Doughnuts recipe Ingredients • 3 cups of flour • 2 tablespoons of butter • 7 grams of baker’s yeast • 5 tablespoons of sugar • 1 cup of milk • 1 egg • ½ teaspoon of salt Must express something to keep getting my recipes.

 

Delicious Homemade Doughnuts Recipe

Soft, fluffy, golden, and glazed to perfection

Few kitchen experiences feel as nostalgic and rewarding as pulling a tray of warm, golden doughnuts out of the fryer (or even the oven). The aroma of sugar and vanilla fills the air, butter melts into soft dough, and the glaze gleams like morning sunlight. This is comfort food alchemy — the kind that brings smiles with every bite.

This recipe captures the essence of old-fashioned bakery-style doughnuts, with tips for both classic yeast-raised doughnuts and quick cake-style doughnuts, plus a suite of glazes and fillings you can mix and match. Whether you’re making a Sunday breakfast, a holiday treat, or just want to surprise someone with something special, these homemade doughnuts will earn a permanent spot in your recipe box.

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🧂 Section 1: Understanding the Doughnut

Before we dive into the ingredients, let’s appreciate the balance that defines a great doughnut:

• Lightness — A perfect doughnut should be airy and tender inside, not dense or oily.

• Flavor depth — A hint of nutmeg, vanilla, or even lemon zest can elevate a simple dough.

• Golden crust — The exterior should be crisp enough to hold its shape, with a gentle bite.

• Even glaze — A thin, glossy coating that cracks delicately when you take a bite.

Doughnuts, in essence, are about controlled indulgence: simple pantry ingredients turned into something transcendent through patience and heat.

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🥣 Section 2: Ingredients (for ~12 large or 16 small doughnuts)

For the Dough

• 1 cup whole milk, warmed to about 105–110°F (40–43°C)

• 2¼ tsp (1 packet) active dry yeast

• ¼ cup granulated sugar

• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

• 2 large eggs, room temperature

• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

• ½ tsp salt

• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg (optional but traditional)

• 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

For Frying

• Neutral oil (like canola, vegetable, or peanut oil) for deep-frying — about 6 cups

Classic Vanilla Glaze

• 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

• ¼ cup milk (more or less for desired consistency)

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• Pinch of salt

Optional Variations:

• Cinnamon Sugar Coating: 1 cup granulated sugar + 1 tbsp ground cinnamon

• Chocolate Glaze: Replace ½ cup powdered sugar with cocoa powder; add 1 tbsp melted butter

• Filled Doughnuts: Use your favorite jam, custard, or Nutella for filling

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🧡 Section 3: The “Starter” Step — Activating the Yeast

Yeast is alive and needs a warm, sugary environment to thrive.

1. Warm your milk gently — it should feel like a baby’s bathwater, not hot.

2. In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, combine the warm milk, yeast, and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Stir and let sit for 5–10 minutes until the mixture looks frothy.

If you see bubbles and foam, the yeast is active — a good sign. If not, discard and start again with new yeast. Without active yeast, your doughnuts will be dense and heavy.

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🧈 Section 4: Mixing the Dough

Now that your yeast is alive, it’s time to feed it.

1. Add melted butter, remaining sugar, eggs, vanilla, salt, and nutmeg to the yeast mixture. Stir until combined.

2. Begin adding flour gradually, one cup at a time. Mix with a dough hook or wooden spoon until a soft dough forms.

3. The dough should be slightly tacky but not sticky. When it starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl, stop adding flour.

4. Knead for about 5–7 minutes (in a mixer) or 10 minutes by hand, until smooth and elastic.

A good test: press the dough with a clean fingertip — if it springs back slowly, it’s ready.

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🌤️ Section 5: The First Rise (Proofing)

Lightly oil a large bowl, place your dough inside, and cover with plastic wrap or a clean towel. Let it rise in a warm, draft-free area until doubled in size — about 1 to 1½ hours.

This is the magic moment when yeast produces CO₂, stretching the gluten network and giving your doughnuts their airy interior. Don’t rush this step — flavor builds here.

