In 1847 American, Hanson Gregory, claimed to have invented the doughnut aboard a lime-trading ship when he was 16 years old.
In 1938, the Salvation Army started National Doughnut Day to honor the women who served doughnuts to soldiers in World War I. It started as a fundraiser for Chicago’s Salvation Army. The goal in 1938 was to help the needy population during the Great Depression.
A question a lot of us ponder is, “why do donuts have holes?” The answer is really very simple. The reason donuts have holes is to fully cook the insides of the dough. The dough would have to stay in the oil for a longer time. This would lead to the outsides becoming burnt. Creating a hole in the middle of allows the insides and the outsides to cook evenly; creating a perfect donut.