This recipe guides you through the process of making light, fluffy, and perfectly golden homemade yeast doughnuts, finished with a classic dusting of powdered sugar. The visual steps illustrate the journey from a smooth dough, to perfectly shaped rings, through their golden-fried stage, and finally to the delightful, sugar-dusted end product ready to be enjoyed. This method ensures a traditional doughnut experience with a soft interior and a slightly crispy exterior, making them an ideal treat for breakfast, brunch, or dessert. The image highlights the key stages: bulk fermentation of the dough, cutting the dough into rings, rising of the cut doughnuts, frying, and the final presentation dusted with powdered sugar.
Ingredients:
- 3 cups (approximately 360g) all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
- 2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- ½ cup (120ml) warm milk (105-115°F / 40-46°C)
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
- Vegetable oil, canola oil, or peanut oil for deep frying (about 6-8 cups, depending on your pot)
- 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar (confectioners’ sugar) for dusting
Equipment:
- Large mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Plastic wrap or clean kitchen towel
- Rolling pin
- Doughnut cutter (or 2 round cutters, one large and one small)
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper squares (optional, for easy handling)
- Large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven (for deep frying)
- Slotted spoon or spider strainer
- Wire rack set over a baking sheet
- Meat thermometer or candy thermometer (for oil temperature)
Instructions:
Part 1: Prepare the Dough
- Activate the Yeast: In your large mixing bowl, combine the warm milk and 1 teaspoon of the granulated sugar. Sprinkle the active dry yeast over the top. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until the mixture becomes foamy. This indicates the yeast is active.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: To the foamy yeast mixture, add the remaining granulated sugar, the melted and cooled butter, the egg, and the vanilla extract (if using). Whisk until well combined.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the all-purpose flour and salt to the wet ingredients. Start by adding 2 cups of flour and mix with a spoon until a shaggy dough forms. Then, add the remaining 1 cup of flour, mixing until the dough comes together.
- Knead the Dough: Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough for 8-10 minutes until it becomes smooth, elastic, and no longer sticky. If the dough is too sticky, add a very small amount of flour, a tablespoon at a time, but avoid adding too much, which can make the doughnuts tough.
- First Rise (Bulk Fermentation): Lightly grease the large mixing bowl with a little vegetable oil. Place the dough in the bowl, turning it once to coat. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel. Let the dough rise in a warm place for 1 to 1.5 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
Part 2: Shape the Doughnuts
- Punch Down Dough: Once the dough has doubled in size, gently punch it down to release the air.
- Roll and Cut: Lightly flour your work surface and a rolling pin. Roll out the dough to an even thickness of about ½ inch (1.25 cm).
- Using a doughnut cutter (or a 3-inch round cutter and a 1-inch round cutter for the center hole), cut out the doughnut shapes. Dip the cutter in flour before each cut to prevent sticking. You can reroll the scraps once to cut out more doughnuts, but do not reroll multiple times as it can make them tough.
- Second Rise (Proofing): Carefully transfer the cut doughnuts to baking sheets lined with parchment paper. If you wish, you can cut the parchment paper into individual squares for each doughnut; this makes transferring them to the hot oil easier without deflating them. Place the doughnut holes on a separate part of the baking sheet or a separate sheet. Cover the doughnuts loosely with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel. Let them rise again in a warm place for 30-45 minutes, or until they look visibly puffy and light.
Part 3: Fry the Doughnuts
- Heat the Oil: While the doughnuts are proofing for their second rise, pour the vegetable oil into a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven. The oil should be about 2-3 inches deep. Heat the oil over medium heat until it reaches 350°F (175°C). Use a meat thermometer or candy thermometer to monitor the temperature accurately. Maintaining the correct oil temperature is crucial for perfectly fried doughnuts—too low, and they’ll be greasy; too high, and they’ll burn on the outside and be raw inside.
- Fry in Batches: Carefully lower 2-3 doughnuts (or one per parchment square) into the hot oil using a slotted spoon or by gently dropping the parchment square with the doughnut into the oil (the parchment will detach after a few seconds, then remove it with tongs). Do not overcrowd the pot, as this will lower the oil temperature.
- Flip and Fry: Fry for 1-2 minutes per side, or until golden brown and puffed up. The exact time will depend on your oil temperature and doughnut size.
- Drain: Using a slotted spoon or spider strainer, carefully remove the fried doughnuts from the oil. Transfer them to a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain excess oil. You can also place them on paper towels initially before moving to the wire rack.
- Repeat: Repeat with the remaining doughnuts and doughnut holes, ensuring the oil temperature returns to 350°F (175°C) between batches.
Part 4: Finish and Serve
- Dust with Powdered Sugar: While the doughnuts are still warm (but not piping hot), generously dust them with powdered sugar. You can use a sieve for an even coating. The warmth helps the sugar adhere.
- Serve: Arrange the finished doughnuts on a serving platter.
- Enjoy your classic homemade yeast doughnuts immediately for the best taste and texture! They are best served fresh, but can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1-2 days. Reheating briefly in a microwave or oven can help revive them.