Updated June 11, 2019 (Originally posted April 10, 2016)
If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook, you may have seen that I’ve been perfecting a homemade doughnut recipe. My first attempt was okay, but the doughnuts deflated as they cooled and retained an oily taste. The dough itself lacked flavor, although chocolate ganache and pastry cream helped mask it.
After refining the method, I’m happy with the result. These doughnuts aren’t elaborate like jelly or maple-bacon varieties, but they are light, airy and make an excellent basic yeasted doughnut.
How to make homemade doughnuts
The best part of this recipe is that you can make the dough in a bread machine. Add the ingredients to the machine and select the dough setting, then relax while it mixes and proofs.
If you don’t have a bread machine, use a stand mixer or mix and knead by hand. Warm the water to about 104°F (40°C), add the yeast and a bit of sugar, and let it activate for 5 minutes. Whisk the dry ingredients together, then add a room-temperature beaten egg, melted butter, and the activated yeast mixture. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover, and set somewhere warm until it doubles in size.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and roll it to about ½ inch (1.3 cm) thickness. Cut 3 inch (8 cm) circles with a cookie cutter or a glass, and cut a smaller circle from the center for the hole — the center pieces make doughnut holes.
Place each ring (and hole) on individual pieces of parchment, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and let them rise again until doubled. Mine took about 30 minutes at 95°F (35°C). Heat oil to 356°F (180°C) and fry each doughnut for roughly one minute per side, until golden. Transfer to a wire rack over paper towels to drain excess oil.
A pale ring around the inside edge indicates a proper rise. Finish the doughnuts as you like — glaze them, dip them in chocolate ganache and sprinkles, or toss them in granulated or cinnamon sugar for a crunchy coating.
Tips for making doughnuts
1. Let the doughnuts rise on individual parchment squares. Using separate pieces of parchment for each doughnut makes transferring them to the fryer much easier. You can lower the doughnut and its parchment into the oil and remove the paper with tongs or chopsticks as it floats free.
2. Don’t reroll scraps. Rerolling leftover dough creates lumpy, uneven pieces. Instead, shape remaining dough into extra doughnut holes or cut them into small pieces; they fry up better than rerolled pieces.
Bite into one of these doughnuts and you’ll notice a fluffy, tender interior without a greasy finish. They deliver the light, airy texture that makes a yeast doughnut delightful.
I rolled the doughnut holes in cinnamon sugar and they were deliciously crisp and sweet.
If you love doughnuts, you might also enjoy my blueberry cream cheese doughnuts or apple doughnuts.
Homemade Doughnuts
Equipment
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1 bread machine with dough setting
Ingredients
- 2¼ cups bread flour
- 2½ tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ tablespoon fine sea salt
- 1 tablespoon milk powder
- ½ tablespoon active dry yeast
- 2½ tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup water
Instructions
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Place all ingredients into a bread machine and select the dough setting.
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Turn the dough onto a floured surface and roll to about ½ in / 1.3 cm. Cut 3 in / 8 cm circles and a smaller center hole. Place each doughnut on a small piece of parchment, cover, and let rise until doubled.
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Heat oil to 356°F / 180°C and fry each doughnut about one minute per side. Drain on a wire rack set over paper towels.
Nutrition
Save the image for later inspiration.