Learn how to make donut shop style glazed yeast donuts at home! These donuts similar to what you would find in a Krispy Kreme and are light and fluffy and covered in a sweet glaze!
Glazed Yeast Donuts Overview
- Skill Level: Intermediate
- Components Used: Enriched Yeast Dough Master Recipe, Basic Powdered Sugar Glaze
Do you call them donuts or doughnuts? I go back and forth on this. I can’t ever decide. I feel like doughnuts sounds more old fashioned (which is an obvious pull for me) but donuts sounds more causal and I think fits the feel of these babies more. Thoughts?
When I first learned to make enriched dough, I was so excited to learn that it could make so many things! Over the years I have perfected my recipe for enriched dough which I use to make yeast rolls, cinnamon rolls, and these donuts!
Have you ever had a fresh Krispy Kreme donut? These are just like that! Fluffy and soft and covered in that sweet glaze!
How to Make Glazed Donuts
To make yeast donuts, we are going to start with my basic enriched yeast dough. If you are intimidated by working with yeast, I promise it is easy. I will walk you through it step-by-step. Be sure to check out my video tutorial for even more tips!
Step 1: Hydrate the Yeast
You want to start by warming up the milk slightly to about 110-120 degrees F (43-48 degrees C). If you do not have a thermometer, make sure it is slightly warm but not hot.
Pour the dry yeast into the milk. You can use active dry or rapid rise (instant) yeast. This is called “proofing the yeast and will give the donuts a little jump start.
Step 2: Mix the Dough
In a large mixing bowl, stir together the butter and sugar. Once combined add the eggs and stir until incorporated.
At this point the yeast/milk mixture should look bubbly/frothy. If it does not then likely your yeast is not alive and you need new yeast. If it is active, stir it into the mixing bowl with the other ingredients.
Add the flour into the mixing bowl and stir to combine. The dough will be sticky and shaggy at this point.
Step 3: Knead the Dough
You can knead the dough in a stand mixer with a dough hook or by hand. If kneading by hand, lightly flour a work surface and knead the dough for about 8 minutes until smooth and elastic. Add more flour, little by little, as needed.
If kneading in the stand mixer, mix at medium-high speed for about 5 minutes. Stop and scrape down the bottom of the bowl as needed and add slightly more flour if the dough is not pulling away from the sides.
Step 4: Ferment the Dough
Transfer the dough back to the mixing bowl and cover with plastic wrap to ferment. At this point the yeast in the dough will begin feeding and creating carbon dioxide gas which will leaven the dough.
Step 5: Cut the Donuts
Once the dough has fermented, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough out to about 1/2″ thick and then use a donut cutter to cut out donut shapes. If you do not have a donut cutter you can use a very sturdy glass to cut them out. (Note: make sure the glass is sturdy and not fragile or it might break. Learned that the hard way!)
Step 6: Proof the Donuts
Transfer the cut donuts onto a parchment lined baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. This resting time is called “proofing” and will allow more gasses to build up in the dough so that they are nice and fluffy.
Step 7: Set up the Fry Station
While the donuts are proofing, set up your fry station. I like to use a skillet with high sides, but you can also use a wide pot. Fill it with about 2 inches of oil and set up a fry thermometer or candy thermometer on the side of the pan.
You will also need a cooling rack positioned over a sheet pan to drain the donuts on. To handle the donuts, a spatula and tongs will be helpful as well.
Step 8: Fry the Donuts
To fry the donuts, gently transfer one onto a spatula or slotted spoon and gently lower it into the hot oil. You don’t want to overcrowd the donuts. I usually fry about 3 at one time. Check the oil temperature and turn the heat up or down as the donuts fry to keep it around 350 F (177 C).
Fry on each side for about 1 – 1 1/2 minutes before flipping. Use tongs or chop sticks to flip. Be gently so you do not deflate the donut as you flip them.
Step 9: Glaze the Donuts
While the donuts cool slightly you can prepare the glaze. Dip the donuts in the warm glaze and turn to coat both sides. Transfer the glazed donut onto the cooling rack to allow the glaze to set for several minutes.
