I woke up on a Saturday around 9, with a crazy craving for something sweet and warm, but also with some grumpy kids who wanted "homemade donuts, not store-bought!" The first time I tried making these donuts, they turned out like bricks, seriously, the dog chewed on them for two days after I gave up. Since then, I realized that yeast, milk, and patience are sacred in this process, and you can't cheat with the dough. Anyway, don't say I didn't warn you: if you rush the rising, you'll end up with flat and bland results. You need to have patience, even if it smells good and everyone is already poking their noses into the kitchen.
To be honest, these donuts don’t take forever, but you won’t make them in the blink of an eye either. It takes about 20-25 minutes of actual work, but with the rising included, it easily takes two and a half hours. From these quantities, you get about 20 regular donuts, or more if you decide to cut out smaller, fun shapes – I once made dinosaur shapes, and there wasn’t a single one left after two hours. They’re not complicated, but they won’t make themselves: you have to get your hands in the dough and keep an eye on the clock and the oil. Let’s say it’s a "medium level of effort" – it’s not panic-inducing, but it won't work if you make them for the first time when you have guests at the door.
Why do I keep making them? Well, the kids ask, I don’t mind, and even though the kitchen ends up looking like a war zone, it’s totally worth it. It’s the perfect recipe when you’re craving something authentically sweet. I don’t know what it is about this fluffy texture, but it just doesn’t feel like home otherwise. Whether they’re round, square, or dinosaur-shaped – it doesn’t matter, what’s important is to fry them just right and dust them with powdered sugar while they’re still hot. You can invent shapes, let the kids play with the cutouts (though you’ll have flour everywhere, don’t blame me later). And as a bonus: they’re still good the next day, if they last that long. Well, in our house, they don’t even cool down.
Ingredients and why I use each one, because often people skip over this and then wonder why it doesn’t work out:
Flour – about 500 g, use all-purpose flour, not for sweet bread, not something dietetic. If it’s too fine, it turns into glue; if it’s too coarse, they come out like cookies. Flour gives body and "fluff" to the donuts.
Milk – 220 ml, warm but not boiling. It helps activate the yeast and bind the dough. If it’s cold, the dough won’t rise. If it’s too hot, you’ll kill the yeast, and then you’ll see concrete donuts.
Egg – one whole egg and two yolks, no more, otherwise it gets too heavy and doesn’t rise nicely. The egg adds a bit of flavor and binds the flour, while the yolks contribute a nice color and fluffiness.
Brown sugar – 50 g, for flavor and to aid in rising. Sugar "feeds" the yeast. I also added 10 g separately just to activate the yeast, the rest goes into the dough.
Bourbon vanilla sugar – one packet, for flavor. Without it, it’s just not the same.
Lemon zest – from one whole untreated lemon. It adds a fresh taste and lightens the dough. If you don’t want it, you can skip it, but I think it would be a shame.
Fresh yeast – one cube (42 g), you can’t just use half or take dry yeast and forget to activate it; the result isn’t the same. Without yeast, we don’t have donuts, we have flatbreads.
Oil – 3-4 good tablespoons for the dough, making it soft and elastic. You’ll also need about 600-700 ml for frying. Yes, it’s a lot, but donuts need a bath, not a shower.
Salt – a pinch, helps with flavor, don’t ignore it, even if it sounds odd in desserts.
Powdered sugar – for dusting at the end. If you want, you can add cinnamon, but that’s not common in our house, who am I to judge?
Preparation, step by step, with nerves and advice included:
1. I put all the flour into a large bowl. Don’t use a small bowl unless you want to clean flour off the floor afterward.
2. In another small bowl, I put the yeast cube, 10 g of brown sugar (from the total), a tablespoon of warm milk, and a pinch of salt. Yes, the salt helps with activation. I mixed it well to dissolve the yeast. Then I added the rest of the warm milk and mixed it all together.
3. Over the flour, I added the egg, yolks, the rest of the brown sugar, vanilla sugar, and lemon zest. With my hand – not with a mixer, because it’s not sweet bread – I started pulling the ingredients from the edges, then poured in the milk with yeast. I mixed until everything came together, first with a spoon, then clearly with my hand.
