The Best Homemade Glazed Donuts
I have tried a million homemade donut recipes, so believe me when I say: these really are the best homemade glazed donuts on the planet. They are so delicious! TONS of step-by-step pictures and tips and tricks for foolproof homemade donuts!
As promised, finally (!!), here is the recipe you’ve been waiting for. The best homemade glazed donuts on the planet. And that is literally one thousand percent no exaggeration.
I posted about these babies on my Instagram stories a couple of weeks ago when my daughter and I made them, and I couldn’t believe how many of you went crazy. Some of you even demanded the recipe be posted within the hour.
Listen, I can’t blame you. I really can’t.
It took me a few weeks longer than an hour to get this recipe posted, but I promise it is worth the wait. I’ve made so many homemade donut recipes in the past, and after making this recipe dozens of times, my family and I agree: it is definitely the best homemade donut recipe ever.
What makes these homemade donuts better than the other 1,583 recipes out there?
They are light and fluffy and totally melt-in-your-mouth delicious.
I’ve made a lot of homemade donut recipes that are fluffy and thick, but they have a chewy, bready quality that is more reminiscent of a bagel than a donut. Others have been bland and dense…or just mediocre. And let me tell you, no one wants to go to all the work of homemade donuts just for a mediocre result!
These donuts are buttery soft with an ethereal squishy factor (yes, that’s a thing) that makes them next-level amazing.
Granted, homemade donuts aren’t necessarily an every day type of recipe, but once you have this tried-and-true recipe in your back pocket, there’s a certain peace that will descend on your life just knowing it’s there when you need it.
My handsome taste testers agree. Homemade donuts are where it’s at.
Because I want to ensure 100% complete foolproof success, I’m including tons of tips and tricks in this post to make these homemade donuts easy and absolutely perfect.
You will feel like a rock star, I promise.
Ok, let’s get started.
Making Homemade Donut Dough
I highly recommend an electric stand mixer for this homemade donut dough. I don’t think the same result can be achieved through hand mixing, unfortunately.
I’m using a Bosch mixer {aff. link} that has a center drive shaft. I haven’t made the dough in my Kitchen Aid (because I use my Bosch for almost all things dough-related), but it should convert just fine to another type of stand mixer.
Into the mixer, add the flour, sugar, yeast, eggs and milk.
A couple of notes:
- it’s important to use cold or room temp milk (not warm milk) – when you add the butter in a later step, the colder dough allows a rustic “laminating” effect that gives an amazing texture to the donuts
- I use instant yeast in the recipe – see the notes below the recipe to use active dry yeast
The dough will come together in kind of a shaggy mess. After it comes together, add the salt.
Continue mixing until the dough smooths out a bit. It will be on the thicker, stodgier side of things. That’s ok!
Add the butter a piece at a time
With the mixer running, add the softened butter a piece at a time. Almost instantly, you’ll notice the dough softening and stretching out as it mixes.
Once all the butter is added, the dough will be very soft. Very, very soft. You might be worried it’s too soft. It’s not, I promise.
Continue mixing/kneading on medium low or medium speed for 10-12 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, if needed. As the dough mixes, it will start to come together into a more solid (but still soft) mass of dough.
It’s ok if the dough clings to the middle of the mixer (in a Bosch). In a Kitchen Aid, it might be sticking to the bottom and sides of the bowl.
You’ll know the dough is done mixing if, when you stop the mixer, you can grab a handful of dough and pull it up into a silky, stretchy ribbon. When you let it go, there shouldn’t be a whole lot of residue on your fingers.
Even though the dough may not have fully cleared the sides or middle of the bowl, you’ll know it is done mixing if it is very smooth and very soft, but not overly sticky.
When to add more flour
Resist the urge, if at all possible, to add more flour to the dough.
I know I’m being a broken record right now, but even if the dough hasn’t fully cleared the sides, bottom or middle of the bowl, if it has kneaded for 10-12 minutes and doesn’t leave a lot of residue on your fingers, it’s good to go! As it rests in the refrigerator, it sturdies up a whole lot more.
Only add more flour (1/4 cup or so) if the dough is extremely wet and coats your hands and fingers in a sticky mess.
Homemade donut dough is amazing
I can’t get over the texture of this dough.
It is absolutely luscious. And it’s a total dream to work with because it is so soft and smooth.
Pile the dough into a lightly greased container, cover, and put it in the refrigerator for at least 8-12 hours (and up to 24 hours).
The cold rise is important. I’ve tried rising and frying the donuts same day, and I do not recommend. The texture of the donuts is worlds better when allowed to rest overnight in the refrigerator.
Let’s all agree to not seek the path of least resistance. We can persevere together through the longer wait knowing that the best donuts in the world come to those who are patient.
The dough will rise noticeably in the refrigerator.
The best part? The homemade donut dough rolls out like a dream straight from the refrigerator.
Roll it out to about 1/4-inch thick or maybe just slightly thicker. It’s not rocket science.
The best tools for cutting out donuts
There are a lot of options out there when it comes to donut cutters. My personal preference is to use a set of varying-sized round cutters {aff. link} so that the excess dough can be cut into donut holes.
The donut cutters (like the one pictured below on the far left) with the donut hole center attached {aff. link} are great, but a) they’re a bit larger than I like my donuts to be overall and b) the donut hole center doesn’t detach which makes cutting extra donut holes a little tricky.
My recommendation is to use a 3-inch round donut cutter and a separate 3/4- or 1-inch donut hole center.
Cut the donuts as close together as you can to maximize the donut dough.
Rerolled donut dough just isn’t the same (I’ll show and tell you why in a second).
When all of the larger donuts have been cut, I like to go through the leftover dough and cut as many donut holes as I can get out of the remaining dough.
Our family is strictly divided between those that prefer large and in charge donuts vs those that go for the donut holes all day long.
Either way, I never have enough donut holes. #teenagers So I try to get as many as I can out of the dough. They are cute and totally irresistible.
Should you reroll donut dough?
Once you can’t possibly cut any more donuts or donut holes out of the dough, you have a couple choices:
- toss the remaining dough (this makes me sad)
- cut the dough into wrangly little rustic strips and fry those babies up
- gather the dough into a mass of scraps and reroll
If you decide to reroll the dough, I have two main recommendations for you.
FIRST, once the dough has been gathered together, let it rest for 15-20 minutes before rerolling. This relaxes the gluten in the dough, which means the dough will be less likely to spring back as you roll it out. And if you’ve had that happen, you know how irritating it is.
SECOND, lower your expectations for donuts that are produced from a rerolled batch of dough. They will never be quite as awesome as the ones rolled from the first go-round.
You can see from the picture below that no matter how lovingly you reroll the dough, the donuts are bumpier, lumpier and not quite as pretty.
Make Apple Fritters from the Donut Scraps
UPDATE: so many of you let me know here and on social media that the only way to go with donut scraps (say no to rerolling!) is to make apple fritters out of them.
I had to try! Especially after my cousin-in-law Tami reported back with her exact process. They turned out AMAZING! Several of my kids said they liked them even better than the actual donuts.
Here’s my apple fritter process:
- cut out all the regular donuts like normal
- don’t cut out any extra donut holes from the scraps
- chop all the scraps into small little nubbins with bench scraper, probably 1/2-inch pieces or a little smaller
- finely chop about 2 large apples (right around 2 cups chopped apples) and toss with a squeeze of lemon juice, 1/3 cup brown sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- toss all the dough pieces and apples together in a bowl
- scoop out small handfuls of dough and apples (it’s going to seem weird, like it will never stick together) and gently form it into balls, set them on a greased baking sheet, and press gently to flatten into a thick disc-shape
- let the fritters rise and puff a bit
- fry the fritters last (since little bits of apples invariably fall out into the oil – spoiler alert: those little bits are super tasty)
- glaze with powdered sugar on one side after they cool
Ok, back to the regular (delicious) donuts!
Let all the cut out donuts and donuts hole rest and rise on greased parchment-lined baking sheets until noticeably puffy.
I’m not sure if you need to go for a full out double, but they should look pretty darn fat and happy.
How to cook homemade donuts
Heat about 2-3 inches of vegetable oil in a heavy pot on the stove (or in an electric deep fryer according to manufacturer directions) until the oil reaches between 350 and 360 degrees F.
*The electric deep fryer I have is a Hamilton Beach model that’s no longer available, but below in the recipe card, I’ve linked to a similar model.
The more slowly the oil heats up, the better so the donuts will cook evenly without burning.
The donuts will be very soft after rising. Gently pick them up off the baking sheets so they don’t stretch too much, and lower them carefully but quickly into the hot oil.
Cook for about 60-90 seconds per side until golden. I use kitchen tongs for flipping and removing.
Transfer the donuts to a paper towel-lined baking sheet and let them cool until just warm before glazing.
If they are piping hot, all that essential and delicious glaze will slide right off.
Sidenote: you can see that my donuts have a tiny little line-ridge at the top. It happens every single time I make them, and I think it’s related to the cooking spray used on the pans as the donuts rise. Also, the bottoms of my donuts are always slightly more bumpy and rustic looking than the tops. Again, I think it’s related to possibly the cooking spray and how the donuts rise. And I don’t even bother stressing about it. If the donuts are puffy and fluffy and soft and luscious, I don’t fuss about the looks at all.
The same goes for the donut holes. Let them rise until puffy and pretty much doubled in size.
And then carefully drop the donut holes in the hot oil.
Can I vent for a sec about donut holes?
I’m going to be very honest here. Cooking donut holes is the bane of my existence.
Yes, they’re cute. Yes, they’re highly sought after. Yes, you can get glares from angsty teenagers for talking bad about them (the donut holes, not the teenagers).
