Soft Homemade Doughnuts Better Than a Bakery
These Soft Homemade Doughnuts are tender, airy, and better than anything from a bakery. Made with simple pantry ingredients, this recipe walks you through the entire process from mixing and kneading the dough to frying and glazing. Perfectly sweet and lightly spiced with nutmeg, these doughnuts are worth the 2.5-hour prep time and deliver fresh, delicious doughnuts straight from your own kitchen.
- Prep Time: 2 hours, 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes
- Yield: 12 doughnuts and 12 doughnut holes 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 1 cup (240ml) whole milk, warmed to about 110°F (43°C)
- 2 and 1/4 teaspoons (7g) instant or active dry yeast (1 standard packet)
- 1/3 cup (65g) granulated sugar, divided
- 2 large eggs
- 6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups (500g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled), plus more as needed
- 1–2 quarts vegetable oil for frying
Donut Glaze
- 2 cups (240g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 1/3 cup (80ml) heavy cream, half-and-half, or whole milk
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together warm milk, yeast, and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Cover loosely and let sit for 5–10 minutes until frothy and foamy. This activates the yeast for the dough.
- Mix the Dough: Add remaining sugar, eggs, melted butter, vanilla, nutmeg, salt, and 2 cups of flour to the yeast mixture. Beat on low speed for 1 minute, scraping down the bowl. Then add remaining flour and beat on medium speed until dough forms and pulls away from bowl sides, about 2 minutes. Add extra flour sparingly if needed; dough should be slightly sticky.
- Knead the Dough: Continue kneading in the mixer for an additional 5-7 minutes or knead by hand on a floured surface for the same time until the dough is soft but elastic. Use the windowpane test to check if kneaded enough—stretch dough thin without tearing and light should pass through.
- Let Dough Rise: Lightly grease a large bowl and place dough inside, coating all sides with oil. Cover the bowl and let dough rise in a warm place for 1.5 to 2 hours until doubled in size.
- Shape Doughnuts: Punch down the dough and roll it onto a lightly floured surface to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut doughnuts using a 3–3.5-inch doughnut cutter. Place doughnuts and holes on baking sheets lined with parchment or silicone mats. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes to rise slightly.
- Heat Oil and Fry: Pour vegetable oil into a large heavy-duty pot with a thermometer and heat to 375°F (191°C). Fry 2–3 doughnuts at a time for 1 minute per side until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spatula, then place on a cooling rack over a baking sheet. Fry doughnut holes for about 30 seconds per side.
- Make the Glaze: Whisk together confectioners’ sugar, cream (or milk), and vanilla until smooth. Dip warm doughnuts immediately into glaze, coating both sides. Place back on rack and allow glaze to set for about 20 minutes.
- Serve and Store: Enjoy doughnuts the same day for best freshness. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature or refrigerate for up to two days.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: Freeze shaped doughnuts before frying for up to 3 months. Thaw and rest 4-5 hours before frying. You can also freeze fried, unglazed doughnuts, then reheat and glaze when ready to serve.
- Overnight Rise: After kneading, refrigerate dough overnight (8–12 hours) instead of rising at room temperature. Remove and let rise until doubled before shaping.
- Doughnut Holes: Fry holes about 30 seconds per side until golden.
- Milk Choice: Whole milk gives the tenderest dough. Buttermilk works well; lower fat or nondairy milks can be used but may reduce flavor and richness.
- Oil Quantity: Use enough vegetable oil to fill about one-third of your pot for safe frying depth.
- Used Oil Disposal: Let oil cool, then discard in a sealed container instead of pouring down the drain.