Friday, June 2 is National Doughnut Day. The sweet-tooth "holiday" is always celebrated on the first Friday in June.
A number of local and national doughnut retailers are offering free deals for customers on Friday.
Dunkin' Donuts
- Multiple Tampa Bay area locations
- Store hours vary
- Customers can receive a free classic donut with the purchase of any beverage
- Find a location near you
Seriously, don't! #NationalDonutDay is Friday 6/2 -- Come in & get a FREE classic donut with the purchase of any beverage! ???? pic.twitter.com/jbYWrQ7Lku
— Dunkin' Donuts (@DunkinDonuts) May 31, 2017
Datz Dough
- 2602 S. MacDill Ave., Tampa
- Datz Dough will give away 1 complimentary classic-style doughnut per person (while supplies last). You can choose from vanilla sprinkle, chocolate sprinkle, glazed, red velvet, blue majestic, cinnamon, chocolate iced and more. They will also have the majestic blue (vanilla flavored) doughnut available to celebrate the release of the new super hero movie, Wonder Woman.
Krispy Kreme
- Customers can receive one free doughnut, any doughnut. While supplies last.
- Find a location near you.
The Little Donut House
- The Little Donut House is giving away a free 3-pack of little donuts to customers while supplies last, one per customer, no purchase necessary.
- Get more info here.
The Donut Experiment
- 210 Pine Ave., Anna Maria
- 7:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
- Receive one free Cinnamon Sugar donut with any purchase.
The Hole Donuts
- The Hole Donuts will be at the State Theatre in St. Pete on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. to celebrate National Doughnut Day. The first four dozen customers will get a free small donut.
Wawa
- Multiple Tampa Bay area locations
- Stores open 24 hours
- Wawa Rewards members will receive a bonus reward for a free doughnut with purchase of a coffee.
Cumberland Farms
- 5244 Mariner Blvd, Spring Hill
- 3944 Gall Blvd, Zephyrhills
- Customers at participating “new concept” and remodeled Cumberland Farms can receive a free doughnut with purchase of any dispensed beverage, which includes hot or iced coffee, fountain or frozen beverages from 5:00 to 10:00 a.m.
Nicola's Donuts & More
- 902 W. Busch Blvd., Tampa
- 5:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
- Customers can get a chance to win a dozen doughnuts by submitting a reason to win on the company's Facebook or Instagram pages.
Salvation Army Family Stores
- 9926 E. Adamo Dr.,Brandon
- 915 S. Florida Ave.,Lakeland
- 2815 S. MacDill Ave.,Tampa
- 13910 N. Nebraska Ave., Tampa
- 27040 Wesley Chapel Blvd., Wesley Chapel
- 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
- In honor of the centennial National Donut Day, five Tampa Bay area Salvation Army Family Stores will be handing out free donuts beginning at 10:00 a.m. while supplies last. The Salvation Army is asking customers share a selfie of themselves enjoying their free donut on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #GivingIsSweet.
Entenmann's is celebrating National Donut Day by giving you a chance to win a year's supply of donuts by showing off your basketball passing or shooting skills. For official rules and how to enter, click here: www.entenmanns.com/en/nationaldonutday
The Good Morning Tampa Bay crew got in on the doughnut fun on Friday morning!
Dig in y'all! Donuts have no calories on #NationalDonutDay. @tampabaytraffic @deiahrileywfts @jamestullytv https://t.co/CvJNFQWfRB pic.twitter.com/3xyJ4Dz4BW
— Greg Dee (@GregDeeWeather) June 2, 2017
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National Donut Day was established by the Chicago Salvation Army in 1938 to raise money for the Great Depression and commemorate the work of Salvation Army volunteers who helped feed soldiers during the First World War.
During World War I, Salvation Army "lassies" traveled to the front lines in Europe making home cooked foods, including doughnuts for troops. They were the only women outside of military personnel allowed to visit the front lines.
The "lassies" often put cooked the doughnuts in oil using soldiers' metal helmets.
On the Salvation Army's website, the organization posted the following original doughnut recipe used by "lassies" during World War:
Salvation Army Lassies' Doughnut Recipe
Yield: 4 dozen doughnuts
- 5 cups flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 5 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ‘saltspoon’ of salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 3/4 cups milk
- 1 tablespoon lard
Directions:
Combine all ingredients (except for lard) to make dough.
Thoroughly knead dough, roll smooth, and cut into rings that are less than 1/4 inch thick. (When finding items to cut out doughnut circles, be creative! Salvation Army doughnut girls used whatever they could find, from baking powder cans to coffee percolator tubes.)
Drop the rings into the lard, making sure the fat is hot enough to brown the doughnuts gradually. Turn the doughnuts slowly several times.
When browned, remove doughnuts and allow excess fat to drip off.
Dust with powdered sugar. Let cool and enjoy.
To learn more about National Donut Day, visit centralusa.salvationarmy.org/metro/donutdayhistory/.