But they’re a pain to fry. Some of them turn over just fine, while others just bob, golden side down in the hot oil refusing to bathe their white bellies in the blistering bubbles.
I’ve tried every trick in the book to get donut holes to cook evenly, and I’ve given up. The truth is, no one in my family cares that some of them have lily white undersides. They’re still delicious.
So basically, don’t stress. I’ve learned that donut holes just have a mind of their own, and we’re NOT going to let their stubborn tendencies ruin our day.
Glazing donut holes
When it comes to glazing donut holes, forget the one-by-one pampered treatment.
I toss them all in the bowl with the glaze until evenly covered and then transfer them to a wire rack.
So there you have it!
Homemade donuts. And not just any homemade donuts. The BEST homemade glazed donuts on the planet.
Other than some day possibly posting a spudnut (potato donut) recipe like the ones my mom made all the time growing up, I can’t see myself ever relying on another homemade donut recipe.
These are my family’s favorite donuts.
They beg for them (my daughter just had a birthday and wanted a cake made out of stacked homemade donuts instead of a birthday cake), and my 14-year old has started asking for a portion of the dough so he can perfect The Perfect Jelly Donut. He’s close. My floor is also very sticky.
Let me know any questions you might have!
I’m happy to troubleshoot issues or comments or concerns (except for the ones that tell me donuts aren’t healthy – noted!). 🙂
Feel free to experiment with different glazes and frostings. Chocolate frosted donut with sprinkles, I’m looking at you!
Most of all, have fun with the homemade donut making process.
If your donuts don’t come out looking picture perfect, that means you are doing just fine! Perfection is highly annoying anyway. And it just means you have a reason to make them again…and again…and again!
One Year Ago: Amazing Instant Pot Creamy “Baked” Ziti
Two Years Ago: Double Chocolate Salted Caramel Muffins
Three Years Ago: Instant Pot Indian Vegetable Rice
Four Years Ago: Amazing Cinnamon Chip Scones {Best Basic Scone Recipe}
Five Years Ago: Amazing Key Lime Cheesecake
Six Years Ago: Oatmeal Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars
Seven Years Ago: Creamy Tuscan Pasta Sauce {Quick 20-Minute Dinner}
Eight Years Ago: Crab and Goat Cheese Ravioli
The Best Homemade Glazed Donuts
Ingredients
Donuts:
- 7 cups (994 g) all-purpose flour (see updated note!)
- ¾ cup (159 g) granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons instant yeast (see note for active dry yeast)
- 2 cups cold milk, I use 2%
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- ¾ cup (170 g) salted butter, cut into tablespoon-size pieces and softened to room temp
- 2 to 3 quarts vegetable oil, for frying
Glaze:
- 6 cups (684 g) powdered sugar
- ¾ cup hot water (see note)
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch salt
Instructions
- In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, add the flour (see note!), sugar, yeast, milk, eggs and mix until combined. The dough will look a little shaggy, that’s ok. Add the salt and continue mixing until well combined and the texture looks fairly smooth, 2-3 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes.
- With the mixer running on medium low, add the butter a piece at a time until all the butter has been added and is incorporated into the dough. The dough will have softened considerably and may be sticking to the middle or sides of the bowl. Scrape down the middle and sides as needed.
- Knead the dough on medium speed for 10-12 minutes. Start the kneading time after the last of the butter has been added. The dough will be very sticky but as it kneads, it should come together better. Scrape down the sides of the bowl if needed.
- You’ll know the dough is done mixing if you can pull up a handful and it stretches easily. It will be very soft. And it may even be sticking to the sides or middle a bit (depending on the mixer you have), but it shouldn’t leave very much residue on your fingers when you pull a handful up. If it is wet and sticky, add 1/4 cup more flour and mix for a few more minutes (resist the urge to add this flour if at all possible unless your dough is a sticky mess).
- Transfer the dough to a greased container. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours. The dough should double in the refrigerator. UPDATE: a lot of you have reported back that your dough didn’t rise much in the refrigerator overnight, but the donuts still turned out amazing – so if your dough doesn’t rise, don’t give up. Also, place your container of dough on a middle rack where it might not be as cold.
- Immediately out of the refrigerator, roll the chilled dough on a lightly greased countertop to about 1/4-inch thick (or slightly thicker). It should be about a 12X16-inch rectangle. Line half sheet pans with parchment paper and lightly grease the parchment.
- Cut the donuts and donut holes with a 3-inch donut cutter (with a 1-inch center) and place them on the prepared pans. Cut any excess dough into donut holes. Reroll scraps, if desired (donuts will be bumpier and not quite as tender – it helps to let the combined rerolled scraps rest for 15-20 minutes before rerolling to relax the gluten so the dough doesn’t spring back while rolling).
- Let the donuts rise, uncovered, until noticeably puffy. I warm my oven to 140 degrees. Turn it off and place the sheet pans of donuts inside to rise for 20 minutes or so. On the counter, it may take 1-2 hours for the donuts to rise.
- Place a double layer of paper towels on a half sheet pan.
- Heat oil in a heavy pot to at least 2-inches deep or in an electric deep fryer following the manufacturers directions to 350 degrees F (or 365 degrees for darker donuts).
- Gently pick up the puffy donuts so they don’t stretch and quickly place them in the hot oil (the bottoms of the risen donuts will be very soft from rising on the greased parchment; the donuts fry best with less air bubbles if they are placed in the oil SOFT SIDE UP). Don’t overcrowd the pot or the oil temperature will fall too quickly.
- Cook the donuts until golden brown on the bottom, about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Flip with tongs and continue cooking for another minute or so until golden. Lift the donuts out of the oil with the tongs, drain any excess oil, and transfer the cooked donuts to the paper towel lined baking sheet. (Donut holes should cook in about half the time)
- Let the oil come back to temperature before adding subsequent batches of donuts or donut holes.
- Prepare the glaze by whisking all the ingredients together until smooth. See the note below for thinning out the glaze. Place a wire cooling rack over a half sheet pan.
- Let the donuts cool until just warm to the touch before dipping fully in the glaze (if the donuts are too warm, the glaze will drip almost completely off). Place the glazed donuts on the wire rack so excess glaze can drip on the sheet pan below.
- For donut holes, I toss a couple dozen of them in the glaze at the same time, roll them around with my hands until evenly coated, and then transfer them to the wire rack.
- Once the glaze is set on the donuts, they can be transferred to a plate or other serving dish. The donuts are best served fresh but can be reheated the next day – a quick 12-15 second zap in the microwave has them tasting *mostly* fresh.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe (inspiration from many sources such as The Bread Ahead Cookbook – aff. link – America’s Test Kitchen, and many recipes found online)
Disclaimer: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
294 Comments on “The Best Homemade Glazed Donuts”
Hello in 2023 and from Norway! So i just made these yesterday/today. Here Are my thoughts.
1. this dough is amazing to work with! Love that.
2. i wish it tasted a bit more? Of what im not sure. But i might do some further research into spices of some sort. But still very delish!
3. i did freeze the leftovers as we ended up with hella more donuts than we thought. LOL. So i might remember to update if they freeze/unfreeze well.
As I am Norwegian we have slight differences in measurment, this is what i used.
* 994 g hvetemel
* 159 g sukker
* 2 1/4 ts gjær (søtbakst)
* 4-5dl melk
* 2 L (LARGE ikke liter) egg
* 1 ½ ts salt
* 170 g meieri smør, romtemp, i biter
* 2-3L olje nøytral
In case any other Norwegians is considering
I used all the flour, and 5DL 3,8% milk. (As we dont have 2%)
I mixed the yeast with milk because i honestly was not sure if it was ady or iy. Either way it worked out. I used a Kenwood machine, with the dough hook, worked very well. The dough rose great in the fridge as well. I used an cola glass and a buttercream tip/nozzle for the holes as i didnt have a donut cutter. It worked great as well.
Making and waiting for the dough, as well as frying seemed like a lot, and scary. But it really wasnt. Thanks for a great recipe, and also Hello from a new follower!
Forgot to leave a review!
Mel, I just have to tell you that it’s been a tradition on my kids’ birthdays to make them donuts. This has become THE birthday donut recipe! It’s so perfect because we do a mix of apple fritters, donut holes and standard donuts (some with vanilla glaze and some chocolate). With the master recipe you can end up with such a variety and they are DELICIOUS!!!!
I love my Bosch
Hoping someone might see this and give me some guidance. My littlest guy is turning 10 on the 21st and he loves doughnuts almost more than he loves me! I want to make a gigantic doughnut for his cake, and I don’t want it to be a doughnut shaped cake. Do you think I could make a huge doughnut using this recipe? I’m just not sure how long it would take to fry up, any suggestions? Thanks to anyone who might see this and have some ideas!
They look delicious and it looked like it worked really well! It just tastes a bit more cakey than donut. How can I fix that for next time? Thanks!
Absolutely fantastic! I used a kitchenaid and had no issues! Just make sure you fluff your flour before you measure and knead it for the amount prescribed. These were the fluffiest, lightest, homemade donuts I’ve ever made (or eaten)!
I was definitely a skeptic. I bake all the time and go through Sam’s Club yeast packs in a couple of months. I looked through lots of recipes and when I saw that I could make the dough and leave it in the fridge overnight I was sold. Then I saw that you used a Bosch mixer and was super excited! I feel like most people don’t know they exist. Iactually have both a Bosch and large kitchen aid and have specific things I like to use each for.
