Yeast Donuts (Donut Shop Style)
These yeast donuts are incredibly soft and fluffy, just like the ones you’d find in a bakery or artisan donut shop. This recipe will guide you through all of the tips and tricks for making yeast donuts with the perfect pillowy texture and that signature white ring. Glazed, sugared, or filled, they’re the perfect canvas for creating professional-quality donuts at home!
Ingredients
For the Yeast Mixture
- ¼ cup tepid water (100–110℉)
- 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp active dry yeast (*less than 1 packet*)
Dry Ingredients
- 4 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt (I use Diamond Crystal)
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
Wet Ingredients
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup whole milk, tepid
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
For Mixing into the Dough
- 8 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature and cut into ½" cubes
For the Glaze
- 3 cups powdered (icing) sugar
- ⅓ cup hot water
- ¼ tsp pure vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
Equipment
Instructions
Proofing the Yeast
- In a small bowl or glass measuring cup, mix tepid water, sugar, and yeast. Set aside until the yeast dissolves and the mixture begins to foam (about 5 minutes).¼ cup tepid water1 Tbsp granulated sugar1 tsp active dry yeast
Preparing the Yeast Dough
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, combine flour, salt, and nutmeg. Whisk together to combine.4 ½ cups all-purpose flour1 ½ tsp kosher salt¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- In another small bowl or glass measuring cup, whisk together the eggs, sugar, tepid milk, and vanilla.2 large eggs, at room temperature⅓ cup granulated sugar1 cup whole milk, tepid1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- Into the bowl of the stand mixer with the dry ingredients, pour in the liquid mixture and the proofed yeast mixture. Before turning the mixer on, with a rubber spatula, stir until there are no large patches of flour. (This will give your dough hook a head start!)
- Mix on medium-low speed until the dough is smooth, elastic, and pulls away from the sides of the bowl (about 5 to 8 minutes).Note: If the dough continues to stick to the sides of the bowl, add in an additional 1–2 Tbsp of flour and continue mixing.
- While continuing to mix, add in the cubed butter — a few pieces at a time — until all of the butter has been fully incorporated into the dough (this will take some time; about 10 to 15 minutes).Note: Don't get discouraged! The dough may appear gummy at first, but should eventually pull away from the sides of the bowl as the butter incorporates into the dough. (You may also need to scrape down the sides of the bowl from time to time.) The final dough should feel tacky, but not overly sticky. If it's too sticky, sprinkle in a little more flour, as needed.8 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature and cut into ½" cubes
- Meanwhile, lightly grease a large bowl with vegetable oil and set it aside.
- Remove the dough from the bowl and form it into a smooth ball by folding it over itself 2 to 3 times with your hands. It should feel very soft and floppy, and not overly sticky — this ensures the donuts come out soft and pillowy.
- Place the dough into the greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and allow to rise at room temperature for 30 minutes. Then, chill the dough in the refrigerator it has doubled in volume (at least 4 hours, but ideally overnight).
Shaping and Proofing the Donuts
- Before removing the dough from the refrigerator, cut out 12–15 squares of parchment paper roughly 4" by 4" and set them on a baking sheet. Lightly brush each square with vegetable oil. This will make it easier to handle the donuts after they have risen and will prevent them from deflating or losing their shape.Note: If the parchment paper starts to curl, lightly grease the baking sheet first to help the paper stick in place.
- Once the dough has chilled, turn it out on a floured surface. Gently shape it into a rough rectangle with your hands, pressing out all of the air as you go.
- Using a floured rolling pin, roll out the dough into a rectangle about 13” by 10”.Note: For an even rectangle, start with the rolling pin in the center of the dough and roll outward towards each corner in an “X” formation.
- Using a 3” cutter and a smaller 1” cutter, cut out the donut shapes.Pro tip: Cut the donut shapes as close together as possible to make the most out of the dough. You can gather the scraps, reshape them into a ball, and re-roll out the dough, but keep in mind that these donuts will likely rise unevenly and come out misshapen when fried.
- Place one donut on each square of parchment paper (on the prepared baking sheet). Then, set the baking sheet into the oven — which should still be turned off!
- Place a cake pan on the oven rack below the donuts and carefully pour 1 cup of boiling water into it. (This will create steam to help your donuts rise.) Close the oven door and allow the donuts to proof until they are puffy and have doubled in size (about 60 to 90 minutes).Pro tip: From my testing, the proofing step is crucial to achieving perfect bakery-style donuts with that signature white ring around the edge. Make sure the donuts have fully puffed up and doubled in size before frying — this ensures that they'll float properly in the oil and won't turn out heavy or dense.
- Near the end of the proofing time, in a large pot or Dutch oven, heat at least 2" of vegetable oil to 350–360℉ on a candy thermometer.
Frying the Donuts
- Prepare a sheet pan lined with a wire cooling rack and paper towels (to catch excess oil after frying the donuts). Set aside.
- Once the vegetable oil reaches 350–360℉, fry the donuts until lightly golden brown on each side. (I recommend testing one donut first to ensure it has properly proofed before frying the rest, which you can do in batches of 3 to 4 at a time depending on the size of your pot.)
- Set each fried donut on the prepared wire rack to drain and cool.
Glazing the Donuts
- Prepare a second sheet pan lined with a wire cooling rack. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, hot water, vanilla, and salt until smooth and well combined.3 cups powdered (icing) sugar⅓ cup hot water¼ tsp pure vanilla extract¼ tsp kosher salt
- Dip each donut into the glaze, turning it over and swirling it around to coat all sides. Allow the excess glaze to drip back into the bowl for a few seconds, then transfer the donut to the prepared sheet pan with the wire rack.
- Allow the glaze to set for at least 20 minutes, until it's no longer tacky and cracks slightly when pressed, before serving.
Storing the Donuts
- Donuts are best served within 24 hours of frying them. Without the added preservatives and dough conditioners used in many donut shops, they begin to stale very quickly. For best results, store them in an airtight container at room temperature.
Nutrition
Calories: 325kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 290mg | Potassium: 79mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 250IU | Vitamin C: 0.001mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 2mg