Homemade Doughnut Recipes

BEST BAKED DOUGHNUTS EVER

Steps:

• Blend 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter with 1 cup of sugar.
• Add the eggs and mix well.
• Sift together flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg.
• Add to the butter and sugar mixture.
• Blend in the milk and mix together thoroughly.
• Fill greased muffin tins 2/3 full.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, or until doughnuts are golden.
• Combine remaining 1/2 cup of sugar with the cinnamon.
• Melt remaining 6 tablespoons of butter.
• While doughnuts are still warm, roll them in melted butter; then in cinnamon sugar.

HOMEMADE GLAZED DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• Whisk the warm milk, yeast, and sugar together in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or paddle attachment. Cover and allow to sit for 5 minutes. The mixture should be a little frothy on top after 5 minutes. If not, start over with new yeast.
• Add the eggs, butter, vanilla, nutmeg, salt, and 2 cups (245g) flour. Beat on low speed for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add remaining flour and beat on medium speed until the dough comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 2 minutes. If needed, add more flour, 1 Tablespoon at a time, until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Don't add too much flour, though. You want a slightly sticky dough. *If you do not own a mixer, you can mix this dough with a large wooden spoon or rubber spatula. It will take a bit of arm muscle!*
• Keep the dough in the mixer and beat for an additional 2 minutes or knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for 2 minutes.
• Lightly grease a large bowl with oil or nonstick spray. Place the dough in the bowl, turning it to coat all sides in the oil. Cover the bowl with aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or a clean kitchen towel. Allow the dough to rise in a relatively warm environment for 1.5-2 hours or until double in size. (For a tiny reduction in rise time, see my answer to Where Should Dough Rise? in my Baking with Yeast Guide.)
• When the dough is ready, punch it down to release the air.Remove dough from the bowl and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. If needed, punch down again to release any more air bubbles. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out until it is 1/2 inch thick. Using a 3-3.5 inch doughnut cutter, cut into 12 doughnuts. If you can't quite fit 12, re-roll the scraps and cut more.
• Line 1 or 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Place doughnuts and doughnut holes on each. (Feel free to discard doughnut holes if desired.) Loosely cover and allow to rest as you heat the oil. They will rise a bit as they rest. Place a cooling rack over another baking sheet.
• Pour oil into a large heavy-duty pot set over medium heat. Heat oil to 375°F (191°C). Add 2-3 doughnuts at a time and cook for 1 minute on each side. Carefully remove with a metal spatula or metal slotted spoon. Wear kitchen gloves if oil is splashing. Place fried doughnuts onto prepared rack. Repeat with remaining doughnuts, then turn off heat.* (See note for doughnut holes.)
• Whisk all of the glaze ingredients together. Dip each warm doughnut (don't wait for them to cool!) into the glaze, making sure to coat both sides. Place back onto prepared rack as excess glaze drips down. After about 20 minutes, the glaze will set + harden.
• Doughnuts are best enjoyed the same day. You can store in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 1-2 extra days.

OLD-FASHIONED CAKE DOUGHNUTS (DONUTS)

Steps:

• In a large bowl mix the sugar, baking powder, salt and nutmeg.
• Add eggs, milk and melted butter. Beat well.
• Add 3 cups of the flour, beating until blended. Add one more cup of flour and beat well. The dough should be soft and sticky but firm enough to handle. If you feel its necessary, add up to 1/2 cup more flour.
• Cover with plastic wrap and chill for *at* *least* one hour.
• Remove your dough from the fridge and begin heating about 1" of oil to 360F in a large metal skillet.
• Working half the dough at a time, roll it out on a floured surface to about 1/2" thickness. Cut out circles using a doughnut cutter or large biscuit or cookie cutter. For the center, I actually use the cap off my martini shaker ;) to cut the holes.
• Gently drop the doughnuts in batches into the hot oil. Flip them over as they puff and turn them a couple more times as they cook. They will take about 2-3 minutes in total and will be lovely and golden brown all over.
• Remove from the oil and set them on paper towels or brown paper bag (that removes all the fat, you know).
• Douse them with sugar and cinnamon, icing, chocolate dipped with sprinkles or whatever you like.

