3 Colorado donut shops make Yelp’s list of Top 100 in U.S.

In celebration of National Donut Day last week, Yelp! created a list of the Top 100 Donut Shops in the United State and three Colorado shops make the list.

“Thank you Estes Park and all our wonderful visitors each year,” Donut Haus posted on Facebook. The Estes Park favorite ranked 96th on the list.

To create this year’s Top 100 U.S. Donut Shops list, Yelp! employees scoured the nation for the best bakers of America’s glazed, iced, dipped, sprinkled, and cream-filled confections.

“Among the Top 100, we found a surprising trend in donut styles and baking techniques,” the Yelp! article reads. “Light, fluffy, yeast donuts and denser cake donuts are still bestsellers, but super-sized donuts that could ‘feed an army’ are becoming increasingly popular. So are the many twists on the traditional donut, such as crullers, bear claws, fritters, and cronuts (that inventive croissant-donut hybrid).”

The Donut Haus is located at 860 Moraine Avenue inside the Sinclair gas station. It has been open in Estes Park since 1975 and they are still using the original recipe from nearly 50 years ago, today.

“In our excitement to share our news I neglected to thank several people that without them, we would not have won this award,” the Donut Haus said in a follow-up Facebook post. “First, Lois and Mary Ann at the Loveland Donut Haus. They make our delicious donuts every day and bring them to Estes Park. Wonderful fresh donuts, made by hand with love every day. Also, none of this would be possible without the man that started the Donut Haus in 1975, Dieter d’Alquen. We’re still using his recipes today. Dieter still lives in Estes Park and stops by for donuts. Thank you everyone.”

The Loveland Donut Haus is located at 265 E 29th Street in Loveland.

Two other Colorado donut shops made the list as well. Sweet Coloradough in Glenwood Springs cracked the Top 10 at number seven and Mr. Donuts in Lonetree was number 21.

“Owners and staff are amazingly kind people,” said Yelp! reviewer Somer H. from Okinawa, Japan. “Do yourself and your family/friends/coworkers a favor and go pick up a couple dozen in the morning! Yeast donuts are soooo good! Filled donuts – delish! Cheesecake topped cinnamon roll? Decadent!”