💡 Pro tip: A cold kitchen? Turn your oven on low for 2 minutes, then turn it off and let the bowl sit inside with the door cracked open. Instant proofing chamber!

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🧇 Section 6: Shaping the Doughnuts

When your dough has doubled, punch it down gently to release excess gas.

1. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface.

2. Roll it to about ½ inch thick.

3. Use a doughnut cutter (or two round cutters, one large and one small for the hole) to cut out circles.

4. Transfer the shapes to a parchment-lined tray, spacing them slightly apart.

5. Reroll scraps gently — try not to overwork or the doughnuts will toughen.

For a fun twist, save the doughnut holes! They fry up in seconds and are perfect for testing oil temperature or snacking while glazing the main batch.

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⏰ Section 7: Second Rise (Proofing the Shapes)

Cover the cut doughnuts with a clean towel and let them rise again until puffy — about 30–40 minutes. They should look visibly lighter and slightly expanded.

If you poke one gently, the indentation should spring back slowly. Too quick = underproofed; no bounce = overproofed.

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🔥 Section 8: Frying — The Golden Transformation

This is where your kitchen turns into a donut shop.

1. Pour oil into a deep, heavy-bottomed pot (Dutch oven or deep skillet). Heat over medium-high to 350°F (175°C).

2. Use a thermometer — oil temperature control is critical. If it’s too hot, doughnuts burn outside and stay raw inside. Too cold, and they’ll absorb oil and turn greasy.

3. Carefully lower 2–3 doughnuts at a time into the oil. Don’t crowd the pot.

4. Fry 1 minute per side or until golden brown. Use a slotted spoon or chopsticks to flip.

5. Transfer to a wire rack lined with paper towels.

⚠️ Safety note: Hot oil can splatter — keep children and distractions away, and always turn pot handles inward.

Repeat until all are fried. Fry holes last — they’ll cook in about 30 seconds per side.

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🍶 Section 9: Glazing and Coating

Classic Vanilla Glaze

1. In a medium bowl, whisk powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and salt until smooth.

2. Dip each warm doughnut halfway into the glaze, letting excess drip off.

3. Place on a rack to let glaze set (about 15–20 minutes).

For extra shine, glaze twice — once warm, once cooled.

Cinnamon Sugar Coating

While still warm, toss doughnuts in cinnamon sugar for a nostalgic, crunchy coating.

Chocolate Glaze

Whisk together powdered sugar, cocoa powder, a bit of milk, and melted butter. Dip doughnuts top-down and garnish with crushed nuts or sprinkles.

Filled Doughnuts

Skip the hole. After frying, use a piping bag fitted with a narrow tip to fill with jam, pastry cream, or lemon curd. Dust with powdered sugar.

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🧁 Section 10: Toppings & Variations

Once you’ve mastered the base recipe, the sky’s the limit. Try:

• Maple Bacon Doughnuts: Maple glaze + crispy bacon bits.

• Lemon Poppy Seed: Lemon zest in dough, lemon glaze, sprinkle with poppy seeds.

• Toasted Coconut: Coconut glaze + shredded toasted coconut.

• Espresso Glaze: Swap milk in glaze for brewed espresso.

• Strawberry Icing: Blend freeze-dried strawberries into glaze for color & flavor.

Each topping tells its own story — playful, elegant, or comforting.

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🧊 Section 11: Storage & Make-Ahead Tips

Doughnuts are best enjoyed fresh — ideally within a few hours of frying. However:

• Store leftovers at room temperature in an airtight container for 1–2 days.

• Refresh by microwaving 10–15 seconds.

• Avoid refrigerating (it makes them stale).

• You can freeze unglazed doughnuts for up to 2 months — reheat in oven at 350°F for 8 minutes, then glaze.

Make-Ahead Option

Refrigerate the dough overnight after the first rise. The slow cold fermentation deepens flavor and makes morning frying easier.