So onto the recipe. I have made these twice now. The whole dough making process is so stinking easy and it by far the most beautiful dough I’ve every made! I had to resist the urge to sit and play with it. The only modifications I made is using unsalted butter and compensating for the extra salt and I use whole milk. Otherwise I followed your recipe to a T. The first time my dough didn’t rise at all in the fridge, but it rolled out beautifully and puffed up some with an hour rest on the counter. They fried up beautifully and everyone raved over them. I made them for my husband for Father’s Day since warm Krispy Kreme glazed donuts are his favorite and the closest shop is a 40 minute drive. I shared a dozen with my Dad and brothers and sisters as well and there were complaints that there were barely any apple fritters. While I was still frying the donuts my husband was inquiring about the next time I could make more.
So I just used this for the second time. This time I doubled to l the recipe and got a little braver. All my experience with yeast is that it needs time to be active and throwing the dough straight into the fridge without letting it start working might keep it from doing its job in the fridge. This time I let the dough rest on the counter top for 30 minutes before putting it in the fridge. While it didn’t double, the dough did rise in the fridge this time. It still comes out of the fridge very stiff but it rolls easily, cuts beautifully, and puffed up perfectly! I fry mine in olive oil in an electric skillet and everything goes so smoothly. I cut mine more spaced out intentionally allowing for more apple fritters to be made. I even cut a dozen into hearts and filled them with raspberry preserves. Everything came out even better this time. Even with a double batch only one dozen of the plain glazed were left at the end of the day. I wish I could leave a photo with this so you could see how beautiful they are!
Thank you so much for such a wonderful recipe! We’ve already planned our next donut day.
Wanted to check in quickly and say that I made these in my KitchenAide mixer yesterday and they turned out perfectly. The dough was definitely different than anything I’ve ever made before, very stiff and difficult to mix at first, but I trusted the process and all turned out beautifully. One of the most exciting baking experiences I’ve had in a long time…it was like magic for our whole family to watch them rise, then fry up and then be so unbelievably light and delicious. Such a treat!! Thank you.
Simply the gold standard in doughnuts. I added a teaspoon of Buttery Sweet Dough flavoring to my liquid ingredients and it completely replicated the bakery flavor that I love and long for so much. I’m in China and tasting these light ethereal doughnuts made me miss home a little less.
Thanks for this recipe. You are a superstar.
These are truly amazing! We are so excited to have this recipe that actually produces what we expected… a warm, soft, raised donut like the Krispy Kreme right off the belt in the factory. I did make the fritters as well and I’m torn between the two- they are equally delicious. This is my first time with this recipe so I did learn some things as I went along. I have a kitchen aid mixer and I was close to the actual grams in flower but didn’t use all of it- maybe 1/2 cup shy. So I do agree that if you use a kitchen aid you may use less flour. I halved the recipe and this is not a problem, however I still ended up with 20 donuts and 5 fritters! I think I may have rolled my dough too thin, but it didn’t seem to effect the final result. I also did not get much rise in my dough overnight in the frig, despite the fact that I turned up my frig to 40- again this didn’t seem to effect the result. I didn’t have a donut cutter, so I used an Easter egg cookie cutter. I was glad I did- who needs a hole anyway. Now I can fill a few if I like. I found that flipping the donuts during the fry time made for a more rounded appearance. I hope that anyone reading this will see that this recipe is quite forgiving and adaptable and so no need to be intimidated Husband ate 9 immediately so obviously this one is a keeper!! Thanks Mel!
Just wanted to clarify…flipping during frying- I meant flipping a few times rather than just once
Mel…question… I keep a sourdough starter in my frig. Any suggestions on how to use in this recipe? I’d love to try a sourdough version.
Thanks again!!
Hi Shoby – worth a try! When I use sourdough discard in dough recipes, for every cup of sourdough starter I use, I decrease the flour by 1/2 cup and the liquid by 1/2 cup.
7 cups of King Arthur flour is 840g! Maybe the weight measurement is what’s throwing some people off. My dough is a very stiff mass right now. I will stick this dough in the fridge to see how it comes out but am going to start all over again starting at 5 cups of flour by weight and only increasing up to 840g max if necessary.
I don’t use the same grams-per-cup of flour that King Arthur Flour uses to test their recipes. I use 142 grams per cup (for flour) – different sources use varying weights of flour per cup. America’s Test Kitchen uses closer to the 140-145 grams per cup and I find that works better for me and that’s how I test my recipes. It’s totally ok to try decreasing the flour in this recipe, but I just wanted to make sure to clarify the flour weight. 🙂
Great donut recipe!!! Light, fluffy the doughnut plain is even good. Bad recipes in the past..so glade I started researching and found this one. These doughnuts are 110% better than the last ones. Thank you for sharing.
Update,
Needed an additional 1/2 cup flour.
Still not sure what the purpose of placing the dough in the fridge overnight. The butter solidified therefore I had zero rise.
I immediately formed the donuts once out of the fridge.
I then placed them in the oven with light on. After three and a half hours I achieved a decent rise. For best results, I fried at 325°. The donuts turned out extremely light with a fluffy interior and a slight crisp to the exterior. Awesome flavor and texture can’t wait to try again.
3/4 cups of butter will solidify in the fridge.
There will be no rise regardless what shelf it’s placed on. My dough came out of the fridge firm just as a laminate dough would.
Awesome recipe! It is possible to do it all by hands of someone is wondering. Lots of kneading but totally worth it! You’ll have to knead the butter into the dough until the right constancy Thank you!!
Just made these and they are delicious!
If I wanted to make them ahead of time for a party do they store well? And if so what’s the best way to store them-refrigerator, on counter? Any tips would be appreciated!
I think these are best eaten within an hour of making – day old (or older) donuts usually aren’t that great and it’s hard to reheat them so they taste fresh again.
Made this recipe but because I don’t care for sweet donut dough, decreased the sugar. With regard to donuts not rising well, decreasing sugar might help. Then refrain from frying until an indent remains in the shaped donut. Fried in peanut oil 2 minutes each side, flipped again and fried 30 seconds each side. Ideal temp was 310F.
Just made these for Chanuka and they are amazing!!! Melt in your mouth delicious. My family is devouring them. Thank u!
As we were frying these, we did some in oil and some in the air fryer. The ones in the air fryer definitely had a more cakey texture but were still delicious! For the air fryer, 5 minutes at 350 degrees seemed to be our best bet.
Thanks for posting this. I’m going to try them this way.
I finally made these for the first time last night (well, made the dough two nights ago and finished them last night). Hands down the best homemade donut I’ve ever had. I followed the directions pretty exactly since it was my first time and I’m glad I did. Mine turned out just slightly darker than yours, but I blame my husband. He insisted on turning the pan higher than 350 – closer to 400 because the temperature of the oil would drop when the dough was put in. They still turned out great, and I love my husband so much, but I don’t always love cooking with him! I am a recipe follower and he is not. Alas, even being a little dark, the texture was amazingly soft and yummy.
So- I made these yesterday and I was pleasantly surprised but I do have a bit of info for those of you using kitchen aid mixers. I noticed that unlike the center kneading mixers, ours don’t grab the bottom of the bowl nearly as well. They also suggest 3-5 speed setting for the dough hook. This leads to SEVERELY under kneaded (hope that’s the right way to say it) dough. I used the weight measurement for the full 7 cups and after it was all mixed in together- I did the 12 minutes on medium speed, to no avail. I scraped the dough up, flipped it over, then cranked it up to 12 and held on for dear life. It was like a wild bull ride. It bucked and bucked…. But after about 5 minutes of this, I got the stretchiest most luscious dough I’ve ever made. I kid you not these puppies fluffed up mega big in the fridge too!!!! When they were cooked they were HUGE!!!! So soft, so chewy! Oh wow!
Worth noting: I added a sprinkle of nutmeg to the dough, and I used bread flour. Not as light and melty as a Krispy Kreme for sure, but it was a very very lovely donut shop donut! Everyone’s begging me to make more!! It’s chewy and soft- not super dense! It’s wonderful!
Thank you so much for your helpful comment, Holly. I’m so ready to strangle my kitchenaid for that very reason, but instead I’ll give it one more chance following your tips. God bless.
Hi, do you think I can use wheaten starch + soy flour instead some amount of flour? Have you tried already? I think it should be even more delicious and melting in the mounth . But I dont know how much to use… thank you 🙂
I haven’t tried that, sorry!
I had a similar roly poly problem with cake donut holes. Once they’ve been in the oil for 60 seconds or so, and won’t stay flipped, you can use a spider to hold them under in the oil. Worked great.
I can’t wait to try your recipe.
This is a great recipe thanks for sharing. And they came out great, so delicious! I made two small adjustments, I add about two tbsp more sugar because I like a sweet dough. And I added an extra 1/2 tsp of yeast. I used my bread machine, and I let the dough rise in the refrigerator to double it’s size. The shaped donuts also doubled in size for the second rise. Everything came out just like you described. Thanks
Made these today, despite dough not rising at all overnight they were amazing! My only issue was the oil getting too hot (used a pot) and burning the last batch or 2? Any tips for preventing this? Thank you! Also – is the degree number for rising in the oven Fahrenheit as it doesn’t specify?
Yes, it is Fahrenheit. What kind of pot/pan are you using to heat the oil? Stainless or cast iron or something else?
I can’t believe it, but my donuts turned out the first time I made them! I have a Kitchen Aid, so I started out with 5 1/4 c of flour like the notes said, but I ended up having to add another cup and a half or so. So next time, I will just use the 7 c of flour the recipe recommends. Also, the dough rises a lot in the fridge, so don’t put it in too small of a container! My dough popped the lid off the container.
Hi Mel! I’ve made this recipe a few times, including the apple fritters with scraps and they are delicious and the dough is a dream to work with. I love the butter add at the end. I had a bit of an epiphany last night – have you tried using this dough for anything other than donuts? I’d like to try them as cinnamon rolls or as a base for a cinnamon chip bread (desperately seeking a recipe similar to what my kids used to get at Great Harvest when we lived close to one).
