How to Make Doughnuts

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: June 12, 2021 References Tested

Doughnuts come in all shapes and sizes. They are the perfect way to treat yourself on a lazy weekend, or to indulge in a baking adventure. Store-bought doughnuts are great, but homemade ones are even better. Here are three distinctive doughnut recipes to whet your appetite. Enjoy!

Prep time (Fried Glazed): 2 hours, 30 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: 2 hours, 45 minutes

Ingredients

Fried Glazed Doughnuts

2 (.25 ounce) envelopes active dry yeast
¼ cup warm water (105-115°F or 40-45℃)
1½ cups lukewarm milk
½ cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
⅓ cup shortening
5 cups all-purpose flour
1 quart (1 liter) vegetable oil for frying

For glaze:

⅓ cup butter
2 cups confectioner's sugar
1½ teaspoons vanilla
4 tablespoons hot water or as needed

Baked Glazed Doughnuts

2 cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup milk
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon shortening (or 2 tablespoons melted butter)

For glaze:

1 cup confectioner's sugar
2 tablespoons hot water
½ teaspoon almond extract

Canadian Fried Dough

½ cup warm water (110° F or 45° C)
5 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 pinch white sugar
1 cup warm milk (110° F or 45° C)
⅓ cup white sugar
1½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 beaten eggs
⅓ cup vegetable oil
5 cups whole-wheat flour, divided
1 quart vegetable oil for frying

For dusting:

2 cups white sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, or to taste

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Fried Glazed Doughnuts

1
Mix the yeast and the warm water together in a small bowl. The yeast needs warm water to activate; it will help the doughnut dough rise and stay fluffy. Let activate for 5 minutes.^{[1]
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2
Mix yeast mixture, milk, sugar, salt, eggs, shortening, and 2 cups of the flour in a mixer on a low speed. Alternatively, you can use a wooden spoon and mix by hand, but be sure to mix the dry ingredients first, then the wet ingredients separately, and then combine the two.^{[2]
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3
Beat in remaining flour, ½ cup at a time, at a low speed. Do this until the dough no longer sticks to the bowl.
4
Knead the dough with your hands and knuckles for 5 minutes until the dough is smooth but elastic.
5
Set the dough into a greased bowl to rise. Cover with a towel and let stand until dough doubles in volume (about 1 hour). Dough will be ready when you can press a finger into it and the indentation stays.
6
On a floured surface, roll the dough out until it's about 0.5 inch (1.3 cm) thick. Cut with a floured doughnut cutter, or cut into doughnut shapes by hand.
7
Let the doughnuts rise again until double their size (about 30-60 minutes). Lay them out on a tray and cover them with a large, clean towel.
8
Prepare the glaze while doughnuts are rising. This is a classic butter glaze, not unlike the Krispy Kreme glaze that is popular in America. To make the glaze:
- Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Be careful not to burn the butter.
- Take the butter off the iron and stir in confectioners' sugar and vanilla until smooth. You can add more sugar to thicken the glaze.
- Stir in hot water one tablespoon at a time until the icing is thin, but not watery.
9
Heat the oil in a deep fryer or skillet until oil reaches a temperature of 350℉ (175℃). Use a kitchen thermometer for maximum precision.
- To avoid a greasy taste, heat the oil up on medium high for five minutes, and then gently reduce the heat until thermometer reads 350℉ (175℃).
10
Slide the donuts into the oil carefully, with metal tongs or a spatula. Turn the doughnuts over when they float up to the surface. Fry evenly on both sides until golden brown.
11
Remove doughnuts from oil and let drain on a wire rack. Make sure any excess oil drips off the doughnut before you glaze it.
12
While doughnuts are still warm, dip doughnuts into the glaze, coating evenly. Set to dry on a wire rack and enjoy immediately.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Baked Glazed Doughnuts

1
Preheat your oven to 325℉ (165℃). Lightly grease a doughnut pan.^{[3]
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2
Into a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt.
3
Stir milk, eggs, vanilla, and shortening together before incorporating into dry mix. Beat the batter together until well blended.^{[4]
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4
Fill the doughnut pan so each cup is ¾ full. The doughnuts will rise as they bake in the oven.
5
Bake the doughnuts for 8-10 minutes, until they are springy when touched. Allow to cool slightly before removing from pan.
6
Make and apply the glaze. In a small bowl, mix confectioners' sugar, hot water, and almond extract until smooth and creamy. Dip the still-warm doughnuts into glaze and let excess drip off.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Canadian Fried Dough

1
In a large bowl, mix yeast, warm water, and pinch of sugar until foam begins to show (about 5 minutes).
2
Into the yeast mixture, stir in milk, ⅓ cup sugar, salt, vanilla extract, eggs, and ⅓ cup vegetable oil. Stir until the sugar has dissolved.^{[5]
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3
Mix in about 2½ cups of the whole-wheat flour. Stir until the dough is too stiff to add more flour. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and begin to knead in more flour until the dough is no longer sticky. Continue kneading until dough is smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes).
4
Form the dough into one big ball, place into a greased bowl, and cover. Let rest until the dough has doubled in size, about 1 hour.
5
Place the dough back on a well-floured surface and knead again to reshape it. Break off a piece of dough roughly the size of a heaping tablespoon.
6
Shape the heaping tablespoon of dough into a thin strip or an oval shape. You can use a rolling pin or your hands. The dough should be 0.25 inch (0.6 cm) thick. In Canada, fried dough is often called "Beaver Trails," so let your imagination run wild!
7
Place rolled bits of dough under a cloth to rise while you shape the remainder of the dough.
8
Heat oil in a deep fryer or large skillet to 375℉ (190℃). Oil should be at least 4–5 inches (10.2–12.7 cm) deep in your fryer or skillet.
9
While oil is heating, combine 2 cups of sugar with cinnamon and set aside for dusting.
10
Gently introduce pastries into the frying oil, one at a time, cooking for 1-2 minutes per side, until golden brown. Remove onto a wire rack.
11
Remove excess oil from fried pastries with paper towels. Dip each pastry into the cinnamon sugar mixture while still warm.
12
Enjoy.

Doughnut Topping Ideas and Recipes

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Community Q&A

Question

Can I use chocolate to make doughnuts?

Community Answer

Yes, of course! All you have to do is add cocoa powder to the dough until you get the color you want. Then you add more sugar to balance out the cocoa, and more milk if it is too thick.
Question

How long can I store unused dough?

Community Answer

You can store the dough in the fridge covered in plastic wrap. It should stay good for at least a few days. You could also freeze the dough indefinitely (as long as it's properly sealed).
Question

How do I store doughnut dough?

Community Answer

Store it in a dry, clean bowl, and place a light towel or a lace over it. Don't stack bowls together.