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🧠 Section 12: Troubleshooting

Even seasoned bakers have off days. Here’s how to fix common issues:

Problem	Cause	Solution
Doughnuts are greasy	Oil too cool	Keep at 350°F; use thermometer
Dense texture	Under-proofed or too much flour	Let dough rise fully; handle gently
Raw centers	Oil too hot or dough too thick	Reduce thickness; adjust heat
Pale doughnuts	Oil too cool	Increase temperature slightly
Glaze too thick	Too much sugar or not enough milk	Add 1 tsp milk at a time
Glaze runs off	Doughnuts too hot	Let cool 5 minutes before glazing

Perfection comes from practice — the first batch teaches you more than any book.

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🪄 Section 13: The Science Behind the Magic

Why do these ingredients behave the way they do?

• Yeast: Consumes sugar, produces CO₂ — makes the dough rise and light.

• Eggs: Add richness and color; help structure the dough.

• Butter: Tenderizes and enhances flavor.

• Nutmeg: Adds subtle warmth that balances sweetness.

• Oil: Conducts heat evenly, forming that golden shell.

• Sugar in glaze: Hygroscopic (draws moisture), keeping the coating glossy.

Understanding the science helps you control results like a professional pastry chef.

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🍽️ Section 14: Serving Suggestions

Doughnuts are versatile beyond breakfast:

• Pair with espresso or cappuccino for a café-style morning.

• Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for dessert.

• Stack mini doughnuts for a brunch centerpiece.

• Make a “doughnut bar” at parties with assorted glazes and toppings.

• Or simply enjoy one with a quiet morning and your favorite book — a luxury in itself.

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🌿 Section 15: A Note on Baking Instead of Frying

If frying feels intimidating, you can bake them — though texture will differ slightly.

1. Place shaped doughnuts on a greased baking sheet.

2. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 8–10 minutes, until golden.

3. Brush with melted butter immediately, then coat with cinnamon sugar or glaze.

Baked doughnuts are lighter in texture — think brioche meets pastry. Perfect for a quick weekday version.

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✨ Section 16: Doughnut Lore — A Bite of History

The doughnut’s roots travel from Dutch “olykoeks” (oily cakes) to 19th-century America, where Hanson Gregory allegedly invented the ring shape in 1847 to cook them evenly.
Over time, doughnuts became an icon of comfort — a treat for soldiers in WWI (“Doughboys”), a symbol of morning indulgence, a blank canvas for culinary creativity.

Today, making them at home reconnects us with that history — the simple pleasure of transforming everyday ingredients into joy.

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🧾 Section 17: Final Recipe Card — Delicious Homemade Doughnuts

Yield: 12–16 doughnuts
Prep Time: 30 minutes (plus 1½ hours rising)
Cook Time: 2–3 minutes per batch
Total Time: About 3 hours
Difficulty: Moderate

Ingredients

• 1 cup warm milk (105°F)

• 2¼ tsp yeast

• ¼ cup sugar

• 4 tbsp butter, melted

• 2 eggs

• 1 tsp vanilla

• ½ tsp salt

• ¼ tsp nutmeg

• 4 cups flour

• Oil for frying

Glaze:
2 cups powdered sugar, ¼ cup milk, 1 tsp vanilla, pinch salt

Directions

1. Activate yeast in warm milk + sugar (10 min).

2. Add butter, eggs, vanilla, salt, nutmeg. Mix well.

3. Add flour gradually; knead until smooth.

4. Let rise 1–1½ hours until doubled.

5. Roll to ½-inch thick; cut doughnuts.

6. Let rise again 30 minutes.

7. Fry at 350°F 1 minute per side. Drain.

8. Dip warm doughnuts in glaze or cinnamon sugar.

9. Cool on rack until set.

Serving: Enjoy fresh with coffee or milk.

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🌈 Section 18: Final Thoughts — The Joy of Making Doughnuts

Making homemade doughnuts is more than following a recipe — it’s embracing patience, creativity, and warmth.
Every step, from kneading the dough to glazing the final ring, rewards your effort with simple, sugary joy.

When you pull that first golden doughnut from the fryer and the glaze drips like morning dew, you understand why people once called them “little rings of happiness.”
Whether you share them with family or keep a few secret ones for yourself (no judgment here), you’ve created something timeless — a memory as sweet as it is delicious.

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Would you like me to follow this up with a filled doughnut variation (Boston cream, jelly, or cust