4. Now comes the part no one likes: kneading. It takes about 15-20 minutes; it can’t be less. Add the oil gradually and knead until it doesn’t stick to your hands anymore. If you get bored and only knead for 5 minutes, you’ll see the difference in how much they rise. In the end, you should have a slightly elastic, soft dough, not sticky but not too stiff either.
5. I covered the bowl with a clean towel and put it in a draft-free place – on the stove, as long as no one is cooking anything else nearby. I let it rise for about two hours until it doubles in size. In warm weather, it rises faster; in winter… don’t rush it.
6. I turned the risen dough onto a floured work surface. I rolled it out (yes, a clean bottle works if you don’t have a rolling pin) to about a finger’s thickness, around 1.5-2 cm.
7. Now is the time for creativity. You can use round shapes, a glass, whatever you have on hand. I, with the kids, used cookie cutters; we made dinosaurs, stars, flowers, all sorts. Cut them out and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a towel sprinkled with flour, so they don’t stick. Don’t get upset if they don’t come out perfect; once they rise and fry, it won’t matter.
8. Let them rise for another 20 minutes, covered lightly with a towel. They look prettier this way, fluffier.
9. In the meantime, I heated the oil in a deep pot. It’s important to have at least 5-6 cm of oil, so the donuts can swim, not just sit at the bottom of the pan.
10. The oil needs to be hot, but not boiling furiously. I tested with a small piece of dough – if it bubbles and floats to the surface, it’s ready.
11. Fry each one for about 1-2 minutes on each side until they turn a nice golden brown. Don’t overcrowd them; turn them carefully (don’t poke them with a fork, let them puff up).
12. Remove them onto paper towels to absorb the oil. While they’re still warm, toss them in powdered sugar so it sticks well.
Tips and ideas – to avoid failure
TIPS:
- Yeast should never be mixed directly with salt, but a pinch at the beginning activates it faster. If you add too much, it won’t rise well.
- The milk should be warm, not hot. If it’s cold, the yeast won’t activate; if it’s too hot, everything dies.
- When kneading, don’t skimp on time. Knead until it no longer sticks, but don’t add extra flour unnecessarily, only if you can’t actually work with it.
- Don’t fry on too high heat; they’ll burn on the outside and remain raw inside. Medium heat, don’t rush!
- Don’t overcrowd the pot, as it lowers the oil temperature and they won’t puff up correctly.
SUBSTITUTIONS AND ADAPTATIONS:
- You can use dry yeast, about 14-15 g, but still activate it with sugar and warm milk.
- If you want a lactose-free version, plant-based milk (soy, almond) works fine, but the final texture is a bit different; it doesn’t seem to puff up the same. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
- Gluten-free? There’s special flour for donuts/gluten-free. It’s not as fluffy, but with more egg and oil, you can make something acceptable.
- No sugar? Replace it with stevia or another sweetener, but don’t expect the same classic taste.
- No eggs? I haven’t tested it, but I’ve heard you can use yogurt or mashed banana for binding – it works, but it’s not exactly what you want.
VARIATIONS:
- Add a tablespoon of sour cream to the dough for extra tenderness (if you have some in the fridge).
- You can fill the donuts with jam, Nutella, or cream after frying, using a piping bag or syringe.
- If you like, you can add cinnamon or cardamom to the powdered sugar.
- For serving, you can slice them in half and fill them with whipped cream and fruit or ice cream (for the brave ones).
HOW TO SERVE:
- Hot, of course, with plenty of powdered sugar.
- Pairs perfectly with warm milk or strong coffee if you’re an adult bored with tea.
- On a weekend menu, alongside a cup of cold compote or even mulled wine in winter – don’t laugh, it works great.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How long should the dough rise?
Ideally, until it doubles in volume – it takes me about two hours, but if it’s warm in the kitchen, it might be ready in 90 minutes. If you don’t have patience and skip rising, the donuts won’t be fluffy; they’ll be doughy.