HOMEMADE DOUGHNUT RECIPE

Steps:

• Pour the milk into the bowl of a standing mixer, and sprinkle in the sugar and yeast. Stir to combine and then let sit for about 5 minutes to let the yeast begin to come alive. Whisk in the egg, egg yolk, melted butter, vanilla and lemon zest.
• Fit your mixer with the dough hook, add 5 cups of the all-purpose flour and mix on low speed (speed number 2) until the dough begins to come together. Slowly add enough of the remaining cup of flour so that the dough comes together into a soft, slightly sticky ball. Depending on the humidity in the air, this might take the entire remaining cup or only a bit of it. What you're looking for is a soft, smooth ball of dough that clings to the dough hook, and does not stick to the sides of the bowl, but does stick slightly to the bottom of the bowl. If you stop the mixer and touch the dough, it should feel slightly sticky, but not so wet as to be confused with cookie dough.
• Once the dough has come together, sprinkle in the nutmeg and salt. Continue to kneed in the mixer for about 8-10 minutes. The dough should look very soft and smooth.
• Butter a large bowl and dump the dough into the bowl. Butter a piece plastic wrap (or spray with non-stick spray) and use it to cover the bowl. Let the dough rise at room temperature for 1-2 hours, until the dough has doubled in size.
• While the dough rises cut out 24 squares of parchment paper, each square about 1-inch larger on all sides than the cutter you will be using to cut out the doughnuts. (This is unnecessary if you are only making doughnut holes. For doughnut holes, simply cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.)
• Set 2 baking sheets out on the counter. After the dough has risen, dump it out of the bowl onto a clean countertop and roll out to 1/2 inch thick. Cut out the doughnuts using a dough cutter. Place each doughnut on one of the individual squares of parchment paper and lay it on a baking sheet. Continue to roll out the scraps and cut doughnuts from the dough until you've used all the dough.
• Spray sheets of plastic wrap with non-stick spray and cover the doughnuts. At this point you can leave the doughnuts on the counter to rise for about 1 hour before frying, OR you can place the doughnuts in the refrigerator to let rise overnight. If refrigerating the dough, let rest at room temperature for 1 hour before frying.
• Pour enough vegetable oil into a large, deep saucepan to come up the sides 3 or 4 inches. Heat the oil to 370 - 375 degrees.
• Place 2 or 3 of the doughnuts into the hot oil, parchment and all. Immediately after lowering them into the hot oil, use a pair of kitchen tongs to remove the parchment. Let the doughnuts cook in the hot oil until the bottom is a deep golden brown, 3-5 minutes.
• Using a slotted spoon, gently flip the doughnuts over in the oil and cook another 3-5 minutes until both sides are golden brown. Using the slotted spoon, transfer the doughnuts to paper towels to drain. Do your best to keep the temperature of the oil between 360-370 degrees.

HOMEMADE GLAZED DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• For the doughnuts: Add the granulated sugar to the warm milk in a medium bowl, and then add the yeast. Allow it to sit until the yeast starts to bubble, 5 to 10 minutes.
• In a small bowl, beat the eggs and then pour them into a bowl with the melted butter, whisking constantly. Add the butter/egg mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer. Pour in the milk/sugar/yeast mixture. With the hook attachment, turn the mixer to low speed.
• Mix the flour and salt in a bowl, and then retrieve 1/2 cup at a time and add it to the mixing bowl, allowing it to slowly incorporate into the liquid mixture.
• Continue mixing for 5 minutes after the flour is combined. Stop the mixer, scrape the bowl and then mix about 30 seconds more. Then place the dough in a lightly-oiled bowl, cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate, 8 to 12 hours.
• The next morning, remove the dough from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature and rise, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Put the dough in a warm spot, if necessary, to facilitate rising.
• Turn out the dough on to a floured surface and roll it out to about 1/4-inch thick. Use a doughnut cutter (or 2 concentric cutters) to cut out the doughnuts. Remove the holes and transfer the doughnuts to a lightly-floured baking sheet lined with a baking mat or parchment. Then - and this is the vital part - cover the doughnuts lightly with tea towels and place it in a draft-free area, at least 1 1/2 to 2 hours. It will take that long for them to rise. If they don't seem to be rising much, move the pan to a warm place.
• Melt the shortening in a pot over a medium-high heat until it reaches 350 degrees F on a candy thermometer. (Or you can drop one of the doughnut holes in the oil, if it sizzles and immediately rises to the surface, the oil is ready.) The doughnuts should immediately float to the top and puff up. Then use a metal spoon or spatula to carefully flip them over to the other side. Remove them from the oil as soon as they're golden brown on both sides (this should take less than 1 minute in total). At the end, drop in the doughnut holes and fry them until they are golden brown.
• Place the doughnuts on paper-towel-lined-plates to drain. Don't worry if they're a little imperfect; if your fingers leave impressions when you dropped them into the oil, that just means they were extra light and fluffy.
• For the glaze: To glaze the doughnuts, mix the powdered sugar, 1/2 cup cold water, salt and vanilla in a bowl until smooth. Drop in the doughnuts one at a time. Quickly turn them over then remove them. Place them on a rack so any excess glaze can drip off.
• To make the most of the glaze, set the holes underneath the doughnuts so they can catch the extra good stuff.

DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• Heat the milk until it is warm but not hot, about 90 degrees. In a large bowl, combine it with the yeast. Stir lightly, and let sit until the mixture is foamy, about 5 minutes.
• Using an electric mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, beat the eggs, butter, sugar and salt into the yeast mixture. Add half of the flour (2 cups plus 2 tablespoons), and mix until combined, then mix in the rest of the flour until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Add more flour, about 2 tablespoons at a time, if the dough is too wet. If you're using an electric mixer, the dough will probably become too thick to beat; when it does, transfer it to a floured surface, and gently knead it until smooth. Grease a large bowl with a little oil. Transfer the dough to the bowl, and cover. Let rise at room temperature until it doubles in size, about 1 hour.
• Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface, and roll it to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut out the doughnuts with a doughnut cutter, concentric cookie cutters or a drinking glass and a shot glass (the larger one should be about 3 inches in diameter), flouring the cutters as you go. Reserve the doughnut holes. If you're making filled doughnuts, don't cut out the middle. Knead any scraps together, being careful not to overwork, and let rest for a few minutes before repeating the process.
• Put the doughnuts on two floured baking sheets so that there is plenty of room between each one. Cover with a kitchen towel, and let rise in a warm place until they are slightly puffed up and delicate, about 45 minutes. If your kitchen isn't warm, heat the oven to 200 at the beginning of this step, then turn off the heat, put the baking sheets in the oven and leave the door ajar.
• About 15 minutes before the doughnuts are done rising, put the oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, and heat it to 375. Meanwhile, line cooling racks, baking sheets or plates with paper towels.
• Carefully add the doughnuts to the oil, a few at a time. If they're too delicate to pick up with your fingers (they may be this way only if you rose them in the oven), use a metal spatula to pick them up and slide them into the oil. It's O.K. if they deflate a bit; they'll puff back up as they fry. When the bottoms are deep golden, after 45 seconds to a minute, use a slotted spoon to flip; cook until they're deep golden all over. Doughnut holes cook faster. Transfer the doughnuts to the prepared plates or racks, and repeat with the rest of the dough, adjusting the heat as needed to keep the oil at 375. Glaze or fill as follows, and serve as soon as possible.

15-MINUTE HOMEMADE DONUTS

Steps:

• Pour about 1/2-inch oil into a large saute pan or pot and heat over medium heat to 355 degrees F. (keeping an eye on it as it is heating). Meanwhile prepare donut dough.
• In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder and salt.
• Separately whisk together buttermilk and melted butter. Pour buttermilk mixture into flour mixture and using a fork, stir in dry ingredients and mix just until combine (be careful no to over-work dough).
• Roll dough into 1/2 Tbsp balls. Once the oil has reached 355 degrees F, fry about 1/2 the dough balls at a time.
• Fry until just golden brown on bottom, then flip and cook reverse side until golden brown.
• Carefully remove with a spider strainer or metal tongs drain onto a paper towel lined baking sheet.
• Pour 1/3 cup sugar into a dish, roll donuts in sugar. Repeat this process with remaining dough.

NO YEAST HOMEMADE DONUTS

Steps:

• Fill a pan with about 1 inch of vegetable oil then line a baking tray with a wire rack and paper towel for the donuts to cool and drain, set aside while making the dough.
• In a medium bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices, set aside.
• In another large bowl combine the buttermilk, melted butter, vanilla extract and eggs. (Check notes for egg substitute)
• Using a whisk, gradually whisk the dry ingredients into the wet until a sticky dough is formed.
• Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and bring the dough together. Then use your palms to press the dough into roughly a 12-inch rectangle about 1/2 inch thick.
• Before cutting out your dough, heat the oil over medium-low heat (this should take 5-7 minutes).
• While the oil is heating, cut out your donuts: Using a 3 inch round cookie cutter and a 1-inch cookie cutter, cut out the donuts and the donut holes. You should be able to cut out about 12 donuts. If you have any extra dough left after cutting out, stick it all together, press it out and repeat the process until you have used up all of the dough.
• Transfer your cut out donuts and donut holes to a baking tray and place the tray near your stove so you can easily place the donuts into the oil.
• To make sure your oil is the right temperature test it with a donut hole. If it's hot enough this should puff up and be golden brown after cooking for roughly 2 minutes per side.
• When ready to fry carefully drop the donuts into the oil. Allow the donuts to fry for about 3 minutes per side (donut holes for 2), or until golden brown.
• Once puffed up and golden brown on both sides carefully remove from the oil using a fish turner, tongs or spider. Be careful as the oil will be very hot. DO NOT walk away from the pan at any stage of frying. If you need assistance with this step ask for help.
• After transferring the cooked donuts to your wire rack, repeat the process with the remaining donuts and donut holes until they are all fried off.
• If tossing in cinnamon sugar, this can be done as soon as the donuts are cool enough to handle.
• If glazing the donuts do this while still warm so the glaze soaks in. Follow my directions for 5 donut glazes. Allow to cool for about 5-7 minutes then dunk both sides in the glaze. Return to wire rack to set (you may want to do this 2 times for an extra thick layer of glaze).
• Enjoy immediately. These donuts are best eaten within 24 hours of cooking. Enjoy!