I did a brief search online and found that this type of dough is close to what would make a brioche loaf. I am going to move forward with my experimentation but I thought I’d check in with you to see if you’ve gone before me in this endeavor. 🙂
I’m new to your blog and I have enjoyed spending my limited free time scrolling through and finding new recipes to try. Thank you for your hard work and attention to detail in descriptions (also gram measurements!).
Hi Maggie! Fantastic idea to use this dough as something other than donuts! I haven’t tried it, but I love the idea. If you have time and can report back, I’d love to know how it goes!
This recipe is AMAZING! The donut dough was one of the best doughs that I have ever worked with. The donuts rose beautifully and fried up perfectly. I topped some of mine with maple glaze, some with a chocolate glaze, and some with cinnamon sugar. I also saved one so that I could make an ‘Everything’ donut, which is pretty much a donut topped with everything bagel seasoning and filled with herb and garlic cream cheese. SO delicious! Another GREAT recipe Mel!
I was wondering about the instant yeast measurement in your recipe. It says 1 1/2 teaspoons. A package of yeast it 2 1/4 teaspoons. Do I really only need 1 1/2 teaspoons of yeast for 7 cups of flour?
I use 1 1/2 teaspoons for the recipe. You could try using more to see how it works, but I haven’t tried it with an increased amount of yeast.
This recipe has a slow long ferment period, which allows the smaller yeast quantity to do its work … usually more yeast is used for a quick ferment ….
Hi Mel
Just finished making these and they turned out great! The only problem I had was after the donuts were cut and risen, transferring them to the oil proved to be problematic. They deflated wherever I tried to pick them up. Same thing when I tried scooping them with a spatula. Any ideas why and how to avoid it in the future?
Hi Kelly, that could happen if the doughnuts have over risen (the longer they rise, the more fragile they’ll be as they’re moved).
You know these were a hit when you make them for friends and they say “These are better than Tim Horton’s donuts!” haha! Thank you from Canada, for this amazing recipe!
Also, I fried these in coconut oil and they turned out delicious!
I was looking for a recipe for Baked, not fried, donuts and my friend left your website as where she found it. If you do have a recipe for baked ones would you please send it to me in my e-mail. tinab710@verizon.net. Thank you.
Donuts turned out!!!!!!
Hi Mel!
I have a 7-qt KitchenAid mixer and I have a large bread maker with a dough setting. Do you think the bread maker would be able to handle the dough better than the KA? Thanks in advance for any input!
I don’t have a bread maker so I’m not sure (since I don’t know the capacity or how it handles doughs like this). I’m sorry I’m not more help! I think others have used a kitchen aid with good results but it might be worth a try in the bread maker.
Initially, my dough would not rise AT ALL. Not in the fridge, or the counter, or after I had cut them and let them sit in a warm place for an hour-nothing! Saddened by my lack of success, I decided to cook them anyway. And I was floored to see them puff up and cook both in a matter of seconds in the oil! After I picked my jaw off the floor, and resumed cooking donuts I realized that these were a game changer. So perfectly perfect and chewy… and drool…. i sampled way too many, and now I have heartburn, but it was so worth it. Thank you Thank you Thank you
Thank you so much for this recipe!! I have tried several other donut recipes and this one has been THE BEST!!! The last time I made them, I used a blueberry glaze that was amazing. Thanks again Mel!!
These are amazing! I followed the recipe exactly and had a great rise and fabulous donuts! Thanks so much!
Hi there mel, please tell me how much in metric measurements is 12 tblsp of butter?
Thank you
14 gram per tbsp
Hi from Malaysia! I’d love to try this recipe and wanted to ask which brand of all purpose flour You used, from my understanding different brands have varying protein contents which may affect dough consistency and just wanted to be sure before I try. Thank you for all your fantastic tips
I use a brand from Costco called Natural Way Mills.
Can these be made in an air fryer instead of deep frying in oil?
I haven’t tried that, but you could experiment!
Mel, thank you for this wonderful recipe. It was 0522 CST when I was done DONE. The chewy factor was on point as well as the lovely crunch when I bit into them. I can’t wait for my husband to get home and try one. Before he left for work at 0130 I made him smell the bowl of raw dough as a tease ;). I’m so mean like that. Ha!
I do have a suggestion for the folks with large hands like myself. Keep in mind of the size of the tool you will be using if you don’t have a proper donut cutter round and are searching the kitchen for what will work. I often forget about my man-sized hands until I go to put the food in my mouth. I used the top of a vintage percolator pot and a napkin ring. The size felt SO right in my hands but by golly I have some mammoth sized donut holes that I had to unhinge my jaw to pop into my mouth! Eh, go big or go home. 🙂
These are ridiculously good. Even the apple fritter was amazing and has a nice crunch to it similar to a professional donut shop. For those using metric measurements, the following worked well with a KitchenAid:
1000g all-purpose flour
, 160g granulated sugar,
7.5 g instant yeast,
480ml cold milk,
2 large eggs,
7.5g salt,
175g salted butter. Thanks Mel! Note: For a chocolate glaze, I used Josh Weissman’s recipe: 175g powdered sugar, 26g cocoa powder,
pinch salt,
~2tbsp water until you get the desired consistency.
My dough seemed to fit your description in the directions, but my doughnuts absorbed so much oil when I cooked them. Any idea what I did wrong? Could that be from the dough being too soft? It was a bummer because the ones in your picture look so fluffy in the middle.
Usually if that’s happening it’s because the temperature of the oil is too low…if it takes the donuts too long to cook, they’ll absorb quite a bit of oil.
Thank you so very much! My family really enjoyed this excellent recipe. The donuts, apple fritters, and glaze were fantastic.
OK, I commented a few months ago when we first made these, have made them 3 more times since. So good and my son’s favorite. Apple fritters are my favorite. Oh, and we now skip the glaze and dunk them in cinnamon sugar instead…so good! And my 11 year old made the dough by himself this morning and we fried up just now, almost too easy (not helping the quarantine weight I put on come off!).
Looks Great.
Regarding scraps: (I have not actually tried this with donuts)
If you use a hexagonal (6 sided) biscuit or cookie cutter you will avoid most scrap. (Between rising and puffing when rising I think that the corner will round out some.)
If you need lots of donut holes, i suspect 3/4″ or one inch squares might work just as well.
What would happen if I used buttermilk instead of regular milk? It’s all I have and it’s too late to go to the grocery store. 😀
I haven’t tried that so I’m not sure, I’m sorry! I would hope it would work but I don’t want to say for sure and have you waste ingredients.
Bless you for including the apple fritter recipe! The donuts were fantastic, but I have been looking for years for an apple fritter recipe like the bakery. Who knew it was as simple as donut scraps! Fantastic!!!
As for your donut hole conundrum, if you are using your deep fryer put the donut holes in the oil and put you basket on top of them to hold them submerged under the oil. They cook evenly all around, no fuss, no muss. This is how we do corn dogs in our food truck, corn dogs in one basket, other basket on top.
This is brilliant, Kelly! THANK YOU!
Hello, I can’t wait to try this recipe it sounds great! I was just wondering if I don’t have a stand mixer can I mix the dough by hand? Thank you !
You could definitely try – I think this dough will be a bit hard to make by hand because of the butter mixed in at the end.
Thank you! Making donuts was on my kids summer bucket list. I have never made donuts before but they turned out great. I used a kitchen aid with 6 1/4 cups flour.
Thanks, Kim – fun summer activity!
Father’s Day donuts were a huge hit yesterday. Thanks! My apple fritters fell apart, but they were still tasty!
Also, I have a Kitchenaid, so I tried to be cautious with the flour. I only used 6 cups at first (weighed) and the dough was pretty stiff before incorporating the butter. Afterwards it was super loose so I ended up adding the full 7th cup. It was still pretty sticky and not very stretchy after a long period of kneading, but my mixer was burning up, so I called it good and put it in the fridge. Donuts turned out tasty, but I do wonder if they would have been more tender with less flour. Guess I’ll have to make them again…
Whoa, Mel. These are good.
I just read the comments and thought I’d give more info. I live at 4500 ft above sea level and used my Bosch for this recipe. The dough was very soft and sticky when I mixed it. In the morning it had not risen much at all and was stiff, almost like a cold cookie dough mixture. It rolled out perfectly and cut up perfectly too. I let the donuts rise in the oven at 170* and they didn’t rise much but got very soft; next time I’m trying the parchment squares trick. They puffed up perfectly when frying. I was afraid the glaze would taste raw but it was awesome. The apple fritters were soooo good. And the trick to donut holes is to gently stir them the entire time. They’re precious like that.
Thanks for the additional info, Rebecca! And your final sentence made me laugh out loud. (Although, good tip).
Hi Mel,
I have to make cinnamon twists for a family function tomorrow. This dough looks amazing…do you think I’d be able to use this dough? If you had to gamble?
It’s worth a try – I’ve never baked the dough – so I’m not sure how they’d fare. Report back if you try it!
Hi! I tried making these yesterday and even though my butter was softened it never worked itself in to the dough. I was left with chunks of butter… any suggestions?
Hi Angela – hmmm, maybe try softening the butter even more – how long did you let the dough knead/mix?
Thanks for the response! The butter was plenty soft. I think it was actually an error on the flour measurement. I was WAY under on flour so it was too much liquid and hence there wasn’t anything to apply pressure to the butter. I redid it today and it was beautiful. Maybe a little too much flour, but time will tell :). As other readers have mentioned, it did overheat my kitchen aid – so I went ahead and ordered the Bosch mixer as I think it will be better for bread overall. THANK you so much for all of the great recipes. Every single one I have tried so far has been a huge hit in this house and with friends!!!