2. What do I do if the donuts don’t rise in the oil?
Check that the yeast was fresh and the milk was warm. If they still don’t rise, you probably kneaded too little or added too much flour along the way.
3. Can they be baked instead of fried?
You can try, but they won’t have the same taste, and the texture will be more "bread-like," not fluffy and tender. With a bit of oil on top and an oven heated to 180°C, you can still get something sweet and good, but it’s not quite authentic donuts.
4. How do I prevent them from absorbing too much oil?
The oil needs to be well heated, but not smoking. If it’s too cold, the donuts absorb like a sponge. Always remove them onto absorbent paper, and you might want to change the towel after the first batch.
5. Can I freeze the dough or the donuts?
The dough can be frozen in portions, well wrapped, thawed in the fridge overnight, and then continue with the final rise. The fried donuts don’t have the same charm after thawing, but if they’re left over, you can reheat them in the oven, not the microwave (they get soggy).
Nutritional values, honestly
Let’s be realistic: they’re not diet-friendly, and they shouldn’t be. One donut has about 180-200 kcal (depending on how much oil it absorbs and how much sugar you add at the end). Per 100 g, there are about 40 g of carbohydrates, 7-8 g of protein (from the egg, milk, and flour), and 5-6 g of fat (from the oil and egg). Sugar – yes, it’s not little, but you don’t eat 10 at once, although it’s hard to resist when they’re warm. I don’t recommend having them daily, but as a treat, it’s decent. Without filling or extra toppings, it doesn’t exceed 220 kcal per piece, and you can play with the quantity of powdered sugar. If you bake them, the fat content decreases a bit, but the taste is not the same.
How to store and reheat
Honestly, in our house, they don’t last more than a day, but if you made too many, keep them in a container with a lid, with a towel underneath, at room temperature. Not in the fridge, as they dry out and become rubbery. For reheating, the best method is in the oven, 3-5 minutes at 170°C, not in the microwave, as they get soft and weird. If you’ve forgotten them and they’ve dried out, you can cut them in half, fill them with something creamy (whipped cream, jam), and pop them in the oven to refresh a bit. If they still remain dry, don’t throw them away; cut them into cubes and make a kind of "pudding" with milk and egg in the oven, as a recycled dessert. You’ll always find a way not to waste them.
To be honest, these donuts don’t take forever, but you won’t make them in the blink of an eye either. It takes about 20-25 minutes of actual work, but with the rising included, it easily takes two and a half hours. From these quantities, you get about 20 regular donuts, or more if you decide to cut out smaller, fun shapes – I once made dinosaur shapes, and there wasn’t a single one left after two hours. They’re not complicated, but they won’t make themselves: you have to get your hands in the dough and keep an eye on the clock and the oil. Let’s say it’s a "medium level of effort" – it’s not panic-inducing, but it won't work if you make them for the first time when you have guests at the door.
Why do I keep making them? Well, the kids ask, I don’t mind, and even though the kitchen ends up looking like a war zone, it’s totally worth it. It’s the perfect recipe when you’re craving something authentically sweet. I don’t know what it is about this fluffy texture, but it just doesn’t feel like home otherwise. Whether they’re round, square, or dinosaur-shaped – it doesn’t matter, what’s important is to fry them just right and dust them with powdered sugar while they’re still hot. You can invent shapes, let the kids play with the cutouts (though you’ll have flour everywhere, don’t blame me later). And as a bonus: they’re still good the next day, if they last that long. Well, in our house, they don’t even cool down.
Ingredients and why I use each one, because often people skip over this and then wonder why it doesn’t work out:
Flour – about 500 g, use all-purpose flour, not for sweet bread, not something dietetic. If it’s too fine, it turns into glue; if it’s too coarse, they come out like cookies. Flour gives body and "fluff" to the donuts.
Milk – 220 ml, warm but not boiling. It helps activate the yeast and bind the dough. If it’s cold, the dough won’t rise. If it’s too hot, you’ll kill the yeast, and then you’ll see concrete donuts.
