Whenever I want something quick and with readily available ingredients, I make these beer doughnuts. There's no need for much planning; I find everything at home – flour, yeast, milk, egg, beer. They turn out fluffy and soft, with a subtle crust and a pleasant vanilla and lemon flavor. They are ready without much hassle, and the process goes smoothly every time.
Quick Info
Total time: about 2 hours (including rising and frying)
Effective preparation time: 30-40 minutes
Rising time: 1h – 1h and a half
Servings: 20-25 small doughnuts (number varies depending on size)
Difficulty: medium (requires kneading and frying)
Type: fried dessert, perfect whenever you crave something sweet quickly
Ingredients
300 grams of white flour
100 ml of milk
3 tablespoons of oil
2 tablespoons of sugar
Zest of one lemon
1 vial of vanilla essence
A pinch of salt
1 egg
1/2 cup of beer (about 100 ml)
1/2 cube of fresh yeast (about 12-13 grams)
Preparation Method
1. The first step is the yeast mixture. In a small bowl, crumble the yeast, add 3 tablespoons of milk, 2 tablespoons of sugar, and a tablespoon of white flour (taken from the total amount). Mix well, cover, and let sit for 10 minutes until the yeast activates and the mixture increases in volume.
2. Separately, beat the egg with the remaining milk. Add the risen yeast mixture, oil, vanilla essence, grated lemon zest, and salt.
3. Gradually incorporate the remaining flour, mixing with a spoon or by hand. When the dough begins to come together, pour in the beer. Knead for about 10 minutes until you have an elastic, slightly sticky dough that comes off your hands. If it’s too sticky, you can sprinkle a little flour, but not too much; otherwise, the doughnuts will turn out dense.
4. Cover the bowl with a towel and let it rise in a warm place for 1 to 1 and a half hours. The dough should double in volume.
5. When the dough has risen, turn it out onto a floured surface. Roll it out to about 1.5 cm thick. Cut shapes with a glass or whatever you have on hand. The scraps can be kneaded again and rolled out once more.
6. Let the cut doughnuts rest on the table, covered, for another 10 minutes to relax and rise a bit more.
7. Heat enough oil in a pan (the doughnuts should float). When the oil is hot enough, start frying the doughnuts one by one. Turn them quickly, as they brown very fast.
8. Remove them onto paper towels. If you’re not consuming them immediately, don’t dust them with sugar while they’re still hot; it’s better to dust them when they cool down or just before serving.
Why I make this recipe often
The simplest reason is that the dough turns out soft and light every time, without complicated techniques. The beer helps with the color and makes them tender, and the rising time is reasonable. They can also be made in advance if I want dessert for later.
Tips and Variations
Tips
Don’t add too much extra flour while kneading, or the doughnuts will turn out hard.
The oil should be hot, but not smoking. A medium to high temperature is suitable.
If you leave them frying too long, they will dry out inside.
Don’t dust with sugar while they’re hot if you’re not eating them immediately.
Substitutions
Milk can be replaced with any plant-based alternative.
Vanilla essence can be omitted or replaced with a little rum essence.
Lemon zest can be substituted with orange zest.
Variations
You can fill the doughnuts with jam or cream, but the shape and frying time will vary.
They can also be cut into ring shapes.
You can replace part of the flour with whole wheat flour, but the texture will be denser.
Serving Ideas
They are good plain or dusted with sugar.
They go well with jam, chocolate cream, or even plain alongside coffee or tea.
They can be served warm or at room temperature.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I use dry yeast?
Yes, you can use a packet of dry yeast (about 7 grams), but I recommend activating it similarly with milk, sugar, and flour before adding it to the dough.
2. Can they be baked instead of fried?
The recipe is designed for frying. Baking will not yield the same texture; they will be denser and drier.
3. What type of beer should be used?
I use regular pale beer, without strong flavors. I do not recommend beers with intense flavors or dark beer.
4. What if the dough doesn’t rise?
Check if the yeast is fresh and if I left the dough warm enough. If it still doesn’t rise, it’s possible the yeast wasn’t active or the milk was too hot/cold.
5. Why don’t they fry evenly?
The oil temperature needs to be consistent. If you add too many doughnuts at once, the temperature drops, and they won’t brown evenly.
Nutritional values (estimates)
One doughnut (out of 20 pieces): approximately 80-100 kcal, 3g fat, 15g carbohydrates, 2g protein. Values vary depending on how much oil they absorb and their size. Sugar and fat content may increase if dusted or filled with cream.
Storage and Reheating
Best consumed on the day they are made. If leftovers remain, keep them covered at room temperature for a maximum of 1 day, as they dry out quickly. Freezing is not recommended, and reheating in the oven will make them harder. If I still want to heat them, I use 10-15 seconds in the microwave, but the texture will not be the same as at the beginning.