Thanks for the follow up to let me know, Angela! I hope the donuts work out – keep me posted! And I am SO excited about the Bosch!
I’ve only tried another donut recipe maybe once before but they were NOTHING compared to how awesome these were! Seriously SO delicious. They were definitely best fresh, as Mel mentions. We’ll try to eat them all right away next time 😉
A few notes for what worked for us: I weighed the flour but still ended up adding a scant 1/4 cup after kneading because it was super sticky. Didn’t rise hardly at all in the fridge but most of them puffed noticeably on the pan. Even the ones that didn’t puff great still turned out delicious.
One thing I’ll do differently next time is, instead of cutting them all and then laying them all out on the pan, I’ll cut then transfer each one to the pan right away. The dough warmed significantly while on the counter and they got really difficult to move neatly once they were warm-ish.
My apple fritters didn’t fry up as nicely as the donuts- I think they were too thick. Anyway, the donuts were perfection so I’m already planning on making them again. Although maybe next time I won’t go straight to a weight lifting class at the gym after filling my belly with them. Haha.
Do you have any other flavors you’ve made for the glaze? Or topping for them? Like a blueberry one? Or chocolate?
I haven’t yet, sorry!
I made these in my KitchenAid. I started with 5 cups of flour (well, I measured 25 oz with my scale) and then I gradually added flour during the 10-12 minutes of kneading (which I did on the second to lowest speed). This didn’t seem to stress the mixer motor at all. The dough didn’t rise much in the fridge, but it rose nicely after cutting the doughnuts and they turned out nice and fluffy! Oh, and I used active dry yeast according to your suggestion.
A tip for donut holes: my first try all but one would only stay on one side. My second batch of holes, I started flipping them as soon as I got all the dough in the oil, and I constantly flipped them. They turned out more evenly brown this way and less likely to keep flipping back to the same side.
Some of my fritters did not stay together well, somehow I missed the step of flattening them into a disc. Still yummy! I made apple fritters plus one pineapple fritter at the request of my son. Will be making this again! All the pictures you include help me so much in making sure I understand the directions correctly. Maybe next time you make fritters you could take some pictures to add to this post?
I will try to take some better pictures of the fritters!
I made these last night/this morning (using a KitchenAid) and had similar issues with the dough not rising much in the fridge, but the end result still turned out great. I never had the issue with the dough being too tough, but I was creating a 1/2 recipe and also used the suggestion of starting with a lower amount of flour and building up. I kept the mixer setting at 2 or lower throughout the process and gave the motor a break halfway through the kneading to avoid overheating. I don’t deep fry often, so I had some trouble regulating my oil temperature in my enameled dutch oven (but that is my issue, not the recipe!). Even though my first several donuts were VERY brown, they still tasted great to me. Even with the substitution of some milk, I didn’t love the flavor of the glaze (tasted soapy to me), so that’s something I’ll probably research to try a different version in the future. *I also second the recommendation of cutting individual squares of parchment paper for each donut, which makes it super easy to gently lower each into the oil without deflation.
Thanks for the review, Amelia!
Amelia make sure you are using real vanilla for the glaze, that should help! Imitation can do in a pinch for baking, but in frostings and glazes the difference in flavor is significant
I adore your recipes and your website. I’m a junior high school cooking teacher and I use your recipes ALL of the TIME. If you ask my students, they would tell you I am your biggest fan. It is my dream to have you come and cook with all my students someday–haha! I was making these donuts and I also came out with really dense dough as well–I used a scale to measure the flour and sugar. I wasn’t sure what I had done but I looked up how many ounces equal 7 cups of flour and it says 30.86 ounces. I am wondering if that is why people are having a hard time with the dough–the ounces are not on…
Just a thought…
Hi Natalie, thanks for the comment and feedback! I bow down to you for being willing to teach junior high kids to cook – you are amazing! And they are super lucky to have someone so invested and excited! Ok, about the flour…it really depends on where/who you consult for flour measurements. I have always used 5 ounces/per cup of flour for the recipes on my site (similar to America’s Test Kitchen/Cook’s Illustrated). Other online sources (like King Arthur Flour and a couple other baking blogs) use 4 ounces per cup of flour. There’s no one accepted standard by the “experts” out there, but if a recipe provides weight measures, I always recommend using the weight measures given in that particular recipe vs converting them to another weight measure especially if the recipe has been tested with the weight measures given (does that make sense?).
Having said that, so many people have made this particular recipe with the weight measures given and ended up with a soft, stretchy, supple dough (some people have even had to add extra flour so it isn’t too sticky) and many others have made it with the same weight measures and ended up with a dense dough. Even though I know other factors can be at play with homemade yeast doughs (like humidity and elevation), it’s definitely baffled me! Do you happen to live at high elevation? Also, what kind of mixer are you using?
I definitely think the key to this recipe is starting with a slightly lesser amount of flour, no matter the mixer you are using, and working up until the dough is soft. Ultimately, were you able to use the dough? Did the donuts turn out? I’m super happy and willing to help troubleshoot!
I adore your recipes and your website. I’m a cooking teacher and I use your recipes ALL of the TIME. It is my dream to have you come and cook with all my students someday–haha! I was making these donuts and I came out with really dense dough as well–I used a scale to measure the flour and sugar. I wasn’t sure what I had done but I looked up how many ounces are in 7 cups of flour and it says 30.86 ounces. I am wondering if that is why people are having a hard time with the dough–the ounces are not on…
Just a thought…
I finally got to make these. Like others, mine did not rise. At all. at 8000ft altitude this is not a problem I’ve ever had before. Usually we rise double what everyone else does. After reading the comments I went ahead and cooked them. They were good. Not as light and fluffy as they probably should have been, but not a bagel either. I’ll make them again and watch the flour better next time and see if we can improve. Oh, I also had to lower the oil temp to just over 300. Again, probably the altitude.
Thanks for the comment and review! I definitely think elevation is playing a big factor into how much flour to add (and the rising). Did they rise at all after cutting?
Thanks so much for this recipe! Twice in one week, so I’d say easy enough and so good. My son has been asking to make donuts and Friday was his birthday so this was perfect timing. Just as you wrote on Friday – about 13 donuts, 35 donut holes and some apple fritters. Today half batch just to make apple fritters (love all the little fried bits stuck together – yummy!). First time dough was drier (you said it’d be really soft, it wasn’t) than I thought but that made it really easy to use and tasted perfect. Second time didn’t really rise, but I’d read all the other comments, so went with it, and this dough was softer and stickier by the time it went into the fryer. Both ways turned out find and delicious! I know this won’t be the last time we make these!!!!
Thanks for letting me know how they turned out, Alyssa! Every review is helpful!
So So good!! I live in Utah and have a kitchen aid. I started with 5 cups of flour but probably ended up adding another cup or so by the time I finished the dough. Thanks for such a fun and delicious baking project!
Reviews like this are so helpful – thank you, Sarah!
I cheated on the rising time, but the donuts still puffed up nicely. They were a huge success, and the fritters were a stroke of genius! We frosted some of them with chocolate frosting and maple frosting, too. Thanks for another amazing recipe!
Thank you so much, Lynn!!
We made these for Mother’s Day and they were amazing! I don’t think mine rose enough, but they were still delicious. I especially loved the apple fritters! Thanks for another great recipe Mel!!
Thanks for the review, Julie!
These were amazing! We used to make donuts with my Dad every Christmas Eve, but they never turned out this good! As I am dairy free, I made it with almond milk and a dairy-free butter, and it worked beautifully!
Thanks for the dairy free notes, Rachel!
I halved the recipe and it totally broke my KitchenAid! My husband had to take it apart and it still isn’t the same. It will turn one rotation then freeze.
With that being said, I finished the mixing by hand and it still yielded a beautiful dough! I’m currently waiting for the second rise to complete so I can fry them up! *I actually made 2 half batches-(the second batch all done by hand ) but the first is made with almond milk and margarine for my daughter who can’t eat dairy. I’ll come back and report how they compare! ♥️
I’m glad the margarine and almond milk version worked out. Sorry to hear about your KitchenAid!
Great recipe Mel! I have a kitchen-aid stand mixer and followed your special instructions for it and it turned out really well! The 12 minutes of kneading seemed like a long time (and I actually stopped my mixer for a bit halfway because I was concerned about overheating) but the result was amazing. I made apple fritters out of the extras and they were also fantastic — hard to decide which I preferred more!
I like how big the recipe is too: the way I see it is if I am going to heat up a big pot of oil I might as well go all out and fry a ton of donuts. I was able to drop off some extras for my mother (from a safe social distance) as a pre-Mother’s day treat. She liked them too!
I am definitely planning to make again but I think I might want to change the glaze up: I am a big fan of honey dipped glazes. I am also thinking of switching the apple for rhubarb as we enter rhubarb season-I have tried that before for other apple fritter recipes in the past and the result is quite tasty.
Oh wow, a rhubarb fritter sounds incredible! And thanks for adding your review with details about making the dough in a KitchenAid mixer – super helpful for those that have one. Thanks so much, James!
The almond milk and margarine substitutes worked beautifully!
this… is brilliantly written and I can’t wait to try them. I’m so thankful I’m not the only one with the rogue donut holes… ALWAYS.. There are always ones that go rogue and won’t flip so you focus on trying to get that dern thing to stay planted where you flipped him only to have him defiantly flip to the other side like a rebellious toddler! 🙂
Haha, the way you describe it is EXACTLY my experience! 🙂
For those wondering about a chocolate frosting, we slathered Nutella on top and it was delicious!!
