Linda’s Bakery in Booth’s Corner, Garnet Valley.  The largest of all the donuts tested, this long-john style with white frosting on top was unbelievable.  It’s hard to describe the amount of flavor packed into this donut.  It’s fit for a king.  Just enough chewing is involved to make this a superior donut.  It’s almost over the top with sugary pleasantness.  Almost.  It’s the ultimate indulgence.

A surprise along the way was that I became interested in the best glazed donut.  No contest here.  Phatso’s Bakery in Chester tops the list.  There is not even a 2nd place winner.  Don’t waste your time.  Phatso’s delivers a fully coated donut in shiny glaze that sticks to your fingers and is flaky enough to fall onto your shirt.  Spectacular!