The 45-year-old recipe behind Australia’s most iconic doughnut
Updated . First published at
Australia’s favourite doughnut is the result of a 45-year-old recipe that has remained largely unchanged in that entire time.
Donut King’s hot Cinnamon Donut remains an icon, as it was long before Krispy Kreme opened its first store here in June 2003 and introduced us to Original Glaze.
Donut King sells approximately 30 million hot Cinnamon Donuts each year. Donut King
Today, Australia is divided between those who favour Donut King’s hot Cinnamon Donut and fans of Krispy Kreme’s Original Glaze. (Then there some of us who love both equally.)
Both companies are celebrating National Donut Day this Friday, June 5, by giving away their signature treats to lucky customers.
Donut King’s Marketing Manager Raquel Hine told nine.com.au the company sold one hot Cinnamon Donut every 2.5 seconds over the past 12 months. That’s approximately 30 million each year.
“I think it’s that smell and that fresh, warm experience,” she said.
“The moment people walk past a Donut King store and smell hot Cinnamon Donuts being made fresh, it instantly takes them back.
Donut King’s next best menu item has to be the iced sprinkle doughnut, which comes in chocolate, strawberry, and caramel, and are sold in traditional donut circles.
Donut King has also experimented with some of the latest food trends, including its Cronut made with Biscoff spread which proved to be a massive hit when it was first released and will be returning this month.
“Our secret has always been balancing what our loyal customers know and love with innovation,” Hine said.
Donut King Cronuts with Biscoff are returning due to popular demand. Jo Abi
“While we love introducing new trends, we know that Australians still crave the comforting classics they grew up with.
“That’s why our staple recipes ... haven’t changed. We’ve spent decades perfecting the art of the doughnut, ensuring the experience today is just as magical as it was in 1981.”
National Donut Day in Australia was first launched by The Salvation Army to raise funds during the Great Depression in 1938.
Doughnuts were chosen in honour of Salvation Army volunteers deployed to France to lift the spirits of Allied troops during World War II.
These volunteers reportedly fried up dough in soldiers’ helmets as a sweet treat.
Since then, it has become a tradition on the first Friday every June with doughnut giveaways.
Krispy Kreme's most popular doughnut is the Original Glaze. Supplied
To claim a free doughnut, customers only need to visit their local Donut King or Krispy Kreme this Friday.
Krispy Kreme sells around 100 million Original Glaze donuts in Australia each year, helped by its widespread availability in supermarkets and petrol stations across the country.
Aimee Cutajar, Chief Marketing Officer at Krispy Kreme ANZ said: “National Doughnut Day is our way of saying thank you to the fans who show up for us year after year, and what better way to do that than sharing a free, melt-in-your-mouth treat.”