I made a half batch of these for my husband and I, and they were incredible! I was nervous about the dough because it didn’t seem to rise much overnight, but they turned out perfectly. Apple fritters are my all-time favorite donut, so I’m so glad you added that update! They were the best I’ve ever had!
Thank you, Melanie! I appreciate you taking the time to let me know!
I have been wanting to make donuts for quite some time now. I have researched and researched many recipes and finally came across yours that seemed so well balanced and not overly complex. I am so so happy to report this recipe was a HUGE success. It made 23 donuts, almost 60 donut holes and 4 apple fritters with the scraps. This dough is the most buttery and lucious dough I have ever felt. The donuts melted in your mouth. I gave them out to my friends and everyone was so impressed by my donut abilities and even compared them to the famous Krispy Kremes. Will definitely be making these again and will be trying different toppings next time! Thanks so much for such a wonderful recipe!
Thank you so much, Amanda! Thrilled you liked this recipe (and sounds like your friends made out pretty well too!)
I made these donuts last Friday on my day off and made apple fritters with the scraps. Needless to say, these are a family favorite now. Someone with little fingers changed the temperature on my freezer without me knowing, and the dough didn’t seem to rise as much as I thought it would above in the fridge. I figured out the temperature issue the next morning when I went to make scrambled eggs and my eggs were super congealed. Lol. Anyway, the dough still rolled out like a dream. And I was worried because they didn’t rise like your pictured, but I went ahead and they fried like a dream. I think my first batch of glaze was a little on the thick side because I ended up needing to make more for the fritters. No one complained, though. Thank you for the detailed directions!
Thank YOU, Heather, for the detailed review! It is so helpful!
Another excellent recipe! We followed the recipe to a T and it worked fabulously. I’m glad you included the note about resisting the urge to add more flour because after the rise in the refrigerator, the dough rolled out “like a dream” as you said. Thank you for always including the weights for measurements too; when I use those I never have to worry if I’ve measured correctly (especially with flour!). A common phrase at our house is “this is a Mel recipe” which is always a good thing.
You are the sweetest – thanks, Kim! I’m so happy these donuts worked out for you!
Hi Mel!
We tried these this weekend – it’s the first time I’ve tried fried donuts – and they turned out well. We tried both apple and raspberry fritters with the leftover dough and found that the raspberry did not do nearly as well as the apple – the raspberries tended to burn. A fun experiment for the weekend.
Thanks for the report, Holly!
I tried these and they were awesome!! My first attempt at donuts… My husband and 3 boys loved them. When I told my husband a couple of things I wanted to tweak, he said, “Don’t change them too much. They’re awesome!
Thank you Mel. You did it again!!
Haha, sounds like the feedback my husband usually gives me. Thanks, Melissa!
I feel like I’ve almost perfected these after my fourth try today! I have a question for Mel and 2 suggestions for others.
Question: my dough doesn’t rise at all in the fridge. It’s pretty much a cold brick. I’ve been rolling out immediately and they rise pretty well, but would there be advantage to letting the dough rise or at least warm up a little before rolling out?
Suggestion 1: The first 2 times I made these, I let the donuts rise on the counter rather than I the oven. The third time I did the oven rise because I didn’t have as much to me and WOW! What a difference! Today they also sat around on the counter after the oven rise (while I put my new electric dryer together) and they were even better!
Suggestion 2: I found this chocolate glaze recipe https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/chocolate-doughnut-glaze-recipe-1943022
We do half vanilla and half chocolate and love every bite!!
Hey Melissa! Thanks for the helpful review! We made these on Sunday/Monday so it’s fun to see others on the same donut wavelength. It’s so bizarre to me that some of you don’t have any rise in the dough overnight in the fridge. That is puzzling to me. My donut dough always doubles at least overnight – I don’t know if it’s fridge temperature or container or flour/yeast type or brand? Anyway, you could definitely let the dough come to room temperature before rolling especially if it hasn’t risen at all overnight. The one advantage to rolling it out cold is that you need less flour on the counter (and the dough just rolls out better slightly chilled – less messy). Thanks for sharing the chocolate glaze recipe!
Can you give more information , model # for your Bosch, I have a the Professional Kitchen Aid, I make lots of doughs for different recipes, I think i would prefer the Bosch.
Thank you in advance. Cannot wait to try your recipe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi Maria, here’s a post all about the Bosch (vs the KitchenAid): https://www.melskitchencafe.com/kitchenaid-vs-bosch-stand-mixer/
I tried making donuts before and told myself I would never try to make them again, because they did not turn out good. But when I saw this recipe I decided to give donuts one more shot. This recipe is amazing! The donuts turned out awesome. Definitely going to make this recipe again.
I am so, so happy to hear this, Hanna. WAY TO GO!
Mel, I would like to try this recipe, however, I always have half and half on hand, never milk. Do you think that would work or should I wait till I can get some milk?
Thanks
I think so – but I’d probably mix 2 parts half and half to 1 part water.
I just made these today and I used my 6 qt. kitchen aid mixer. I started with 5 cups of flour in the mixer as the dough came together I added 1/4 cup of flour at a time until I stopped at 6 1/2 cups.. I have tried many recipes but the donuts were never soft. It worked beautifully! Thanks!!!
Thank you for the review, especially using a Kitchen Aid!
I neglected to read the recipe all the way through and didn’t realize the overnight in the fridge part – so I let it just rise in a warm oven for 1.5 hours and they were fantastic. I did let them rise again as cut out donuts for about 20 minutes and then fried them – they were light and delicious. I also delivered them to various neighbors! Next time, I will try half the recipe.
That’s awesome, Holly!
What if it doesn’t rise in the fridge? Is there an ideal fridge temp? Do we have our fridge set too cold? It did literally nothing in the fridge overnight. I know the yeast isn’t bad because I used it successfully two days ago in another recipe. I used instant yeast.
Mine did the same thing! But I couldn’t just throw out the whole ball of dough so I kept going planning to just do a few and see how bad the texture ended up but it turned out perfectly! They puffed up only a little during the second rise but they fried up beautifully. Fluffy and delicious! Don’t throw in the towel!
Did you end up frying them, Jennifer? Sounds like the same thing happened to Amanda…but the donuts still cooked well. I’m honestly not sure why they wouldn’t rise unless the dough was too stiff. What was the texture of the dough when you refrigerated it?
These are unbelievable! I re-rolled the scraps, and while they were not as good as the “first cut donuts” they were still pretty darn good. My husband fried them in our turkey fryer in the garage which made it even better for me. 🙂
Thanks for the review, Michelle!
Made the dough last night and just pulled it out of the fridge to find it had not risen one bit! So bummed! It was the first use from a new pack of yeast so I’m testing that now and will try again when I know I have good yeast. Although I may have to get a new mixer first. I think it burnt out my kitchen aid motor. I literally had an ice pack over the motor while it was running because it got so hot. Lol. What I will do for donuts!!
So I couldn’t bring myself to just chuck the dough and decided to press on and at least cook a few. So glad I did! They are light and fluffy and delicious! I swear that dough did not rise overnight and seemed like a hefty hunk of chilled cookie dough when I pulled it out. It was sitting out while I tested my yeast (which was fine) so I rolled it, cut a few and stuck them in the warmed oven while I heated up a small pot of oil. They puffed slightly in the warm oven and fried up beautifully! Ended up cooking the whole batch and everybody loved them!
I appreciate you taking the time to check back in with an update, Amanda! I’m glad they worked out! Honestly not sure why the dough didn’t rise, but really glad the donuts were delicious. (What was the texture of your dough when you refrigerated it? Soft and easily able to pull up or more stiff?)
When I put the dough in the fridge it was pretty soft and pliable but when I got it out in the morning it was like dense, chilled cookie dough. It sat out for a little while before I decided to forge ahead so it rolled out fine and then they did rise a little in the warm oven. Really no clue. I make yeasty stuff all the time and even cinnamon rolls with a dough that rises overnight so I’m not a stranger to yeast doughs and never have issues. I am putting a Bosch mixer on my birthday list though.
Were the cooked donuts light and fluffy or not so much?
Yes! I was so surprised because I really was expecting them to be a bit dense at a minimum but they were delightfully soft and fluffy! My boys want to make more already and try to make filled ones. I think I’ll only make half the recipe though. My kitchen aid definitely struggled with that amount of dough.
Made these this morning and wasn’t sure if they were going to work out. I didn’t think they had risen all that much in the refrigerator overnight, and then they stuck like crazy to my greased countertop when I attempted to roll them out. I floured the counter and proceeded smoothly from there. Super delicious! I even tried the Instagram lady’s apple fritters with the scraps, and they were outstanding. Thanks for another decadent recipe, Mel!
A thought: My glaze tasted strongly like powdered sugar. Of course it would since that’s what’s in it, but I was wondering if you might know of a way to tone down that taste. It seems like donut shop glazes aren’t that raw tasting. I added the salt and vanilla; maybe I should have tried a little more. Or a squeeze of lemon maybe?
Oh, I see you answered someone else already about the powdered sugar taste in the glaze. I will try that next time:)
I’m glad these worked out so well, Angela – so appreciate you (and every one) who takes the time to comment to let me know!
Omg! This is trouble!!! These are delicious. I had to drive to my husband’s work and give some to them. They are healthcare workers and deserve treats! My son and I can’t stop eating these. I don’t think I can make them again during quarantine as I may be 400 lbs! Great and easy recipe!!!
Haha, I know what you mean! I made them this week and had to deliver them to front porches all over my community.
Guessing the answer is no, but can you use an air fryer for these?
I don’t have an air fryer, Michelle, so I’m not sure. Sorry!