Yield: 12-14 Donuts
Glazed Yeast Donuts
Prep Time2 hours 45 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time3 hours 15 minutes
Donut shop style classic glazed yeast donut recipe. Use the basic sweet yeast dough master recipe so that you can have hot fresh donuts right at home!
Ingredients
For the Donuts
- 1 cup (237 ml) whole milk (lower fat milk can be substituted)
- 1 package (7 gr, or 2 1/4 tsp) active dry or quick rise yeast
- 1/3 cup (67 gr) granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup (73 gr) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 1/4 tsp (6 gr) Morton kosher salt or table salt (use 2 1/2 tsp if using Diamond kosher)
- 4 cups (480 gr) all-purpose flour + more flour for kneading
- frying oil (canola, peanut, vegetable)
For the Glaze
- 3 1/2 (420 gr) cups powdered sugar (confectioners sugar)
- 1/2 TBSP vanilla extract
- 7 TBSP (103 ml) milk
Instructions
For the Donuts
- Hydrate the Yeast:Warm the milk to about 110-115 F (43-46 C). This can be done on the stove top or in the microwave. It should take about 30-45 seconds in the microwave. If you do not have a thermometer to check, make sure the milk is warm but not hot or you risk killing the yeast. Sprinkle the yeast over the milk and stir it together.
- Combine the Fat & Sugar: In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together the cooled butter, sugar, and salt with a spoon or a rubber spatula.
- Add the Eggs:Stir in the eggs into the mixing bowl with the other ingredients until fully incorporated.
- Add the Milk/Yeast: Stir in the milk/yeast mixture.
- Add the Flour: Stir in the flour until it is all hydrated. The dough will be shaggy and sticky at this point.
- Knead:This dough can be kneaded by hand or with the dough hook of a stand mixer. If kneading by hand, lightly flour a work surface and knead the dough for about 6-7 minutes, until it is smooth and elastic. The dough will be very sticky to start, but will become less sticky as it is kneaded. Add more flour little by little if needed, but try not to add too much. If kneading in the stand mixer, knead at medium/high speed for about 5 minutes, stopping about halfway through to scrape the bottom of the bowl.
- Ferment:If kneading by hand, place the dough back in the mixing bowl and cover the bowl with a towel or plastic wrap. Let it ferment at room temperature until double in size. This will take about 30-45 minutes if you used quick rise yeast and 1 hour-90 minutes if active dry yeast was used. A warm spot will speed up the fermentation time.
- Roll Out Dough: On a lightly floured clean work surface with a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out the dough to 1/2" thickness. Use a donut cutter or a large and small circular cookie cutter to cut out donut shapes. Be careful not to twist the cutter when you are cutting out the donuts or it will seal the edges and they will not rise as high. Place the donuts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper to rise. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise. The donut holes need about 20 minutes and the donuts will need about 45 minutes for quick rise yeast and 1 hour for active dry yeast.
- Fry: Heat about 2" of frying oil in a shallow pot to about 350ºF (177 C). A fry thermometer or candy thermometer is very helpful here. Set up a cooling rack over a baking sheet. Gently slide the donuts into the oil (you can use a slotted spoon for this) and fry for 1- 1 1/2 minutes, until lightly browned, before flipping once and cook for another 1- 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from the oil and allow to cool slightly on the cooling racks before glazing. Use either a slotted spoon, tongs, or chopsticks to flip and remove from the oil. Be very gently if using tongs so you do not deflate the donuts.
For the Glaze
- Sift the powdered sugar into a large mixing bowl and whisk in the milk and vanilla extract. Heat in the microwave for 1 minute, stopping and whisking after the first 30 seconds.
- Dip the slightly cooled donuts into the glaze, turning to coat both sides. Return the glazed donut onto the cooling rack set up over the baking sheet. Allow the glaze to set for about 5 minutes before serving.
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Nutrition Information:
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 0
