Long John (doughnut)

The Long John is a bar-shaped, yeast risen[1] doughnut either coated entirely with glaze or top-coated with cake icing. They may be filled with custard or cream. The term Long John is used in the Midwestern U.S.[2] and Canada, and has been used in Texas.[3]

In other parts of the United States and Canada, such as the Mid-Atlantic and Central Canada, Long Johns are sometimes marketed as "éclairs"; the two pastries look similar but are created with different types of dough (steam-puffed vs. yeast-risen) and sometimes different fillings (the éclair may have chiboust cream).[4] The éclair has (usually chocolate) fondant icing.

On the American West Coast and British Columbia, Long Johns are called bars or bar doughnuts, such as the maple bar (topped with a maple glaze[5][6]) and the chocolate bar. Filled Long Johns are called filled bars, or filled bar doughnuts. For example, an unfilled (or even custard-filled) Long John with maple-flavored icing is called a maple bar in California.[7][8] They may also be topped with chopped bacon and called a maple bacon bar.[9] Maple bars are prominent on the West coast of the United States; they are also known as a maple-glazed Long John, Maple-Creamstick or maple Bismarck.

Some parts of the American Midwest also call this type of pastry a finger doughnut or cream stick when filled.[10]