Glazed Yeast Donuts (Printable Version)

Light, airy yeast-raised donuts dipped in a smooth vanilla glaze for a sweet treat anytime.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dough

01 - 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
02 - 1 cup whole milk, warmed
03 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
04 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
05 - 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (one packet)
06 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 1/2 teaspoon fine salt

→ Frying

08 - 2 quarts neutral oil (canola or vegetable) for frying

→ Vanilla Glaze

09 - 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
10 - 1/4 cup whole milk
11 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
12 - Pinch of salt

# Cooking Steps:

01 - Combine warmed milk and yeast in a small bowl; let stand 5 minutes until foamy.
02 - Whisk together flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl or stand mixer.
03 - Add yeast mixture, melted butter, and eggs to dry ingredients; mix until a sticky dough forms.
04 - Knead dough on medium speed or by hand for 5–7 minutes until smooth and elastic.
05 - Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 1 to 1.5 hours.
06 - Turn dough onto floured surface and roll out to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut donuts using a floured 3-inch cutter; reroll scraps. Place donuts and holes on parchment-lined tray.
07 - Cover and let donuts rise until puffy, 30 to 45 minutes.
08 - Heat oil in a deep fryer or heavy pot to 350°F.
09 - Fry donuts in batches for 1 to 1.5 minutes per side until golden brown. Transfer with slotted spoon to a wire rack lined with paper towels; cool slightly.
10 - Whisk powdered sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and salt until smooth.
11 - Dip warm donuts into glaze and allow excess to drip off. Place on rack until glaze sets.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They taste infinitely better than store-bought and stay soft for days if you actually manage not to eat them all at once.
  • The dough comes together quickly and forgiving—yeast-based but surprisingly low-stress compared to laminated doughs.
  • You can make them on a weekday morning and have fresh donuts with coffee before noon.
02 -
  • Oil temperature is non-negotiable—too cool and they absorb oil and taste greasy; too hot and the outside browns before the inside cooks through.
  • The second rise is shorter than you'd expect because yeast donuts are already light and airy; over-proofing them makes them collapse into dense hockey pucks when they hit the heat.
03 -
  • Room temperature eggs and warm milk aren't fussy—they're practical because they help the dough activate faster and develop better gluten structure.
  • A stand mixer makes the kneading almost meditative, but honestly, 5–7 minutes of hand-kneading works just fine and gives you a real sense of when the dough hits that perfect sweet spot of elasticity.
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