Why Do We Call It 'Doughnut'? (It’s Not What You Think)

Have you ever stopped mid-bite into a delicious, sugary donut and thought, why is it even called a donut? It doesn't really look like a nut, and depending on the type, there might not even be much dough involved. The name sounds kind of strange when you think about it. So how did this iconic treat end up with such a peculiar name? Today, we're digging deep into the surprising story behind why is it called donut? Well, as with many food names, the answer goes way back through sailors, old recipes, and a few weird coincidences. Let's get into it right here on History of Simple Things. At first glance, donut seems easy to explain. It's dough shaped like a nut, right? Well, kind of, but not exactly. The earliest donuts weren't the ring-shaped pastries we know today. In fact, they looked more like small fried balls of dough, something closer to modern donut holes or fritters. Back in the 18th and early 19th centuries, cooks in Europe and colonial America were making little balls of sweetened spiced dough, deep fried in fat. These were called donuts, two separate words. The term nut back then didn't just mean a seed like a walnut or almond. It could also refer to something small and round. People used it to describe anything shaped like a nut, so donut literally meant a small ball of dough. So when you hear donut, think less nut from a tree and more tiny nugget of dough. The first recorded use of the word donut in print goes all the way back to 1803 in an English cookbook that included an American recipe for donuts. By the mid-1800s, the name had spread across the Atlantic and appeared in American writing, including Washington Irving's 1809 History of New York. In it, Irving humorously described balls of sweetened dough fried in hogs fat and called donuts or olycocks. That last word, olycocks, is key. It's Dutch and it literally means oily cakes. When Dutch settlers came to the American colonies, especially in New York, which was originally called New Amsterdam, they brought their traditional fried dough pastries with them. These oily cakes were sweet, heavy, and rich, a comforting treat made from simple ingredients. So the American donut as we know it actually evolved from the Dutch olykoek. Over time, the English-speaking settlers replaced the Dutch word with their own descriptive version, donut. But if the first donuts were just balls of fried dough, why do we now associate them with that distinctive ring shape and the hole in the According to one popular story, in the mid-1800s, a New England ship captain named Hanson Gregory claimed to have invented the donut hole. As the story goes, Gregory's mother, Elizabeth Gregory, used to make fried dough balls for him to take on voyages. She flavored them with nutmeg, cinnamon, and lemon zest, and even stuffed the centers with hazelnuts or walnuts, hence donuts. But these treats had a flaw. The centers often stayed raw and doughy, while the outside turned crisp and golden. So one day around 1847, Hanson Gregory decided to punch a hole through the middle before frying them. The result? Even cooking all the way through. He supposedly used the cap of a pepper tin to cut the center, creating the classic ring shape. And just like that, the donut hole was born, quite literally, out of practicality. It's hard to prove whether Captain Gregory truly invented it, but his story stuck, and the ring shape soon became iconic. Now, fast forward a century later, and we run into another question. Why are there two spellings, donut and donut? The original spelling donut was the standard throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries. But as language evolved, so did convenience. In the 20th century, American English started simplifying many words. That's when a Massachusetts-based company called Duncan Donuts came along in 1950. Its founder, William Rosenberg, opted for the shorter, snappier spelling, donut. It looked modern, friendly, and easy to read on a sign. That branding decision changed everything. After Duncan's success, donut started appearing more often in advertising, packaging, and menus. Today, donut feels distinctly American, casual, and modern, while donut feels more traditional and old-fashioned. Interestingly, dictionaries list both as correct spellings, though donut remains the more formal one. So whether you spell it donut or donut, you're technically right. But the version you choose says a little something about style and culture. Of course, the word donut doesn't just describe one thing anymore. Around the world, you'll find endless variations, from jelly-filled and custard-stuffed to twisted, glazed, powdered, and even savory versions. In Canada, you have the rise of Tim Hortons in Japan, Mr. Donut, and in the Philippines, you'll find local favorites like J. Co. and Krispy Kreme putting their own spin on it. In some countries, donuts aren't even ring-shaped. Think of Berliners in Germany, malasadas in Portugal, or beignets in France. They all trace their lineage back to that same idea, fried dough, sweet and comforting, in endless forms. Yet no matter the version, the name donut or donut always seems to stick. So there you have it, the strange, sweet story of why it's called a donut. A name that began as a literal description, a small, nut-shaped piece of dough, evolved into one of the most recognizable and comforting words in the English language. From Dutch Ollie Cooks to modern donuts, this treat has changed shape, spelling, and meaning. But one thing's for sure, no matter what you call it, it's still delicious. Thank you for watching. If you have suggestions for our next video, feel free to share them in the comments below. We'll be sure to give you an acknowledgement for your contribution. 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