The Best Dessert In Skagway, Alaska?: Klondike Doughboy

Freshly fried dough is pure euphoria.

Cultures across the world are privy to this genius concept of mixing flour and egg, then dunking it in piping hot oil. Churros, donuts, beignets, oh my!  (Check out a cool list of the 50 most popular types of fried dough HERE.) Fried dough is easy, cheap, and quite energy dense—the perfect fuel for shepherds, farmers and other laborers over the centuries. Perhaps not the best fuel for the modern, chair-ridden office worker. But if a lovely box of a dozen donuts appears in the break room, chances are you’ll dash off said chair to claim the coveted Boston Cream before Janette from accounting beats you to it.

In little Skagway, Alaska, I sought out Klondike Doughboy for a type of fried dough I haven’t tried before: fry bread.

WHOA BABY, was it tasty.

Let’s dive in!

The Locale:

Skagway made its mark on the map as a gold rush hotspot in the late 1890s. People from across the country trekked through snow and wilderness in hopes of striking it big. The rush was over soon after it began, and settlers left behind a little town of 1,000 or so people.

Today, there’s a new source of gold: tourism. Over 1 million cruise ship passengers visit Skagway each season to enjoy the hiking, scenic touring opportunities, and historic downtown streets lined with eateries and souvenirs galore.

Fun Fact: There are no stop lights in Skagway– you have to drive 110 miles to get to the closest one… which is in Canada!

Klondike Doughboy is one such eatery that’s on the intersection of 3^rd Avenue and Broadway. You’ll smell the aroma of baked deliciousness and see a line spilling down the sidewalk before spotting the “Klondike Doughboy” sign. While Klondike Doughboy sells plenty of “made in Alaska” chocolates, fudges, jams, etc… the real draw is the “doughboy”, which is a generously large piece of fry bread.

What Is Fry Bread?

Fry bread is a plate sized piece of dough that’s fried and generously smothered in cinnamon sugar. It’s fairly thin and a bit floppy with a melt-in-your mouth texture that’s simply divine. The edges have a slight crispiness, and I dare you not to lick the cinnamon sugar from your hands after devouring the tasty treat.

The Cost:

One “doughboy” will set you back $7, but the high price tag doesn’t deter hungry cruisers. The owners, Lillian and Rocky Outcalt, said in a recent interview that they sell between 350-500 doughboys a day, which adds up to quite an impressive daily revenue. However, the tourism season only lasts for 4 months in Skagway. When you’re only open for 1/3 of the year, I suppose it makes sense to triple the price. Not to mention, these small Alaskan ports were hit hard when cruise ship tourism was on pause for nearly 2 years.

I might be a Frugal Foodie, but I do think Klondike Doughboy is worth trying.

It’s delicious, locally owned, and totally shareable. A must-try if you find yourself in Skagway!