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These donuts were exactly what Anna Maria Island mornings (or late nights) are made for! Whether you grab them before heading out to catch the waves or as a sweet way to end the night, they hit the spot. The Donut Experiment is such a fun little experience -- you get to pick your toppings, and they come out warm, fresh, and made just for you. I went with a mix of classics and wild toppings (hello Fruity Pebbles and peanut butter + bacon!) and every single one was delicious. It's the perfect stop to fuel up before a beach day or to grab something sweet on the way home after a sunset walk. Definitely a must-do while on the island!
The Donut Experiment is one of those places that is simply worth the hype. My family loves coming here when we vacation on the island. This past weekend, I was visiting the area and had to make a stop to create some donuts. Upon entering the building, you will fill out a card checking off the frosting, toppings, and/or drizzle you want to have on your donut. It's basically like building your own bowl at Chipotle, but maybe better since its donuts? I like to keep it simple and do vanilla frosting with rainbow sprinkles. My sister ordered a chocolate frosted donut with rainbow sprinkles, and we got an extra "fun" one with vanilla frosting, chocolate chips, and caramel drizzle to try. Let me tell you, all of them were amazing! The donuts are made to order, so they are fresh and warm, which makes them so yummy. They are also a bit smaller than your average donut, which is nice because you can sample a few different creations that you make without feeling a major sugar overload. They also serve coffee and my sister enjoyed her iced vanilla latte and said it had a "delicious strong coffee flavor." Depending on the morning crowds, parking can be a bit difficult to find. In total, we probably waited about 15 minutes from creating our order to waiting for it to be done, which was not bad at all despite it being crowded inside. Additionally, there is some outdoor seating under cover.
We ordered pick up which was definitely the way to go because it was SO BUSY. Great for the shop, but difficult on the customer. We did an assorted mix, and it was just good. It wasn't over the top, it wasn't the best donut I've ever had, but it was good. I'm blaming the lackluster on how absolutely slammed they were.
We were in Anna Maria island and heard of this place through social media. Since I love donuts, we decided to give it a try! The concept is pretty cool and basically you make your own donuts. You fill out a form that has icing, drizzle, and topping choices and then get in line to pay for them. Then they make your donuts fresh! It was extremely busy upon walking in a little chaotic as there's so many people in an enclosed space. But the line goes pretty quickly and if you want coffee drinks, you wait on the other side to pick up your drink. Customer service was great and everyone was super nice and friendly. The donuts didn't take long to be made and they were constantly pumping out fresh donuts. We got custom made donuts with the following glaze/toppings: Peanut butter icing with raspberry filling Cookies and creme (chocolate drizzle with vanilla glaze and cookie crumbles) Fruity pebbles (vanilla glaze with fruity pebbles cereal) Maple bacon (maple glaze with bacon) S'mores (chocolate glaze with chocolate drizzle and graham cracker crumbs) Blueberry (blueberry icing with raspberry filling) All the donuts came out hot and fresh! I would rarely then a 8.5/10 The donuts were more cake like and the edges were crispy! Husband and I enjoyed all the donuts but the only con is that once the donuts are cooled, it gets a little soggy. The base for all the donuts are the same. Overall, we would come back and try other flavor combinations. They have limited flavors too like sriracha and key lime (when we visited). I would suggest trying these donuts at least once! Or maybe twice or more!
I loved everything about this. I've been kind of over the whole over the top donut flavors, brioche and all that jazz. The store is cute and welcoming. Near the entrance there is a table with the menu printed with pencils so you can mark the different combos you want. Which is so much fun. We brought our dogs so we sat outside. It's a nice patio. The donuts looked sooo good. I was surprised that it had a light crispness to it since the website mentioned cake style donuts. It's a very balanced donut, I'd totally eat it without any toppings and glazes. The toppings and icings weren't overly rich. I'd totally do this again. If I lived nearby I would be a regular ( so maybe it's a good thing I don't )
Super cute place, donuts are made fresh in front of you with fun combinations. Coffee is decent but be warned the house cold brew is really sweet and creamy. Lovely people, though limited parking.
Few things are a sublime as the salty sweet combo that is a bacon maple donut! The donut itself was absolutely perfect. Not too dense, not too light, the perfect foil for the sinful toppings to come. The maple frosting was decadent, delicious and would have been perfect all by its lonesome. But oh no, what's that sound? I think I hear bacon music! In charges bacon in all its chewy, salty, mind-bendingly awesomeness to complete perhaps the greatest single bite humanity has ever achieved. This place was worth the six hour flight!
