Here’s the official word from the doughnut wizards themselves: Krispy Kreme uses a non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening. Yes, that’s a mouthful, but it’s basically a special blend of palm, soybean, and canola oils. It’s the holy trinity of fats, mixed to fry dough into cloud-like perfection.
They didn’t always do this, by the way. Back in the day, they used a shortening that was packed with trans fats, the kind that would make a cardiologist weep into their kale smoothie. But around 2008, they did a 180 and swapped it out for this healthier-ish blend. Now, it’s a “zero grams trans fat” party in every batch.
Why This Oil? A Love Story
Why not just use plain ol’ vegetable oil from the grocery store? Because Krispy Kreme is basically a science lab disguised as a bakery. This specific shortening has a high smoke point, which means it can handle the 350°F heat without breaking a sweat. It also gives the doughnuts that signature thin, crispy shell that shatters when you bite it.
There’s a sneaky secret here: the oil is actually part of the flavor. It’s so neutral that it doesn’t fight with the sugar glaze. Imagine if they used olive oil—you’d be biting into a doughnut that tastes like a salad. No thank you.
