Doughnuts recipe

This classic homemade doughnut recipe yields soft, fluffy doughnuts with a crispy exterior. You can enjoy them plain, dusted with sugar, or glazed with your favorite icing or chocolate. The process involves mixing, kneading, rising, frying, and glazing, but with patience, you’ll have irresistible, melt-in-your-mouth doughnuts.

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Ingredients:

For the Doughnuts:

• 1 cup whole milk (240ml), warm (110°F or 45°C)
• 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar (135g)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (113g), softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 cups all-purpose flour (480g)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Vegetable oil (for frying, about 4 cups)

For the Glaze (Optional):

• 2 cups powdered sugar (250g)
• 3 tablespoons milk (or more for desired consistency)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

For Cinnamon Sugar Coating (Optional):

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100g)
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

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Equipment:

• Stand mixer (optional, but helps with kneading)
• Large bowl
• Rolling pin
• Doughnut cutter or 2 round cookie cutters (1 large, 1 small)
• Deep frying pan or Dutch oven
• Thermometer (candy or deep-frying thermometer)
• Cooling rack or paper towels for draining
• Whisk

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Instructions:

Step 1: Activate the Yeast

1. In a small bowl, combine the warm milk (110°F or 45°C) and the yeast. Add a pinch of sugar to the mixture to help activate the yeast.
2. Stir gently and let the mixture sit for about 5-10 minutes. It should foam up and become bubbly, which indicates that the yeast is active and ready to use.

Step 2: Mix the Dough

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add 2 cups of flour, sugar, salt, ground nutmeg, and ground cinnamon. Mix together using a paddle attachment until everything is evenly incorporated.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, softened butter, and vanilla extract until smooth. Add this mixture to the flour mixture.
3. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the yeast mixture (the milk and yeast mixture from Step 1) to the dry ingredients.
4. Continue mixing until the dough begins to come together and form a ball. If you’re not using a stand mixer, you can knead the dough by hand on a lightly floured surface.

Step 3: Knead the Dough

1. Once the dough comes together, switch to a dough hook attachment if using a stand mixer and knead the dough on medium speed for about 5-7 minutes. If you’re kneading by hand, turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
2. Add the remaining 2 cups of flour (one cup at a time) while kneading, ensuring the dough stays slightly tacky but not sticky. Adjust the amount of flour if necessary. The dough should be soft and smooth.

Step 4: Let the Dough Rise

1. Form the dough into a ball and place it into a lightly oiled bowl. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap.
2. Let the dough rise in a warm place for about 1-1.5 hours, or until it has doubled in size.

Step 5: Roll Out the Dough

1. Once the dough has risen, punch it down gently to release any air bubbles.
2. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll it out to about 1/2-inch thickness (around 1.3 cm).
3. Use a doughnut cutter (or two round cookie cutters, one large and one small) to cut out the doughnuts. Press firmly to ensure clean cuts and to avoid the dough sticking.
4. Re-roll the dough scraps and continue cutting until all doughnuts are formed.

Step 6: Heat the Oil

1. In a large, deep frying pan or Dutch oven, pour enough vegetable oil to submerge the doughnuts (about 4 cups). Heat the oil to 350°F (175°C). Use a thermometer to ensure the temperature stays constant during frying.

Step 7: Fry the Doughnuts

1. Once the oil is heated, carefully place the doughnuts into the oil, 2-3 at a time, depending on the size of your frying pan. Be careful not to overcrowd them.
2. Fry for 1-2 minutes per side until golden brown. Use a slotted spoon to flip the doughnuts gently.
3. Once they’re golden brown and cooked through, remove them from the oil and place them on a cooling rack lined with paper towels to drain any excess oil.

Step 8: Glaze or Coat the Doughnuts

1. While the doughnuts are cooling slightly, prepare your glaze or coating.
   • For the glaze: In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Adjust the consistency by adding more milk if needed to make the glaze smooth and pourable.
   • For the cinnamon-sugar coating: In a separate shallow bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon. Roll the doughnuts in the mixture while they are still warm for a cinnamon-sugar coating.
2. For glazed doughnuts, dip the tops of the doughnuts into the glaze, allowing any excess to drip off. You can place them on a cooling rack to allow the glaze to set.

Step 9: Serve and Enjoy!

1. Serve the doughnuts fresh while they’re still warm and enjoy the soft, fluffy texture and delicious flavor.
2. Store any leftover doughnuts in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

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Notes:

• Frying temperature: Keeping the oil at 350°F (175°C) is essential for crispy, golden doughnuts. If the oil is too hot, the doughnuts will burn on the outside while remaining raw inside. If the oil is too cold, the doughnuts will absorb too much oil and become greasy.
• Milk temperature: Make sure your milk is warm but not hot—too hot, and you risk killing the yeast, which would prevent the dough from rising properly. A temperature of around 110°F (45°C) is perfect for activating yeast.
• Doughnut shape: If you don’t have a doughnut cutter, you can use two round cutters of different sizes to create the doughnut hole. Alternatively, you can make filled doughnuts by skipping the hole and frying the rounds whole.
• Flavored doughnuts: Experiment with adding different spices or extracts to the dough, such as almond extract, orange zest, or even cocoa powder for a chocolate-flavored doughnut base.
• Overnight dough: If you want to prepare the dough ahead of time, you can let the dough rise in the refrigerator overnight. Let it rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes before rolling it out and frying the doughnuts.

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Conclusion:

Making homemade doughnuts may seem like a labor-intensive process, but the rewards are well worth it. With a soft, tender interior and a crispy exterior, these doughnuts are a real treat. Whether you opt for a simple sugar coating or a glossy glaze, they’ll surely satisfy your sweet cravings. Happy frying!