It’s always a good idea to make a batch of these glazed donuts. They’re perfect for breakfast along with a hot mug of coffee or as an after-dinner dessert. Don’t be intimidated by the idea of deep-frying, it is shockingly easy to fry this recipe, just like my Apple Cider Donuts, Beignets, or Sopapillas.
There’s truly nothing better than a batch of these traditional glazed donuts. They are made with pantry staples and make for a great weekend activity. You’ll want to make extra as they are just sweet enough that you can eat multiple in a sitting and will melt in your mouth.
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE
Milk — I recommend blooming yeast in warm whole milk. Milk has natural sugars such as lactose to help activate the yeast. You’ll also need milk for the glaze as it adds flavor.
Active dry yeast — make sure the yeast you have on hand has not expired. It’s always best to purchase a fresh packet as the donut dough may not rise as well.
Flour — no need to break out any special flours to make glazed donuts, a basic all-purpose flour is perfect.
Butter — I recommend using unsalted butter since the glazed donut dough has salt added to it. Salted butter is not consistent between various brands, so it’s best to use unsalted butter to make sure the donuts aren’t salty.
HOW TO MAKE GLAZED DONUTS
1. In a small bowl, whisk together the warm milk, yeast, and a teaspoon of sugar. Let sit until bubbly, 5 to 10 minutes. Then, whisk together melted butter, eggs, and remaining ¼ cup sugar until smooth in another large bowl.
2. Combine the two.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Stir in yeast mixture until combined. Stir in flour mixture until a shaggy dough forms. On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Place the dough in a large, lightly oiled bowl, then cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size.
4. Punch down the dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a ¾-inch-thick rectangle. Using a donut cutter or 3-inch and 1-inch round cookie cutters, cut 12 rounds and 12 holes in each round. Place the cutouts on a lined baking sheet as you work. Loosely cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size.
5. While the donuts are rising, place a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet. Fill a Dutch oven with 2 inches of oil. Heat over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350F. Working a few at a time, fry the donuts in the hot oil until golden brown, about 1 minute per side for large donuts and 1 minute, constantly stirring, for the donut holes. Transfer to the wire rack to drain.
6. In a medium bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Dip warm donuts and donut holes into the glaze and return to the wire rack to set. Enjoy the glazed donuts while still warm.
PRO TIPS FOR MAKING THIS RECIPE
- Avoid adding too much flour by measuring your flour correctly! Adding too much flour to the recipe is the most common mistake and will make your glazed donuts dense. The best way to measure flour is by using a scale. If you don’t have one, then fluff your flour with a spoon, sprinkle it into your measuring cup, and use a knife to level it off.
- A pair of chopsticks or cake dowels is the perfect tool for donut frying. Use 1 to flip the donuts in the fryer and the other to help glaze the donuts. Doing so will keep your hands mess-free!
- You can add citrus zest, cocoa powder, bourbon, rum, or different extracts to your glaze in place of vanilla to customize your donuts.
- If you don’t have a 1-inch cookie cutter, use the base of a large pastry tip for the donut hole.
- Be sure to use a large pot for the oil you are frying with. The donuts expand when fried, and you don’t want the oil overflowing.
- Keep an eye on your thermometer. When frying donuts, if the oil is not hot enough, the donuts become tough and greasy.
- Avoid adding too many donuts at once into the oil as the increase in donuts will lower the oil’s temperature. The donuts will also need room to expand, and it’s easier to flip when there’s space.
- If you don’t have powdered sugar, you can see my post here on how to make powdered sugar.
- Careful not to overheat the milk or it’ll kill the yeast.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can I bake this dough?
I don’t recommend baking this particular recipe. If you’d like to bake donuts, try my baked baked Pumpkin Donuts instead.
What is the best oil for frying?
My go-to oils for frying are vegetable oil, canola oil, olive oil, peanut oil, and sunflower oil, as they are neutral in flavor and have a high smoke point. If you use an oil with a low smoke point, the oil will burn as the fat breaks down, imparting an unpleasant taste to your donuts.
How do I store leftovers?
Enjoy these glazed donuts while still warm! That’s when they’re the tastiest. However, if you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a few days. The glaze will harden over time. When ready to enjoy, warm them in the microwave to soften the glaze.
Can I freeze these?
These donuts freeze very well. Allow them to cool to room temperature and wrap them in plastic wrap before transferring them to a freezer-safe bag. Freeze for up to three months. When ready to enjoy, thaw them overnight in the fridge and reheat.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this Glazed Donuts recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Glazed Donuts
Video
Equipment
- Dutch oven
- Candy thermometer
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 1 cup warm whole milk 105 to 110F (250mL)
- 2 packages active dry yeast 4 1/2 teaspoons, 0.5-oz.
- ¼ cup granulated sugar plus 1 teaspoon, divided (54g)
- 4½ cups all-purpose flour plus additional for dusting (540g)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted (85g)
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- vegetable oil for frying
For the Glaze:
- 3 cups powdered sugar (360g)
- 6 tablespoons whole milk (90mL)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Dough:
- In a small bowl, whisk together the warm milk, yeast, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Let sit until bubbly, 5 to 10 minutes.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. In another large bowl, whisk together melted butter, eggs, and remaining ¼ cup sugar until smooth. Stir in yeast mixture until combined. Stir in flour mixture until a shaggy dough forms. On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough until smooth and elastic (dough may be slightly tacky), about 5 minutes. (you can also do this in a stand mixer with the dough hook.) Place the dough in a large, lightly oiled bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Punch down the dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a ¾-inch-thick rectangle. Using a donut cutter or 3-inch and 1-inch round cookie cutters, cut 12 rounds and 12 holes in each round, re-rolling scraps as necessary. Place the cutouts on the prepared baking sheet as you work. Loosely cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 40 minutes.
- While the donuts are rising, place a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet. Fill a Dutch oven with 2-inches of oil. Heat over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350F.
- Working a few at a time, fry donuts in the hot oil until golden brown, about 1 minute per side for large donuts and 1 minute, constantly stirring, for the donut holes. Transfer to the wire rack to drain.
For the Glaze:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Dip warm donuts and donut holes into the glaze and return to the write rack to set.
Notes
- Avoid adding too much flour by measuring your flour correctly! Adding too much flour to the recipe is the most common mistake and will make your glazed donuts dense. The best way to measure flour is by using a scale. If you don’t have one, then fluff your flour with a spoon, sprinkle it into your measuring cup, and use a knife to level it off.
- A pair of chopsticks or cake dowels is the perfect tool for donut frying. Use 1 to flip the donuts in the fryer and the other to help glaze the donuts. Doing so will keep your hands mess-free!
- You can add citrus zest, cocoa powder, bourbon, rum, or different extracts to your glaze in place of vanilla to customize your donuts.
- If you don’t have a 1-inch cookie cutter, use the base of a large pastry tip for the donut hole.
- Be sure to use a large pot for the oil you are frying with. The donuts expand when fried, and you don’t want the oil overflowing.
- Keep an eye on your thermometer. When frying donuts, if the oil is not hot enough, the donuts become tough and greasy.
- Avoid adding too many donuts at once into the oil as the increase in donuts will lower the oil’s temperature. The donuts will also need room to expand, and it’s easier to flip when there’s space.
- If you don’t have powdered sugar, you can see my post here on how to make powdered sugar.
- Careful not to overheat the milk or it'll kill the yeast.