Quick Info
Total time: about 2 hours (including rising and frying)
Effective preparation time: 30-40 minutes
Rising time: 1h – 1h and a half
Servings: 20-25 small doughnuts (number varies depending on size)
Difficulty: medium (requires kneading and frying)
Type: fried dessert, perfect whenever you crave something sweet quickly
Ingredients
300 grams of white flour
100 ml of milk
3 tablespoons of oil
2 tablespoons of sugar
Zest of one lemon
1 vial of vanilla essence
A pinch of salt
1 egg
1/2 cup of beer (about 100 ml)
1/2 cube of fresh yeast (about 12-13 grams)
Preparation Method
1. The first step is the yeast mixture. In a small bowl, crumble the yeast, add 3 tablespoons of milk, 2 tablespoons of sugar, and a tablespoon of white flour (taken from the total amount). Mix well, cover, and let sit for 10 minutes until the yeast activates and the mixture increases in volume.
2. Separately, beat the egg with the remaining milk. Add the risen yeast mixture, oil, vanilla essence, grated lemon zest, and salt.
3. Gradually incorporate the remaining flour, mixing with a spoon or by hand. When the dough begins to come together, pour in the beer. Knead for about 10 minutes until you have an elastic, slightly sticky dough that comes off your hands. If it’s too sticky, you can sprinkle a little flour, but not too much; otherwise, the doughnuts will turn out dense.
4. Cover the bowl with a towel and let it rise in a warm place for 1 to 1 and a half hours. The dough should double in volume.
5. When the dough has risen, turn it out onto a floured surface. Roll it out to about 1.5 cm thick. Cut shapes with a glass or whatever you have on hand. The scraps can be kneaded again and rolled out once more.
6. Let the cut doughnuts rest on the table, covered, for another 10 minutes to relax and rise a bit more.
7. Heat enough oil in a pan (the doughnuts should float). When the oil is hot enough, start frying the doughnuts one by one. Turn them quickly, as they brown very fast.
8. Remove them onto paper towels. If you’re not consuming them immediately, don’t dust them with sugar while they’re still hot; it’s better to dust them when they cool down or just before serving.
Why I make this recipe often
The simplest reason is that the dough turns out soft and light every time, without complicated techniques. The beer helps with the color and makes them tender, and the rising time is reasonable. They can also be made in advance if I want dessert for later.
Tips and Variations
Tips
Don’t add too much extra flour while kneading, or the doughnuts will turn out hard.
The oil should be hot, but not smoking. A medium to high temperature is suitable.
If you leave them frying too long, they will dry out inside.
Don’t dust with sugar while they’re hot if you’re not eating them immediately.
Substitutions
Milk can be replaced with any plant-based alternative.
Vanilla essence can be omitted or replaced with a little rum essence.
Lemon zest can be substituted with orange zest.
Variations
You can fill the doughnuts with jam or cream, but the shape and frying time will vary.
They can also be cut into ring shapes.
You can replace part of the flour with whole wheat flour, but the texture will be denser.
Serving Ideas
They are good plain or dusted with sugar.
They go well with jam, chocolate cream, or even plain alongside coffee or tea.
They can be served warm or at room temperature.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I use dry yeast?
Yes, you can use a packet of dry yeast (about 7 grams), but I recommend activating it similarly with milk, sugar, and flour before adding it to the dough.
2. Can they be baked instead of fried?
The recipe is designed for frying. Baking will not yield the same texture; they will be denser and drier.
3. What type of beer should be used?
I use regular pale beer, without strong flavors. I do not recommend beers with intense flavors or dark beer.
4. What if the dough doesn’t rise?
Check if the yeast is fresh and if I left the dough warm enough. If it still doesn’t rise, it’s possible the yeast wasn’t active or the milk was too hot/cold.
5. Why don’t they fry evenly?
The oil temperature needs to be consistent. If you add too many doughnuts at once, the temperature drops, and they won’t brown evenly.
Nutritional values (estimates)
One doughnut (out of 20 pieces): approximately 80-100 kcal, 3g fat, 15g carbohydrates, 2g protein. Values vary depending on how much oil they absorb and their size. Sugar and fat content may increase if dusted or filled with cream.
Storage and Reheating
Best consumed on the day they are made. If leftovers remain, keep them covered at room temperature for a maximum of 1 day, as they dry out quickly. Freezing is not recommended, and reheating in the oven will make them harder. If I still want to heat them, I use 10-15 seconds in the microwave, but the texture will not be the same as at the beginning.