YES. EVERY. TIME. Please come here if you are even remotely near AMI. The coffee: to die for. I mean seriously, I do not think I have ever drinken 24oz of coffee that quick. Not to mention the picture perfect donuts that taste even better than they look (which you wouldn't think is possible given these photos!) Overall, this is a staple spot for me and my family. Oh, and did I mention it's on the water???
We love visiting every time we come to the island, so much so we make sure to be there before they close. The maple bacon and caramel M&M are my absolute favorite. You just can't beat a fresh donut, still warm from the oven. This is a must stop if you are coming to town.
Such a cool place! The kids loved coming here and constructing their own donut. They were actually good too! Long lines!
4 stars bc our last order was incorrect but still yummy. You get a sheet to tell what kind of icing, toppings and drizzle you want. Kind of like ordering sushi with a pencil and paper. Cute, beachy place. No frills. We went at busy times and though it was crowded it went pretty quickly. Helpful staff. Very popular place. Their half and half coffee was delicious. Sweet and creamy. Just a cinnamon sugar donut was a fave. Tasted like a churro.
Staff was amazing and very helpful. I got the maple bacon doughnut, and the Keylime doughnut and both were just a slice of heaven!
3 months ago
1 month ago
The cutest most fun interactive donut making experience ever! What a clever idea to have a donut shop where you can customize your own donuts! We ordered ahead of time because we were afraid they would sell out like our spot in SGI. But when my kiddo and I went to pick it up we got to see the whole process! They have the cutest little clipboards with pencils where you fill out an order form with the different options and then hand it over and they make it right up! You can watch the whole process which is so cool!! Online ordering was super organized and easy as well. We did 6 customizable donuts. The first was chocolate with chocolate chips and chocolate drizzle, the second key lime, the third (my absolute fav the cinnamon sugar!), the fourth a maple with bacon pieces (Bobs pick!) , the fifth chocolate with coconut with a maple drizzle, and the final was of course chocolate with rainbow sprinkles (my kiddos fav!). Definitely a great spot to bring kids lots of outdoor seating, friendly staff, and tasty donuts! Make a point to stop and try it while you're here! read more
8 days ago
donuts are so good, fluffy and fresh. we had to go back to get out drizzles because they forgot some but they were soooooo busy i felt so bad. it's a cute shop, and the staff was nice and accommodated what we needed read more
11 days ago
11 months ago
These donuts were exactly what Anna Maria Island mornings (or late nights) are made for! Whether you grab them before heading out to catch the waves or as a sweet way to end the night, they hit the spot. The Donut Experiment is such a fun little experience -- you get to pick your toppings, and they come out warm, fresh, and made just for you. I went with a mix of classics and wild toppings (hello Fruity Pebbles and peanut butter + bacon!) and every single one was delicious. It's the perfect stop to fuel up before a beach day or to grab something sweet on the way home after a sunset walk. Definitely a must-do while on the island! read more
4 days ago
The Donut Experiment is one of those places that is simply worth the hype. My family loves coming here when we vacation on the island. This past weekend, I was visiting the area and had to make a stop to create some donuts. Upon entering the building, you will fill out a card checking off the frosting, toppings, and/or drizzle you want to have on your donut. It's basically like building your own bowl at Chipotle, but maybe better since its donuts? I like to keep it simple and do vanilla frosting with rainbow sprinkles. My sister ordered a chocolate frosted donut with rainbow sprinkles, and we got an extra "fun" one with vanilla frosting, chocolate chips, and caramel drizzle to try. Let me tell you, all of them were amazing! The donuts are made to order, so they are fresh and warm, which makes them so yummy. They are also a bit smaller than your average donut, which is nice because you can sample a few different creations that you make without feeling a major sugar overload. They also serve coffee and my sister enjoyed her iced vanilla latte and said it had a "delicious strong coffee flavor." Depending on the morning crowds, parking can be a bit difficult to find. In total, we probably waited about 15 minutes from creating our order to waiting for it to be done, which was not bad at all despite it being crowded inside. Additionally, there is some outdoor seating under cover. read more
2 months ago
We ordered pick up which was definitely the way to go because it was SO BUSY. Great for the shop, but difficult on the customer. We did an assorted mix, and it was just good. It wasn't over the top, it wasn't the best donut I've ever had, but it was good. I'm blaming the lackluster on how absolutely slammed they were. read more
