Today is National Doughnut Day; Here are six doughnuts across Mass. that are epic

Doughnuts, the soft, sweet food of the pastry world, will get their annual recognition on Friday.

National Doughnut Day is celebrated on the first Friday in June, according to Nationaldaycalendar.com. The day was originally meant to honor the Salvation Army Lassies, women who served doughnuts to soldiers during World War I.

In 1917, the Salvation Army sent a group of women to the front lines in France to help set up field bases as a way to boost the army’s morale, Nationaldaycalendar.com reported. These makeshift “huts” were where soldiers could stock up on supplies and get a small break from the war.

But the Salvation Army Lassies wanted to do more than restock army supplies, so they decided to cook the troops home-cooked meals, according to Nationaldaycalendar.com. One of the meals that the Salvation Army Lassies cooked was a sweet baked treat that would later be called the Salvation Army Doughnut.

In 1938, the Salvation Army created National Doughnut Day as a way to honor the Salvation Army Lassies, according to Nationaldaycalendar.com. Although the day started as a fundraiser for Chicago’s Salvation Army, today it has become a day to celebrate doughnuts.

Here are some places to get an epic doughnut on National Doughnut Day.

At Blackbird Doughnuts, customers won’t just find the typical fare — chocolate, sprinkle and vanilla glaze — they can choose from a variety of unique doughnuts.

Blackbird specialties include the pineapple upside-down doughnut made with vanilla cake, pineapple glaze and maraschino cherries; the Strawberry Rhubarb Jam Bismarck doughnut filled with brioche, house-made jam and vanilla sugar; and the guava and cheese roll doughnut made with brioche, cream cheese, guava jelly and a cream cheese glaze, according to the bakery’s menu.

Doughnuts are available for either pick-up or delivery on Friday, according to the bakery’s website. The boxes include 12 mini doughnuts for $23, a vegan six-pack of doughnuts for $21 and a dozen assorted doughnuts for $42.

Since June is Pride month, Blackbird will also serve rainbow-colored pastries such as rainbow doughnut cakes and pride-lettered doughnuts.

Blackbird has locations in Boston’s Southend, Fenway, Harvard Square, Brighton, Newton Centre, Beacon Hill/West End and Watertown. Store hours vary by location, according to Blackbird’s website.

Union Square Donuts offers pastries such as the Vietnamese coffee doughnut, made with sweetened condensed milk and espresso and covered in a creamy glaze, according to its menu.

Customers can choose the sea salt whiskey caramel doughnut, which is covered in a caramel gaze with a hint of whiskey, sprinkled off with a few flakes of Maldon sea salt, the menu reads.

Fans of “The Simpsons” can try the “Homer,” a strawberry-glazed doughnut with sprinkles, according to Union Square Donut’s menu.

As Father’s Day approaches on June 16, customers can pre-order boxes of doughnuts for pickup. Customers can choose a box of six doughnuts for $26 or a box of 12 doughnuts for $52, according to the bakery’s menu.

Union Square Doughnuts has locations in Somerville, Boston, Cambridge and Brookline. Store hours vary by location.

Rocco’s Doughnut Company offers a variety of doughnuts, including Maple bacon, cotton candy milkshake, Boston cream and apple fritter.

For those with a big appetite or a friend group, try the giant doughnut. For $30, this doughnut feeds eight to 10 people and is great for “birthday parties, weddings [and] pretty much any event that needs a dessert,” according to the bakery’s website. This doughnut is available for pick up at Rocco’s Westborough location only.

Customers can also order a doughnut platter, which is made for hosting events, according to Rocco’s menu. The platter can be ordered with 12 doughnuts cut in quarters wrapped in pastry papers on an 18-inch round deli-style platter or 6 doughnuts cut in quarters on a 12-inch round deli-style platter.

“Because 4 bite size doughnuts are less cals than a whole doughnut right?” Rocco’s wrote about the platter in its menu description.

Customers can also buy a mystery doughnut box and/or build a custom box of doughnuts, according to the bakery’s menu.

Rocco’s is located in Westborough, Worcester, Millbury and Burlington and is open Wednesday to Sunday.

At Shire Donuts in Dalton, there are three categories of doughnuts listed on the store’s website.

The basics “for those who like to keep things simple” include a plain donut, powdered sugar, maple iced and glazed doughnuts, according to the bakery’s menu.

The standards, which are doughnuts that are popular with customers, include s’more doughnuts, cinnamon doughnuts and crumb cake doughnuts.

The third category is staff favorites, which include cookie and cream doughnuts and a peanut buttercup doughnut. Fans of “The Flintstones” can enjoy a “Yabba Dabba Doo” doughnut covered with vanilla icing and fruity pebbles.

“Warm, fresh, made-to-order donuts with hundreds of build-your-own topping combinations. It’s not just a donut — it’s an experience,” the bakery website says. “Also serving coffee and daily baked-good specials. Treat yourself — because you deserve a better donut.”

Shire Donuts is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 8 a.m. to noon and Fridays from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m., according to its website.

Duke’s Donut Worx in Mashpee serves yeasted and cake donuts that are hand-cut and made fresh throughout the day, according to its website.

The first of every month, Duke’s changes its menu, which is then posted on its Instagram account.

June doughnut flavors include classics such as double-glazed, chocolate and black raspberry glazed jelly. Each classic is priced at $3.25, while deluxe flavors, such as blueberry n’ cream and premium flavors, such as peanut butter pie, cost $4.75, according to the shop’s menu.

At Duke’s, customers can get a classic six-pack of double-glazed doughnuts for $18 or a variety pack of chocolate, pink and glazed doughnuts for the same price, according to Duke’s menu.

Customers can also pre-order a box mixed with classic and premium doughnuts for $21 and a premium six-pack for $25, according to its menu.

Duke’s Donut Worx is open daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

At Captain Baker’s Donuts in West Dennis, customers can design their own doughnuts, according to the bakery’s website.

First, they can select a doughnut — options include old-fashioned or seasonal doughnuts such as the summer old-fashioned blueberry. Then customers select from several glazes, which include espresso, vanilla and honey, and toppings, some of which are bacon, oreo crumbs and raspberry jelly. Lastly, customers can select a drizzle, some options include caramel, maple and peanut butter.

Captain Baker’s also serves specialty doughnuts made each day, according to its website.

Some specialty doughts include a “BamBam” doughnut, which is an old-fashioned doughnut made with a vanilla glaze, fruity pebbles and a dinosaur gummy, and a Lemon Cloud doughnut, an old-fashioned doughnut rolled in powdered sugar with lemon custard on top. The bakery also serves seasonal summertime doughnuts.

Starting on June 5, Captain Baker’s Donuts will operate during its summer hours from 7 a.m. to noon, according to its website.

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