Made these today and they are soooo gooood!! Followed your instructions to a T and also used your sisters idea of using the leftover dough to make apple fritters. Delicious!
Thanks, Emily! I tried the apple fritters yesterday too, and I agree – delicious!
I’m happy you tried the fritters, we never keep the holes always go for the fritters!
Hi! I’ve been looking for the perfect donut recipe and can’t wait to make these this week You mentioned heating the oil slowly in the pot to help the donuts cook evenly. Is there a certain temperature you recommend? Medium or Medium High?
Hi Katie – I’d probably set the stovetop temp to between medium-low and medium.
I feel like a donut rock star today. Thank you for your clear, easy to follow directions. They turned out perfect. The suggestion from a reader to mix the scraps up with cinnamon sugar and apples is brilliant. Super delicious.
Thanks for convincing me to try that, Tami!
when I first started making dough, it was not soft and sticky. Even after adding the butter. It was so tough. I ended up adding quite a bit more milk before it became the consistency of your pictures. Any idea what I did wrong? I am still making them and crossing my fingers they turn out.
Hey Jordan – sorry to hear that. How did you measure the flour? It sounds like the dough might have been a bit over floured.
Mine did this too! I didn’t didn’t use as much flour as the recipe calls for. It was so tough my Kitchenaid was over heating. So I’m not sure what to do! I had to throw mine out. It didn’t rise any overnight either.
Mine did this too! I had to stop my kitchenaid mixer and finish by hand 🙁 the dough has only been in the fridge 11 hours and it is still dense and hard and doesn’t look like it rose much overnight 🙁 hoping if I leave it in the fridge for another 8 hours or so it will rise more… then I will let it rise at room temp. I measured the flour accurately. I maybe I didn’t let the dough rest long enough before adding butter? I’ll be so sad if this doesn’t work, all that flour that was so hard to find right now wasted eek!
Sue, Tiffany and Michele – I’m so sorry to hear this! It’s honestly really baffling to me because the dough is so soft and smooth (almost verging on sticky) when I make it…I’ve made this recipe dozens of times. I’m using a Bosch mixer and not a Kitchen Aid mixer, but I don’t think that should be the issue. Do you mind sharing where you live? Are you at high elevation? I’m wondering if that might have something to do with it. Also, what size Kitchen Aid mixers are you using? I hate it when recipes don’t work – sorry this one has been troublesome.
I halved the recipe and allowed more rest time before adding the butter, kneaded for 14 minutes and the dough is much nicer this time…I’ll update tomorrow :). First batch tastes fine, just more dense than what it likely should be! I live on the south west coast of BC Canada on the Sunshine Coast.
Update: using the kitchen aid mixer 1/2 the recipe is a must! I split the recipe up into two batches, they both came out perfectly following the rest of the instructions to a T! Soooo soft and fluffy! I wish I could post a picture 🙂
Thanks for the update, Tiffany!
I was going to suggest you 1/2 the recipe. It sounds like the batch may have been too large for your KitchenAid. Also wanted to point out when mixing doughs with the KitchenAid one shouldn’t go higher than the 2 setting as the KitchenAid motor will be compromised (this is per KitchenAid’s recommendation)
Me too. Twice. I was cooking with my 5 year old daughter, so I thought maybe she put in too much flour. But the second time I measured 7 cups twice in a separate bowl just to make sure we got the flour right and it was super dry-nothing like a dough. I’ve made dozens of your recipes without any problems-but this one was a fail for me. I only read your recipe. I did not read the preamble-so If there are tips in the preamble, consider putting it in the recipe.
Same here 🙁
The dough is tough and dense and has been in my fridge for 14 hours already. It literally caused my kitchen aid to start burning up and my motor smelled so bad! I’ve had my kitchen aid for 15 years and never had a problem before! I was super careful about adding flour too. I think I might try to halve the recipe, but the kitchen aid really can’t handle this recipe as it is written. So bummed!
Can you bake them? We were going to use a different recipe to cook them, but we can’t find it.
You could definitely try but I don’t think they would have the same texture (they’d definitely be more “bready” in texture).
Can you make this 24 hours ahead of time? Or will the dough be a weird consistency after rising that long?
It’ll be fine! I wouldn’t let it rise any longer than 36-48 hours though.
WOW. I made these last night for my family – each of my five kids said, “These are the best doughnuts you have ever made!” The glaze tasted a little powdered sugary last night, but this morning the glaze tastes fine. If I can figure out the glaze, this recipe gives Krispy Kreme a run for their money! Thanks for being my go-to blog for any recipe I need! Love this recipe!
Thanks so much, Melissa! You could try adding half warm milk for half of the hot water for a creamier/less powder sugary tasting glaze.
Yay!!!! These donuts are awesome and my family is thrilled :). Thank you! Has anyone perfected maple frosting to mimic the maple bars frosting?
So happy to hear that, Rachel! I need to perfect a maple frosting. I’m hopeful it’s as simple as making the glaze slightly thicker and adding maple extract?
I make a powdered sugar glaze for cinnamon rolls and coffee cakes and always add maple extract and instant coffee to taste. Start small (1/2 tsp or so of each) and stir and add until you hit a flavor combination you love. Am planning to do the same to these donuts this weekend – can’t wait to try them!
These were, hands down, the best glazed donuts I’ve ever eaten. Thank you! (My kids said, “I donut know if I’ve had a better donut!” ) 🙂
Jana! This makes me so happy! You have no idea. Thank you for letting me know! Haha, your kids…
Hi Mel,
First, your food is wonderful. Your blog is my first go-to for any recipe. Thank you for sharing your talent!
Second, can the donut dough refrigerate for longer than one night (2, maybe 3)?
The longest I’ve let it go is a full 24 hours, but I’m guessing it’s probably good for a couple of days (probably no longer than two).
So so so good!!! Thank you for all your tips. They were very easy and delicious. New family favorite.
Thank you, Becky! So thrilled you made them so quickly – thanks for taking the time to let me know.
Seriously the BEST donuts!!
Yay! Thank you!
Do you have a good recipe for chocolate glaze?
These look
I’m making the donuts today and I’ll experiment with chocolate glazes and update the recipe!
These look so good! I want To make them for my daughter’s baptism this Saturday. Would they still be good if I make Them the night before? Should I wait To glaze them in the morning?! Thanks!
I think donuts are best fresh as can be – but having said that, we’ve eaten leftovers the next day and they’re still tasty. We like to warm them up slightly before eating. I think I would glaze them when you make them (not the next morning).
I just made a batch of doughnuts last week and now I’m anxious to try your recipe. It looks delicious! If I had my choice of any dessert or a yeast doughnut, I would take the doughnut every time!
One tip I used to get the doughnuts into the oil without stretching them too much is to cut little squares of waxed paper about the size of the cut doughnut while the dough is rising. and set aside. Once you have cut out the doughnuts, place each one on a square of the waxed paper to let them rise the last time. All you have to do is pick up a square of the paper with the doughnut and turn the doughnut out into the grease without touching it for frying. It’s a little more effort but saves the shape of the doughnut.
Thank you so much for this tip!
Looking for a sponsored link for that dough container…
Yes. I was curious about were to get that container too.
Hi Nikki and Ashley, I bought mine at a restaurant supply store here locally a long time ago. They’re quite a bit more expensive on Amazon! Yikes. The ones I have are similar to these ones – just as a point of reference. But if you scroll down to the bottom of this thread, several other people have included ideas/links on where to get them more affordably.
Orson Gygi sells them. Its a store in SLC, UT and you can shop online.
What kind of vegetable oil do you use?
I use the vegetable oil from Costco.
I’m sorry but I didn’t notice a guesstamant on how many donuts this recipe makes. Just curious approx. how many did you make not using the scraps.
It makes about 20 donuts (without rerolling the dough)
Don’t roll your dough twice, that dough is what is used to make apple fritters! Just add diced apples tossed in cinnamon and sugar to the dough. Delicious!!
Great idea!
We tried the apple fritters with the leftover dough. DIVINE BRILLIANT SO YUMMY. I liked them better than the doughnuts. Thank you for the wonderful suggestion.
Okay, you convinced me. Got to make these! But we are stuck at home and can’t have a party or eat this many ourselves! If I were to halve the recipe, any best guess as to how much yeast to use? I know yeast is one of those ingredients that doesn’t double, etc., easily.
I would use 3/4 teaspoon for a half batch. I think that should be fine!
These look amazing! I am wondering though…can you air fry them??
I’m not sure – sorry! I don’t own an air fryer so I haven’t tried.
Is it really 1.5 tsp yeast and not TBS? That’s 7 cups of flour, the ratio feels off to me.
Yes, it’s 1 1/2 teaspoons. It seems low but it’s the perfect amount for that overnight rise.
Hi and thank you for sharing!
I only have one question if I don’t have a stand mixer, can I nead the dough by hand?
Hi Adriana, unfortunately, I think this would be a hard dough to make by hand due to the kneading time (and adding the butter piece by piece).
I am SO excited! I just ordered a Bosch for my 14 year old bread making boy. (His name is Jackson.) It is supposed to arrive on Thursday. I know what we are going to make first! Yummy!!
How awesome is that?? What a lucky kid – and so cool that he loves to make bread!
Can you use this same recipe with an air fryer?
I don’t own an air fryer, so I’m not sure. Sorry!
I need to try these asap! Just wondering how you dispose of all the oil? Thanks!
Hi Lindy, I keep the oil (either in the deep fryer, well covered) or in an empty jug and reuse it once or twice before disposing of it. When I am ready to throw it out, I let it cool completely and pour it into a container with a lid (like a milk carton) and put it in the trash can.
