A bumbling thief settled for about a half-dozen doughnuts when he couldn’t pop open the register at an East Village Dunkin’ Donuts, cops said Tuesday.

The sweet-toothed robber jumped over the counter at the shop on East 14th Street near Avenue B just after 9:30 a.m. Friday — expecting to make off with the loot in the register, according to police.

But his plan floundered when he failed to open the checkout drawer and grabbed five or six doughnuts and stuffed them in a paper bag, cops said.

A 38-year-old employee tried to stop the doughnut thief but the robber repeatedly punched him in the face and took off, according to police.

The worker was treated for minor injuries by EMS, cops said.

The NYPD released a surveillance photo of the suspect Tuesday evening.