Donuts
Light, airy yeast-raised donuts with a tender crumb and a thin sugar glaze that crackles when you bite into it. These take time (the dough rises twice) but the actual hands-on work is short. Fresh hot donuts are one of the easy luxuries of home baking.
Prep Time
24 min
Cook Time
28 min
Servings
2
Calories
590 cal
🛠 Interactive Recipe Tools — Use them right here on this page
Smart Servings Scaler
- Flour1 cups
- Sugar¼ cup
- Yeast½ tsp
- Milk½ cup
- Butter¼ cup
- Eggs1
- Cinnamon½ tsp
All quantities scaled automatically from 2 servings.
Ingredients
Makes 2 servings · Use the Servings Scaler above to adjust
- Flour1 cups
- Sugar0.25 cup
- Yeast0.5 tsp
- Milk0.5 cup
- Butter0.25 cup
- Eggs1
- Cinnamon0.5 tsp
Instructions
- 1
Warm 1 cup whole milk to 105-115°F (just warmer than your finger). Stir in 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar. Let sit 5 minutes — it should get foamy. No foam means dead yeast; start over.
- 2
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the yeast mixture with 2 eggs, ¼ cup melted butter, ¼ cup sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add 4 cups bread flour gradually with the dough hook on low. Knead 5 minutes until smooth and slightly tacky.
- 3
Transfer to a greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm spot for 1-1.5 hours until doubled in volume.
- 4
Roll the dough out on a floured surface to ½-inch thick. Cut donuts with a 3-inch round cutter and the centers with a 1-inch cutter. Re-roll scraps once (more makes the donuts tough). Place on parchment-lined sheets, cover loosely, let rise 30-45 minutes until puffy.
- 5
Heat 2 inches of neutral oil to 360°F (180°C). Fry the donuts 60 seconds per side until golden brown. Donut holes only need 30 seconds per side. Drain on a wire rack.
- 6
While still warm (not hot), dip in glaze (2 cups powdered sugar + 4 tablespoons milk + 1 teaspoon vanilla). Let set on the rack for 5 minutes. Eat immediately — homemade donuts are at their best in the first hour.
Watch how to make Donuts
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💡 Expert Tips
- 1.Bread flour matters. The higher protein content gives donuts the slightly chewy, springy texture they need. All-purpose works but the donuts are softer and don't hold their shape as well.
- 2.Don't kill the yeast. Milk warmer than 120°F will kill yeast on contact. Cooler than 100°F won't activate it. Use a thermometer for the first few attempts until you can judge by feel.
- 3.Frying temperature is everything. Below 350°F and the donuts soak up oil; above 375°F and they brown outside while staying raw inside. A frying thermometer transforms this recipe.
- 4.Glaze when warm, not hot. Hot donuts melt the glaze into a sticky pool. Wait 5 minutes after frying so the glaze sets in a thin shiny shell.
🔬 Why It Works
Yeast donuts are essentially a brioche dough — enriched with butter, eggs, and sugar — that's deep-fried instead of baked. The first rise develops flavor and structure as the yeast produces CO2 and the gluten relaxes. The second rise (after cutting) inflates the cut donuts so they puff dramatically when they hit the hot oil. The brief frying time (about 2 minutes total) cooks the dough through without making the crust too thick. Glazing while warm lets the sugar adhere as a thin crackling shell rather than absorbing into the donut.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I bake these instead of frying?▾
Can I make the dough ahead?▾
Why are my donuts heavy and dense?▾
How long do they keep?▾
4.3
879 home cooks rated this
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (recipe makes 2 servings)
* Percent Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Values are estimates.
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (recipe makes 2 servings)
* Percent Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Values are estimates.
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