Egg – one whole egg and two yolks, no more, otherwise it gets too heavy and doesn’t rise nicely. The egg adds a bit of flavor and binds the flour, while the yolks contribute a nice color and fluffiness.
Brown sugar – 50 g, for flavor and to aid in rising. Sugar "feeds" the yeast. I also added 10 g separately just to activate the yeast, the rest goes into the dough.
Bourbon vanilla sugar – one packet, for flavor. Without it, it’s just not the same.
Lemon zest – from one whole untreated lemon. It adds a fresh taste and lightens the dough. If you don’t want it, you can skip it, but I think it would be a shame.
Fresh yeast – one cube (42 g), you can’t just use half or take dry yeast and forget to activate it; the result isn’t the same. Without yeast, we don’t have donuts, we have flatbreads.
Oil – 3-4 good tablespoons for the dough, making it soft and elastic. You’ll also need about 600-700 ml for frying. Yes, it’s a lot, but donuts need a bath, not a shower.
Salt – a pinch, helps with flavor, don’t ignore it, even if it sounds odd in desserts.
Powdered sugar – for dusting at the end. If you want, you can add cinnamon, but that’s not common in our house, who am I to judge?
Preparation, step by step, with nerves and advice included:
1. I put all the flour into a large bowl. Don’t use a small bowl unless you want to clean flour off the floor afterward.
2. In another small bowl, I put the yeast cube, 10 g of brown sugar (from the total), a tablespoon of warm milk, and a pinch of salt. Yes, the salt helps with activation. I mixed it well to dissolve the yeast. Then I added the rest of the warm milk and mixed it all together.
3. Over the flour, I added the egg, yolks, the rest of the brown sugar, vanilla sugar, and lemon zest. With my hand – not with a mixer, because it’s not sweet bread – I started pulling the ingredients from the edges, then poured in the milk with yeast. I mixed until everything came together, first with a spoon, then clearly with my hand.
4. Now comes the part no one likes: kneading. It takes about 15-20 minutes; it can’t be less. Add the oil gradually and knead until it doesn’t stick to your hands anymore. If you get bored and only knead for 5 minutes, you’ll see the difference in how much they rise. In the end, you should have a slightly elastic, soft dough, not sticky but not too stiff either.
5. I covered the bowl with a clean towel and put it in a draft-free place – on the stove, as long as no one is cooking anything else nearby. I let it rise for about two hours until it doubles in size. In warm weather, it rises faster; in winter… don’t rush it.
6. I turned the risen dough onto a floured work surface. I rolled it out (yes, a clean bottle works if you don’t have a rolling pin) to about a finger’s thickness, around 1.5-2 cm.
7. Now is the time for creativity. You can use round shapes, a glass, whatever you have on hand. I, with the kids, used cookie cutters; we made dinosaurs, stars, flowers, all sorts. Cut them out and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a towel sprinkled with flour, so they don’t stick. Don’t get upset if they don’t come out perfect; once they rise and fry, it won’t matter.
8. Let them rise for another 20 minutes, covered lightly with a towel. They look prettier this way, fluffier.
9. In the meantime, I heated the oil in a deep pot. It’s important to have at least 5-6 cm of oil, so the donuts can swim, not just sit at the bottom of the pan.
10. The oil needs to be hot, but not boiling furiously. I tested with a small piece of dough – if it bubbles and floats to the surface, it’s ready.
11. Fry each one for about 1-2 minutes on each side until they turn a nice golden brown. Don’t overcrowd them; turn them carefully (don’t poke them with a fork, let them puff up).
12. Remove them onto paper towels to absorb the oil. While they’re still warm, toss them in powdered sugar so it sticks well.
Tips and ideas – to avoid failure
TIPS:
- Yeast should never be mixed directly with salt, but a pinch at the beginning activates it faster. If you add too much, it won’t rise well.
- The milk should be warm, not hot. If it’s cold, the yeast won’t activate; if it’s too hot, everything dies.
- When kneading, don’t skimp on time. Knead until it no longer sticks, but don’t add extra flour unnecessarily, only if you can’t actually work with it.