We were in Anna Maria island and heard of this place through social media. Since I love donuts, we decided to give it a try! The concept is pretty cool and basically you make your own donuts. You fill out a form that has icing, drizzle, and topping choices and then get in line to pay for them. Then they make your donuts fresh! It was extremely busy upon walking in a little chaotic as there's so many people in an enclosed space. But the line goes pretty quickly and if you want coffee drinks, you wait on the other side to pick up your drink. Customer service was great and everyone was super nice and friendly. The donuts didn't take long to be made and they were constantly pumping out fresh donuts. We got custom made donuts with the following glaze/toppings: Peanut butter icing with raspberry filling Cookies and creme (chocolate drizzle with vanilla glaze and cookie crumbles) Fruity pebbles (vanilla glaze with fruity pebbles cereal) Maple bacon (maple glaze with bacon) S'mores (chocolate glaze with chocolate drizzle and graham cracker crumbs) Blueberry (blueberry icing with raspberry filling) All the donuts came out hot and fresh! I would rarely then a 8.5/10 The donuts were more cake like and the edges were crispy! Husband and I enjoyed all the donuts but the only con is that once the donuts are cooled, it gets a little soggy. The base for all the donuts are the same. Overall, we would come back and try other flavor combinations. They have limited flavors too like sriracha and key lime (when we visited). I would suggest trying these donuts at least once! Or maybe twice or more! read more
9 months ago
I loved everything about this. I've been kind of over the whole over the top donut flavors, brioche and all that jazz. The store is cute and welcoming. Near the entrance there is a table with the menu printed with pencils so you can mark the different combos you want. Which is so much fun. We brought our dogs so we sat outside. It's a nice patio. The donuts looked sooo good. I was surprised that it had a light crispness to it since the website mentioned cake style donuts. It's a very balanced donut, I'd totally eat it without any toppings and glazes. The toppings and icings weren't overly rich. I'd totally do this again. If I lived nearby I would be a regular ( so maybe it's a good thing I don't ) read more
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Donut E.
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4 months ago
Super cute place, donuts are made fresh in front of you with fun combinations. Coffee is decent but be warned the house cold brew is really sweet and creamy. Lovely people, though limited parking. read more
4 months ago
Few things are a sublime as the salty sweet combo that is a bacon maple donut! The donut itself was absolutely perfect. Not too dense, not too light, the perfect foil for the sinful toppings to come. The maple frosting was decadent, delicious and would have been perfect all by its lonesome. But oh no, what's that sound? I think I hear bacon music! In charges bacon in all its chewy, salty, mind-bendingly awesomeness to complete perhaps the greatest single bite humanity has ever achieved. This place was worth the six hour flight! read more
3 months ago
11 months ago
YES. EVERY. TIME. Please come here if you are even remotely near AMI. The coffee: to die for. I mean seriously, I do not think I have ever drinken 24oz of coffee that quick. Not to mention the picture perfect donuts that taste even better than they look (which you wouldn't think is possible given these photos!) Overall, this is a staple spot for me and my family. Oh, and did I mention it's on the water??? read more
1 year ago
We love visiting every time we come to the island, so much so we make sure to be there before they close. The maple bacon and caramel M&M are my absolute favorite. You just can't beat a fresh donut, still warm from the oven. This is a must stop if you are coming to town. read more
2 months ago
3 months ago
5 months ago
worth it! Wait in the line and just do it. These donuts hands down were some of the best donuts I've ever had! My combo was the maple glaze with bacon and I wish I had gotten two. The cake donut was amazing, not heavy at all and all 8 of us loved every bite. read more
4 stars bc our last order was incorrect but still yummy. You get a sheet to tell what kind of icing, toppings and drizzle you want. Kind of like ordering sushi with a pencil and paper. Cute, beachy place. No frills. We went at busy times and though it was crowded it went pretty quickly. Helpful staff. Very popular place. Their half and half coffee was delicious. Sweet and creamy. Just a cinnamon sugar donut was a fave. Tasted like a churro. read more
11 months ago
Staff was amazing and very helpful. I got the maple bacon doughnut, and the Keylime doughnut and both were just a slice of heaven! read more
Really cool concept. We stopped here yesterday after seeing the sunrise on the beach. There's very limited parking even though we arrived pretty soon after they opened. The donuts were surprisingly good and more affordable than I expected. We used the order form to customize a half dozen and it was complete within minutes. The iced coffee was very sweet, but delicious. Some staff was more accommodating than others but overall a good experience! read more
1 year ago
If I'm in the area I always stop for a house iced coffee with a maple bacon donut. Take a little walk to the pier or the nearest beach entrance and enjoy the little coffee break. Endless options of donut combinations and they're constantly cooking up fresh donuts. read more
Delicious donuts! Love how many combinations you can make. Service was quick even with a long line! Love sitting on the patio to enjoy them while they're still hot! No indoor seating (right now at least) and the coffee isn't the best, but it's good enough to scratch the itch! read more
cutest little island coffee shop with the nicest workers! it's the perfect place if you're looking for a cheap and delicious morning coffee. i got the house iced coffee and it was exactly like described. great if you like sweeter coffee read more
