Glazed Donuts
intro
Soft, pillowy yeast-raised donuts coated in a shiny vanilla sugar glaze, a nostalgic American treat perfect for pairing with coffee or cold milk.
Ingredients
Steps
Mix the donut dough
In a large stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine warmed 240ml (1 cup) whole milk (heated to 37°C/98°F, lukewarm to the touch), 7g (2 1/4 tsp) instant dry yeast, and 1 teaspoon of the measured granulated sugar. Let the mixture rest 5 minutes until foamy to confirm yeast is active. Add the remaining 50g (1/4 cup) granulated sugar, 2 room-temperature large eggs, cooled 57g (4 tbsp) melted unsalted butter, 5g (1 tsp) fine sea salt, and 500g (4 cups, spooned and leveled) all-purpose flour. Knead on medium-low speed for 8 minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic, and pulls cleanly away from the bowl sides.
First dough proof
Lightly grease a large clean glass bowl with nonstick cooking spray. Form the kneaded dough into a tight, smooth ball, place it in the greased bowl, and turn once to coat the dough surface lightly in oil. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and a clean cotton kitchen towel, then let it rise in a warm, draft-free spot (24°C/75°F) for 60 minutes until the dough has fully doubled in size.
Shape the donuts
Once the dough has doubled, punch it firmly in the center to release all trapped air, then turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll the dough to a uniform 1.25cm (1/2 inch) thickness with a floured rolling pin. Use a 9cm (3.5 inch) round donut cutter (dipped in flour to prevent sticking) to cut ring-shaped donuts, using a 2.5cm (1 inch) small round cutter for the center holes. You will yield 12 donuts and 12 donut holes, re-rolling dough scraps only once to avoid tough donuts. Arrange cut donuts 5cm (2 inches) apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets.
Proof donuts, heat oil
Cover the trays of shaped donuts loosely with clean kitchen towels, and let them undergo a second 30-minute proof until they are puffy and slightly jiggly when the tray is gently tapped. While the donuts proof, pour 1.5L (6 cups) of neutral vegetable oil (canola or sunflower work best) into a large, deep heavy-bottomed pot. Heat the oil over medium heat to a steady 175°C/350°F, monitoring temperature closely with a clip-on candy thermometer to avoid overheating.
Fry donuts until golden
Working in small batches of 2-3 donuts at a time (to avoid dropping the oil temperature sharply), carefully lower donuts into the hot oil using a slotted metal spoon. Fry for 90 seconds on the first side until deep golden brown, then flip gently and fry the second side for another 90 seconds. Transfer fried donuts to a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet to drain excess oil for 5 minutes before glazing. Fry donut holes for 45 seconds per side, working in slightly larger batches if desired.
Glaze and set donuts
While donuts cool slightly, prepare the vanilla glaze: whisk 360g (3 cups) sifted powdered sugar, 10ml (2 tsp) pure vanilla extract, and 60ml (4 tbsp) whole milk in a shallow wide bowl until completely smooth, with a thick, pourable consistency similar to heavy cream. Dip each warm (not piping hot) donut fully into the glaze, coating one side then flipping to cover the second side. Return glazed donuts to the wire rack, and let them rest for 15 minutes to allow excess glaze to drip off and set into a shiny, smooth shell before serving.
Tips
2.Glaze donuts while they are warm (around 43°C/110°F, not piping hot) for the best result: this lets the glaze adhere smoothly and soak slightly into the donut surface instead of sliding off or setting lumpy.
3.Re-roll dough scraps only once when cutting donuts: overworking the dough by re-rolling multiple times will develop too much gluten, leading to tough, dense donuts instead of soft, pillowy ones.
OMG these donuts are SO good! I made them for my kid’s soccer team potluck this weekend and every single one was gone in 10 minutes. The vanilla glaze is perfectly sweet, not cloying at all, and the donut itself is so fluffy! I was nervous because medium difficulty sounded intimidating, but the steps were way easier to follow than I thought. Game changer for weekend breakfasts!
Wait, has anyone tried making these with gluten free all purpose flour? My partner has celiac and I’d love to surprise them with homemade donuts for our anniversary, but I don’t want to waste ingredients if the texture comes out weird. Also, can I prep the dough the night before and let it rise in the fridge? That would save me so much time in the morning!
Made these yesterday for Sunday brunch with my roommates, 10/10. The glaze set perfectly shiny just like the donut shop down the street from my apartment. Only note is I’d recommend using a candy thermometer to get the oil temp right, I let mine get a little too hot on the first batch and they browned way too fast on the outside before the inside was done. Once I adjusted the heat they came out perfect, will absolutely be making these again!
I brought these to my office potluck earlier this week and everyone was asking for the recipe! The vanilla flavor is so warm and classic, way better than the grocery store donuts people usually bring. I did add a tiny splash of almond extract to the glaze like I do with all my vanilla baked goods, and it gave it such a nice little depth of flavor. So happy I found this recipe!