As a seasoned home baker with years of perfecting classic recipes, I've mastered these authentic American donuts. Crispy on the outside, fluffy inside, and topped with glaze—they're a crowd-pleaser. This foolproof recipe, tested in my own kitchen, makes 40 donuts with clear, step-by-step instructions.
Essential Tools
- Clean cloths (2x)
- Cotton tea towel
- Glass and bottle cap (for cutting donuts)
- Rolling pin
- Wide pan for frying
- Kitchen scale
- Kitchen paper
Pro Tips for Perfect Donuts
- Swap white sugar for brown sugar—it's healthier and works just as well in my recipes.
- Use only liquid oil for frying; solid fats create an unwanted layer.
- Prepare dough ahead—it needs two 1-hour rises for optimal fluffiness.
Prep Time: 2 hrs 30 min | Cook Time: 2 min | Total Time: 2 hrs 32 min
Course: Dessert | Cuisine: American | Servings: 40 | Author: Anja
Ingredients
- 750 g flour
- 2 packets dry yeast (14 g)
- 50 ml lukewarm water
- 300 ml milk
- 125 g sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 packet vanilla sugar
- 2 eggs (room temperature)
- 75 g butter
- 1 L oil (for frying)
Optional for Glaze:
- Powdered sugar
- Food coloring
- Chocolate
- Sprinkles, Smarties, etc.
Instructions
- Mix 1 tbsp sugar with yeast and lukewarm water. Let stand 10 minutes until foamy. If no foam, discard and restart—yeast is inactive.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, vanilla sugar, remaining sugar, and salt.
- Add yeast mixture and knead well.
- Melt butter (lukewarm, not hot), add to dough with milk and eggs. Knead into smooth, flexible dough that doesn't stick. Adjust with flour if too wet, or milk if too dry.
- Cover with damp tea towel; let rise 1 hour. (Pro tip: Don't overproof like I did once—dough everywhere!)
- Roll out to 0.5 cm thick on floured surface.
- Cut donuts with glass; use bottle cap for center hole.
- Cover and let rise another hour under damp towel.
- Heat oil to 175°C. Fry 2-4 minutes per side until golden brown.
- Drain on kitchen paper for less grease.
Notes
Don't discard the holes—fry them as 'donut holes,' a tasty American snack perfect for kids.
Homemade Glazes
Plain donuts are great, but warm donuts dipped in glaze are irresistible. Prepare right after frying.
Simple Icing Glaze
Mix 150 g powdered sugar with 75 ml water to a thick, chewy paste. Add less water and food coloring for tinted glaze.
Chocolate Glaze
Ingredients:
- 125 g dark chocolate (70% best)
- 100 g sifted powdered sugar
- 60 g butter (room temp)
- 4 tbsp cold water
- Melt chocolate in bain-marie.
- Stir in powdered sugar gradually.
- Add butter bit by bit.
- Mix in water slowly.
- Dip warm donuts immediately.
Top with sprinkles or decorations. For parties, display on a donut wall!
Love donuts? Try this recipe and share your results—I'd love to hear how it turned out!