1 year ago
This donut shop is so cute! When you go in there are order sheets that you can choose how you want your donuts which is so cute. They also have coffee. We ordered a few donuts and a latte. The staff was very nice and quick with our order. There is some sitting areas outside where we enjoyed our donuts and coffee before walking around to other shops read more
2 years ago
We have wanted to try The Donut Experiment for a long time & finally did....we were extremely disappointed! They start with a very small, not very tasty donut. Adding your own topping is fun & unusual. But the donut is not that good & too expensive for such a small donut. We will not return. read more
3 years ago
We liked this place so much we stopped here two different mornings during our vacation. Personalized hand-made to order vanilla fry cakes. You fill out a sheet (I called it taking my morning test) for your icing, topping and drizzle. I enjoyed several from the maple bacon, Key Lime pie, and the triple chocolate. They even have a Christmas holiday special dozen available. Bottomless coffee available. Latte's, iced coffee and other drinks. Very friendly staff. We were there off season so it wasn't too busy but I'm told they sell out quick in season. Limited front parking and outdoor seating. Clean with competitive pricing. I would recommend. read more
1 year ago
My boyfriend and I love stopping here in the mornings to get our coffee and a donut treat while on vacation. The staff is friendly and good with keeping the line moving. The place looks clean and it's easy to visibly see your options for toppings. To place an order you grab a form and check mark your icing/topping selections. read more
This is a tradition for our family when we visit AMI. I loved the order ahead option that allows our family to customize ahead of time. The place is so fun and the staff is always friendly. It is usually busy because it is so good! There are seating options outside and it is decorated so Beachs. I enjoyed being able to walk right in and pick up our order. We customize a dozen and got a dozen variety. They were still warm and so delicious when we got back to our house. So good to be back! read more
2 years ago
Great place!! It is small inside but there are tables outside to eat. They have papers for you to fill out of what donuts you would like. For 3 donuts it was about $5 which is a great price! They make your donuts quickly and they were delicious, would come back for sure! read more
10 months ago
10 Stars!!! What a cool and delicious concept! Whoever started The Donut Experiment is a genius. Imagine a donut Subway restaurant. You start with your donut type, then add your glaze, then add your toppings, and then add a drizzle. It's donuts the way you want them. It is the perfect place to stop for a quick breakfast while you are in AMI. There are plenty of sit-down restaurants and breakfast joints in close proximity but if you don't want to waste time getting to the beach in the morning or you are out for a beach walk and want a bite when you are done, definitely make a stop here. We ate there twice during our 1-week visit. I'm posting pictures of the donuts and without going into the details of each one, I will tell you that the best ones we had were the salted caramel and key line donuts. The americano coffee goes great with them. 100% worth the stop and the prices are pretty good as well. read more
1 year ago
2 years ago
Great concept The customer service was not good to be honest I honestly think the donuts were over hyped The chocolate churro was the best one One of the donuts was supposed to have toppings and just didn't ....not sure what happened there read more
1 year ago
Donuts were warm and tasted great. It's a fun way for the family to customize their own donuts as they give you a sheet before you order so you choose your own personalized treat. There's a choice of icing, topping, and sauce. Price is also very reasonable. Would highly recommend! read more
1 year ago
4 years ago
This place is a hidden gem of Anna Maria Island! Its tucked away off the main drag around cute little houses, shops and cafes. Parking is a little tricky so plan to go early or later in the morning. We were able to park at a neighboring business. When you walk in, you proceed to a table with a paper to highlight what you want. We ordered 4 donuts in total, which are pictured below:) We actually got a free one too! Then we order4ed their home iced coffees which are SO DELICIOUS! The ladies at the counter are so nice and made sure they had our order right by confirming with us before they went to make our donuts and coffee. The iced coffee came out first and the donuts only took around 4 minutes. We sat outside in their seated areas in the shade and had a great little sugary breakfast! It is well worth checking out while visiting Anna Maria Island! Thank you to all the staff who are so nice and welcoming. read more
2 years ago
Great donuts and a great atmosphere. The staff was very friendly and welcoming, the ordering sheet is a little intimidating but once figured out a breeze. We definitely recommend the coconut donuts. read more
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210C Pine Ave
Anna Maria, FL 34216
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(941) 896-3172
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https://www.thedonutexperiment.com
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The Donut Experiment - donuts - Updated August 2026
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