Who claimed to have invented the ring-shaped doughnut in 1847 after removing its center?

Hanson Gregory claimed to have invented the ring-shaped doughnut in 1847 after removing its center.

Gregory, a Maine sailor, reportedly disliked the doughnuts of his era because their centers often remained raw while the outside became overcooked. He said he punched out the middle, creating a shape that fried more evenly.

The story is widely repeated, but historians treat it as a claim rather than an independently proven origin. Ring-shaped fried pastries existed in several cultures before 1847, including Dutch olykoeks and other fried dough traditions.

The central hole also made doughnuts easier to handle and gave them a larger crisp surface. The modern ring is therefore best associated with Gregory’s famous account, not necessarily with a single demonstrably proven inventor.