A quick peruse through the sweets and desserts category would expose just how much I love fried dough foods. From festivals all the way to homemade puff-puff, you have an array of foods to choose from, now including fluffy donuts, actually the fluffiest you will ever have!
There are many reasons that prevent your donuts from coming out light, airy, fluffy and delicious, I addressed the common ones here. The good news is this recipe is a fail-proof one, and I can guarantee great results if you follow it to a T. First off what do we need?
Check out other Fried Dough Recipes!
Ingredients needed for Donuts
All-Purpose & Bread Flour
The combination of all-purpose flour and bread flour provides structure and elasticity to the dough due to developed gluten, essential for achieving the light and airy texture of fluffy donuts. Here are the products I use regularly.
Yeast
A pack of active dry yeast is the leavening agent used in this recipe.
Sugar
This is used to sweeten dough as well as feed the yeast for a better rise.
Eggs & Yolks
Adding both the eggs and egg yolks into the mix help to create a more tender crumb in the finished donuts.
Milk
This adds moisture and richness to the dough, this is best used warm.
Butter
Unsalted butter adds flavor to your donut batter.
Vanilla Extract
The addition of vanilla provides a subtle sweet aroma to the donuts.
Oil for Frying
You can use any oil of your choice, the most important part is ensuring the oil is enough in quantity and temperature when frying.
Optionals
Other optional ingredients include cinnamon, confectioner’s sugar that can be used to coat the donuts when fried.
Other Sweet Tooth Cravings
How to Make Classic Donuts
Equipment
- 1 Stand Mixer
- 1 Donut cutter
Ingredients
Donut
- 2 cups All-purpose flour
- 2 cups bread flour
- 2½ tsp active dry yeast or 1 pack of 7g active dry yeast
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1½ tsp salt
- 2 egg yolks
- 3 whole eggs room temperature
- ½ cup warm milk
- 7 Tbsp unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Cinnamon Sugar
- 6 Tbsp white granulated sugar
- 2½ tsp cinnamon
Extra
- vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the warm milk, a tbsp of sugar and the yeast, let it sit for 10 mins or until it blooms (appearing foamy on the surface)
- Add in all other ingredients into the milk mix, use a stand mixer with a dough hook, and begin mixing on low speed for 5 minutes. Increase to high speed and continue mixing for 3 minutes.
- Transfer to an oiled surface and knead by hand for 1 minute. Form a ball and place in the bowl, cover and leave to sit in a warm place until it has doubled in size, this should take anywhere between 1-2 hours.
- Transfer the dough to the oiled surface, use a rolling pin to roll out the dough to an inch thickness. Use a donut cutter to cut out the donuts, mould into a perfect ball and place on a lined sheet.
- When the dough balls are all laid out, cover and let it proof a second time for 30 minutes while you heat up your oil for frying to a temperature of 360℉-370℉.
- Begin frying the donuts in batches, it is important you don't overcrowd the pan. Flip over when the donut has browned slightly.
- When the donuts have browned nicely on both sides, pack them out and lay them on a rack to drain.
- Mix the cinnamon and sugar together. Toss in the donuts until they are fully coated with the cinnamon sugar.
