It was the Egyptians who first endeavored to make pastries in their crudest of forms out of fruits, honey, spices and the regular grain meal. These crude forms of pastries were called Filo and Baklava.
The original donuts of New England did not get its name because of the presence of any nuts. They were actually pastries without holes and were made in the shape and size of walnuts and hence they were named donuts.
American Cops have always been known for their love of donuts. This is because the donut shops were among the few shops that used to be open in the wee hours of the morning during the 40s and 50s. Thus cops feeling hunger pangs would readily indulge in these soft, buttery sweetened delicacies and satiate their hunger. In fact, many of the donut shopkeepers felt highly secured having a police car parked right in front of their shops.