Mia requested homemade donuts for her birthday this week. I started making them for special occasions several years ago and now that I can’t get to my beloved Revel on Saturday mornings, this recipe is more important than ever. The kids LOVE when I make these and so do our friends and other family members (my mom wanted me to add that last group!).

I use a small deep fryer that I bought just for donut making. You can also use a large saucepan and use about 4 inches of oil. In both cases, oil should be heated to around 365-375 degrees. I use vegetable oil but there are other oils that are suitable as well – canola, peanut and safflower. 

Enjoy!

Ingredients

Donuts
1 1/8 cup whole milk, warm (I only had 2% – just use what you have),
1/4 cups white sugar
2 ¼ teaspoons (one package) Instant or Active dry yeast
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup unsalted butter
4 cups white flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

Glaze
3 cups icing sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup cold water or milk

To Make the Dough

  1. Make sure milk is nice and warm, but not overly hot. (stick your finger in it!). Remove from heat 
  2. Add sugar to milk, stir to dissolve
  3. Add yeast into a small bowl (I used a 2 cup measuring cup)
  4. Pour milk/sugar mixture over yeast. Stir gently, then let sit for 10 minutes
  5. Melt the butter in a separate bowl until butter is almost melted. Stir to finish melting so butter won’t be overly hot.
  6. Add beaten eggs to melted butter, stirring constantly to make sure the butter is not too hot for the eggs
  7. Add the egg/butter mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook. (Here’s how to knead dough if you don’t have a stand mixer)
  8. With the mixer on 3 or medium-low speed, pour in the yeast mixture
  9. Allow the dough hook to stir this mixture for a couple of minutes, making sure it’s thoroughly combined
  10. With the mixer sill going, add helpings of the flour mixture in 1/4 to 1/2 cup increments until all the flour is gone
  11. Stop the mixer, scrape the bowl, then turn the mixer on the same speed for five whole minutes 
  12. After 5 minutes, stop the mixer and scrape the bottom of the bowl
  13. Turn on the mixer for 30 seconds
  14. Turn off the mixer, pull dough off the hook, and allow the dough to sit in the bowl, undisturbed, for 10 minutes
  15. After 10 minutes, transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Toss the dough to coat, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place straight in the fridge for at least 8 hours or overnight

To Make the Donuts

  1. Remove the bowl from the fridge and turn out dough onto lightly floured surface
  2. Roll out to 1/4 to 1/3 inch thickness
  3. Using a 2 1/2 to 3 inch cutter, cut as many rounds as you can, then roll out remaining dough and cut as many as you can. I use a 2 1/2 inch cutter and I get about 40 donuts
  4. Place donuts on floured baking sheets, cover with a tea towel and place in a warm place. I usually turn on my oven and set them on top and around the warm oven
  5. Allow donuts to rise, undisturbed, for at least an hour. Donuts should look puffier…mine never seem to change too much

To Fry the Donuts

  1. Heat oil in your deep fryer or large pot until temperature reaches around 375 degrees
  2. Ease as many donuts as fit freely into oil – probably 2-4 at a time
  3. Fry for one minute on each side
  4. Remove donuts from oil using a slotted spoon or tongs and place on a cooling rack or just on paper towels 
  5. I usually glaze them right away by just tossing them around in the glaze. I then put them on a plate to serve. Lots of glaze will be left on the plate – Chloe and Mia know how to make good use of this!

         (be sure to let the oil heat back up after every batch or so)

Notes:

These donuts are best eaten fresh – they will not be so good the next day.

When I made them this week, I made as many as we could eat in the morning and then I just left everything out and made the rest later in the day. 

(This recipe is from The Pioneer Woman)

I do love to hear from you! Please let me know if you try this recipe!

A bit more…more donut recipes