- Don’t fry on too high heat; they’ll burn on the outside and remain raw inside. Medium heat, don’t rush!
- Don’t overcrowd the pot, as it lowers the oil temperature and they won’t puff up correctly.
SUBSTITUTIONS AND ADAPTATIONS:
- You can use dry yeast, about 14-15 g, but still activate it with sugar and warm milk.
- If you want a lactose-free version, plant-based milk (soy, almond) works fine, but the final texture is a bit different; it doesn’t seem to puff up the same. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
- Gluten-free? There’s special flour for donuts/gluten-free. It’s not as fluffy, but with more egg and oil, you can make something acceptable.
- No sugar? Replace it with stevia or another sweetener, but don’t expect the same classic taste.
- No eggs? I haven’t tested it, but I’ve heard you can use yogurt or mashed banana for binding – it works, but it’s not exactly what you want.
VARIATIONS:
- Add a tablespoon of sour cream to the dough for extra tenderness (if you have some in the fridge).
- You can fill the donuts with jam, Nutella, or cream after frying, using a piping bag or syringe.
- If you like, you can add cinnamon or cardamom to the powdered sugar.
- For serving, you can slice them in half and fill them with whipped cream and fruit or ice cream (for the brave ones).
HOW TO SERVE:
- Hot, of course, with plenty of powdered sugar.
- Pairs perfectly with warm milk or strong coffee if you’re an adult bored with tea.
- On a weekend menu, alongside a cup of cold compote or even mulled wine in winter – don’t laugh, it works great.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How long should the dough rise?
Ideally, until it doubles in volume – it takes me about two hours, but if it’s warm in the kitchen, it might be ready in 90 minutes. If you don’t have patience and skip rising, the donuts won’t be fluffy; they’ll be doughy.
2. What do I do if the donuts don’t rise in the oil?
Check that the yeast was fresh and the milk was warm. If they still don’t rise, you probably kneaded too little or added too much flour along the way.
3. Can they be baked instead of fried?
You can try, but they won’t have the same taste, and the texture will be more "bread-like," not fluffy and tender. With a bit of oil on top and an oven heated to 180°C, you can still get something sweet and good, but it’s not quite authentic donuts.
4. How do I prevent them from absorbing too much oil?
The oil needs to be well heated, but not smoking. If it’s too cold, the donuts absorb like a sponge. Always remove them onto absorbent paper, and you might want to change the towel after the first batch.
5. Can I freeze the dough or the donuts?
The dough can be frozen in portions, well wrapped, thawed in the fridge overnight, and then continue with the final rise. The fried donuts don’t have the same charm after thawing, but if they’re left over, you can reheat them in the oven, not the microwave (they get soggy).
Nutritional values, honestly
Let’s be realistic: they’re not diet-friendly, and they shouldn’t be. One donut has about 180-200 kcal (depending on how much oil it absorbs and how much sugar you add at the end). Per 100 g, there are about 40 g of carbohydrates, 7-8 g of protein (from the egg, milk, and flour), and 5-6 g of fat (from the oil and egg). Sugar – yes, it’s not little, but you don’t eat 10 at once, although it’s hard to resist when they’re warm. I don’t recommend having them daily, but as a treat, it’s decent. Without filling or extra toppings, it doesn’t exceed 220 kcal per piece, and you can play with the quantity of powdered sugar. If you bake them, the fat content decreases a bit, but the taste is not the same.
How to store and reheat
Honestly, in our house, they don’t last more than a day, but if you made too many, keep them in a container with a lid, with a towel underneath, at room temperature. Not in the fridge, as they dry out and become rubbery. For reheating, the best method is in the oven, 3-5 minutes at 170°C, not in the microwave, as they get soft and weird. If you’ve forgotten them and they’ve dried out, you can cut them in half, fill them with something creamy (whipped cream, jam), and pop them in the oven to refresh a bit. If they still remain dry, don’t throw them away; cut them into cubes and make a kind of "pudding" with milk and egg in the oven, as a recycled dessert. You’ll always find a way not to waste them.