Just a note…our local recycling/trash center has a place to dispose of oil. We use ours a few times, store in the original jug then take to recycling center.
Great! I’ll look in my area!
HOLY YUM!!!! I am going to attempt to make these with almond milk since we’ve got some people in our family that can’t tolerate cows milk.
Also. Have you ever tried these with wild yeast? I may also give that a whirl.
Thank you for sharing!!!
Haven’t tried with wild yeast – good luck if you do!
Can you let us know how the almond milk worked? I also tend to use almond milk instead of cows milk . Thanks!
FINALLY! this was the last recipe your site truly needed. Now I never ever need to go anywhere else for any kind of recipe
Haha…if there’s any other recipes I need to add, let me know! I love a good challenge/project.
My good friend hosts a donut party every Halloween. She makes something like 10-12 dozen donuts every year. Just wanted to offer a tip I learned from her: use an electric skillet to fry your donuts. Just make sure it’s deep enough for a couple of inches of oil.
Thanks, Amanda – that’s what my mom always used, too!
Mel, I’m so excited to try these! I showed my husband along with the fact the recipe is from”Mel” and he can’t wait for me to get it done! I’ve made your funeral cheesy potatoes so many times I know it by heart but we call them “crack potatoes” because they are so good and addicting! These donuts I’m sure will be just as good! Thanks for your tried and true recipes! Carol
You are so sweet and positive, Carol – THANK YOU!
Do you save the oil (mark the container) to use again for donuts or what?
Yes, I reuse the oil once or twice before tossing.
So excited to try these. I already stirred them together and rising in the fridge for tomorrow. Now I have to be creative and find something small enough to cut the center hole in the donuts since I don’t have a biscuit cutter that small.
Do you have large piping tips? Is so, you can use that!
Genius! Thank you for this comment.
I’m excited! Let me know how they turn out! You could fry them as full rounds and glaze them like that. Not a traditional “holey” donut, but hey, would still be yummy. (Or cut and cook in thinner strips, maybe?) or call a neighbor and see if they have a small cutter. 🙂
I’ve used a clean medicine cup with good results for the center hole! Look around for any tiny cup!
Great ideas, you guys!
What are your thoughts on peanut oil? I made doughnuts with vegetable oil but didn’t like the taste of the oil so I want to try frying in peanut oil.
I always fry with peanut oil. For me, the flavor is better and it doesn’t stink up my house like vegetable oil can.
Yes, peanut oil works great for frying!
Heavens to Mercotroid! I have been craving donuts something bad. It’s not even like I seek them out on a regular basis! I just want a classic Long John with maple glaze or a simple old fashioned. We have a local regional chain with fancy doughnuts and obnoxious names, they’ve even been doing porch delivery! But I like simple. Do I really need to find out if I can successfully make doughnuts? lol Albeit thankfully not instant gratification. So that helps. lol
I don’t seek them out either, Andrea, but man, I crave them bad sometimes (and I agree, simple all the way)
Does anyone know if this dough recipe will work well in an air fryer? I know the store-bought refrigerated biscuit dough donuts work well in there!
I don’t own an air fryer, so I don’t know – if someone tries it, I’d love to know how it worked out!
Oh my gosh! I was craving homemade doughnuts and decided to check your website to see if you had one. Lo and behold! You posted this glorious recipe! So excited to try this! Thanks.
Yay!
We have a potato donut recipe we make every year in the fall but I am excited to try yours. I use a tuna can with both ends cut out then use the small donut hole cutter for the inside. Works great! We also use the end of a round wooden spoon to flip them in the oil. Then they don’t get squished with the tongs. Our favorite glaze is using maple extract or almond extract. I also use some melted butter in the glaze. Almond flavoring is amazing! Thanks for the recipe!!
Thanks for the tips, Colleen!
Do you have a link to that red lidded dough rising container? I looked on amazon and your favorite things list…I’m happy to use an affiliate link! 🙂
Hi Emily! I bought mine at a restaurant supply store here locally a long time ago. They’re quite a bit more expensive on Amazon! Yikes. The ones I have are similar to these ones.
King Arthur Flour also sells some nice ones by mail.
Good to know – thanks, Beth!
This website called Restaurant Supply has them for $4.99 and the lid for $1.99… I don’t know what the shipping is though…
Just checked out that website. It would be over $19 to shop one container and lid, fyi.
So excited for this recipe! I made some homemade donuts a couple of weeks ago and was so excited when you posted that you were going to share a recipe for them! Can’t wait to make them.
Thanks, Sarah!
Thanks, thanks, thanks for this recipe Mel! I’ll be making them soon. It’s getting colder here so this is just what will get me through this quarantine! And omg your kids are so grown up, and they cook so much, love that! Have a great week.
Thank you so much, Paula!
I love donuts and will try this recipe. However, spudnuts have always been the best! When I was a little girl, my grandparents lived on Pearl street which was right behind the train depot in Boise. Across the street from my grandparent’s home was a house with an unattached garage. The owner of that house converted his home into a spudnut shop. When he was making those donuts, the neighborhood smelled wonderful! One time when we were outside playing, he brought over a bag of donuts for us. All I can say is YUMMY !
Oh wow, what a GREAT memory!! Spudnuts are amazing. My mom made them all the time growing up, and I’ll definitely post about those some day!
Hi Mel, thank you for posting this donut recipe, I am definitely going to make it very soon. Yes I look forward of seeing your Spudnuts recipe soon
Thanks, Norma!
Thank you for taking the time to perfect this recipe. My hubby and boys love donuts. I think I’m going to attempt making them with whole wheat flour sometime this week.
Let me know how it goes!
We are a spudnut family. We make them every Halloween. One trick we use to glaze our doughnuts is to use a wooden spoon handle to slide through the hole to flip them, then after both sides are glazed we keep them on the spoon, rest the spoon on the sides of the bowl (so the doughnut is suspended over the glaze in the bowl) and let the excess glaze drip back into the bowl. (We usually have two wooden spoons so one is flipping and one has lots of dripping doughnuts on it.) Happy doughnut making!
Cool idea and trick with the wooden spoon, Jessica! Thanks for sharing!
Does the day percentage of milk make a difference?? We are making these next weekend for sure
Hey Bryn, I always use 2% – that’s what the recipe is tested with (I’ll add that info to the recipe). I’m guessing any type of milk would work, although I hesitate to recommend skim. I think the dough needs some milkfat.
Thank you for your reply. We always have skim and almond milk on hand so I always make sure to check. Donuts are certainly a good justification to add 2% to our pick up order! Hope you (and all your readers) are doing well.
Thanks, Bryn! You, too!
Yum. I already have an amazing donut recipe, I mug need to make both and compare them!
I want to live with you!
haha. Trust me, you don’t! I’m grumpy today.
These look so delicious! Thanks for posting! We always go out for donuts after church and now I want to continue the tradition quarantine style with homemade donuts. Question- I only have a handheld mixer will that work okay?
Hey Jana, honestly, I’m not sure. I want to say yes, because homemade donuts should be accessible to all! 🙂 But this recipe will probably be best with a stand mixer because it requires a longer kneading time.
My husband loves chocolate glazed donuts. Do you happen to have a good recipe for a chocolate glaze?
I don’t have a perfect one yet (mostly we do glazed donuts, but I need to experiment with a chocolate glaze!). I did a quick google search and this one from epicurious looks promising! https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/chocolate-glaze-51157030
Mel, you are amazing. This looks so fun and yummy!!
Thanks, Amy! 🙂
These look so delicious! I made some doughnuts over the weekend, using the Cook’s Illustrated recipe, which has a lot in common with your recipe (cold rise in the fridge overnight, etc.). I put my doughnut scraps in a container in the fridge overnight and rolled them out the next morning with no problems whatsoever, so I thought I’d share that tip, if you or your readers would like to give it a try. (Plus, that meant fresh doughnuts BOTH days of the weekend, which gave me Rock Star Mom status, if only briefly!)
Awesome, Jen! Thanks for mentioning that!
Oh boy, these look good! Before I even attempt to make these, I have a question I’d rather know the answer to before getting mid-way through. In the making of the dough part, you say if it has kneaded for 10-12 minutes and doesn’t leave a lot of residue on your fingers, it’s good to go, and to only add more flour if the dough is extremely wet and coats your hands and fingers. So, let’s say you DO have to add more flour (as has been my predicament in the past, with non-donut recipes). At that point, after adding flour, do you continue to mix the dough for another 10-12 minutes? Or until the desired consistency is reached? Or…? This “don’t have a ton of confidence working with yeast” girl appreciates your help. 🙂
Great question, Danelle! If you have to add more flour at that point and it’s less than 1/2 cup, no you don’t need to knead for another 10-12 minutes. Just mix until the dough comes together, probably 1-3 minutes.
Thank you for this reply, this has happened to me also and I’m never sure how long I need to knead after the added flour! Thanks Mel! 🙂 And thanks Danelle for asking the question!
Thanks so much for the info!
We have a tradition of making donuts in snow days. I’ll have to try this one next time, if I can predict the snow day ahead of time in order to refrigerate the dough! (And if they even send us back to school in the fall!) On second thought, we might have to just try making them now.
I like that last idea best! 🙂
I am so excited to give this a try!! They look so delicious. I have a request for one other kind of doughnut recipe. Since we moved away from Utah about 10 years ago, from time to time I just crave a chocolate Dunford doughnut. I had a pretty good copycat at a grocery store when we lived in Montana, but now in Fargo I can’t find anything even half as good. Please post a chocolate cake doughnut in the future! I have tried a few different recipes but I just havent had any luck. Always dry chocolate doughtnuts. No good.
I’ll keep that on my to-try radar!