The ultimate recipe for fluffy and soft Glazed Yeast Doughnuts that are fried to golden perfection before dunked in a rich and buttery vanilla glaze.
When I say these are "the best" doughnuts, it is not an overstatement. Everyone I have served these doughnuts to has agreed; they are truly amazing! This recipe for amazing homemade doughnuts has been a process, though. I first started working on this doughnut recipe in late March of 2020. We all know what was going on at that point in time... *sigh*
Anyway, I had plenty of time on my hands and what could be a better comfort food than homemade doughnuts? So, I was making doughnuts. But, alas, I just couldn't get the recipe to be what I wanted at that point so I kinda put it aside for the time... and let 2 years pass before returning to it.
Fast-forward to March 2022, I decided to pull out my notes and try again. Wouldn't you know it, the first time I tested it with a tweaked ingredient list and method; doughnut PERFECTION!
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⭐️ Why You Need to Make This Recipe
- Texture - These doughnuts are fluffy yet have a pleasant density to them!
- Flavor - Homemade dough made with yeast is always so satisfying and comforting, like homemade bread or dinner rolls! And the slightly salty vanilla glaze that coats these doughnuts is out of this world!
- Method - This recipe may take a few hours and quite a few steps to make, but believe me, it is so worth it! Have some friends over for a doughnut-making party! Be sure to follow my step-by-step instructions (with photos!) to help you along every step of the way.
Here are some more of my favorite recipes to try next!
- Homemade Chocolate Cupcakes - These basic chocolate cupcakes are my go-to for birthdays!
- No-Bake Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake - One of my favorite cheesecakes for Summer!
- Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies - Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies with pecans made just a little more special with the flavor of browned butter.
🧈 Ingredients
Here are the ingredients needed to make these homemade doughnuts with vanilla glaze.
Ingredient Notes
- Yeast - Like my homemade breadsticks recipe, these doughnuts are made with active dry yeast. This kind of yeast needs to "bloom" before it is added to the recipe. We will whisk it into some warm water with a little sugar added and let it sit for 10 minutes until it froths up, then add it to the recipe!
- Butter - You will need some butter for the dough and some for the glaze.
- Oil - You will need around 1 liter of neutral-flavored oil that is good for frying. While I don't often cook with them, sunflower oil, canola oil, or peanut oil are best for frying doughnuts because they all have a high smoke point.
See the recipe card for the full list of ingredients with measurements.
📃 Instructions
Step 1: Stir together the warm water, ½ teaspoon of sugar, and active dry yeast. Let sit for 10 minutes or until bloomed and frothy.
Step 2: In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the sugar, warm milk, melted butter, eggs, vanilla, and salt. Whisk in the bloomed yeast mixture.
Step 3: Start mixing with a dough hook attachment at low speed while adding the flour, 1 cup at a time, until all 5 cups have been added.
Step 4: Increase the speed to between medium and low and let the mixer knead the dough for 10 minutes. The dough should be smooth, and soft, yet a little tacky. Form into a ball and place in a well-oiled bowl, oiling the top of the dough as well.
Step 5: Cover and let the dough rise for 1 hour or until more than doubled in size.
Step 6: Punch down the dough to deflate and transfer to a lightly floured countertop. Roll out with a rolling pin to ½-inch thickness. Cut out into doughnut shapes using a doughnut cutter or 2 cookie cutters (around 2 ½-inch and 1-inch).
Step 7: Arrange on a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper and dusted with flour. Cover and let the doughnuts rise for 30 minutes.
Step 8: Heat about 3 inches deep of oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven. The oil should be heated to around 350℉. Very carefully slip the risen doughnuts into the hot oil, being careful not to splash oil or crowd the doughnuts.
Step 9: Let fry until golden brown on one side before carefully flipping using a fork to let the other side fry. Once golden, remove from the oil onto a plate lined with paper towel to soak up the excess oil before glazing.
Step 10: Make the glaze by bringing the sugar, milk, butter, and salt to a boil for 2 minutes while whisking constantly. Remove from the heat and whisk in the powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth.
Step 11: Glaze the doughnuts while still hot into the hot glaze, being careful not to burn your fingers. Place on a wire rack after dunking in the glaze to allow the excess to drip off.
💡 Top Tip
Adding too much flour will make for dense and tough doughnuts. Try to stick to the 5 cups called for in the recipe, adding only a tablespoon at a time of more flour if the dough is too sticky and difficult to work with. Since this recipe is made with a mixer, it is easier to get away with a stickier dough because you aren't kneading it by hand.
🍩 More Doughnut Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
If you tried these Glazed Homemade Yeast Donuts or any other recipe on my website, please leave a ⭐️ star rating and write a little note telling me how it went in the comments below. Thank you!!
📖 Recipe
The Best Glazed Yeast Doughnuts
Equipment
- electric stand mixer fitted with hook attachment
- measuring cups & spoons
- large dutch oven or heavy pot, to fry in (must be safe to heat to 350℉)
- cooking thermometer
- rolling pin
- doughnut cutter (or two cookie cutters, one larger, one smaller
- several large baking sheets
- wire rack
- paper towel
- parchment paper
- small saucepan
- whisk
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- ½ cup warm water (110℉)
- ½ teaspoon granulated white sugar
- 1 tablespoon active dry yeast (traditional yeast)
- ⅓ cup granulated white sugar
- 1 cup warm milk (110℉) (I use whole milk)
- 6 tablespoons salted butter melted
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 5 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 liters oil suitable for frying *
For the Glaze:
- ¾ cup granulated white sugar
- ¾ cup milk
- ¼ cup salted butter *
- pinch of salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups powdered sugar (confectioners sugar)
Instructions
- Add the warm water, ½ teaspoon of sugar, and yeast to a small bowl and stir just until combined. Let sit for 10 minutes or until bubbly and frothy. (If the mixture doesn't bubble, your yeast has probably gone bad and you will need to start over with new yeast.)½ cup warm water (110℉), ½ teaspoon granulated white sugar, 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
- While the yeast is proofing, combine the additional ⅓ cup of sugar, warm milk, melted butter, eggs, vanilla, and salt in the bowl of the stand mixer. Whisk until fully combined and then add the yeast mixture once frothy.⅓ cup granulated white sugar, 1 cup warm milk (110℉), 6 tablespoons salted butter, 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ¾ teaspoon salt
- Start mixing with the hook dough attachment on low and gradually add the flour, one cup at a time, until all 5 cups have been added. Increase the speed to around medium-low and let the mixer knead the dough for around 10 minutes or until a smooth, soft dough forms. It's okay if the dough is still a little sticky. Form the dough into a smooth ball and place it in a well-oiled bowl, oiling the top of the dough as well. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour until doubled or more in size.5 cups all-purpose flour
- When the dough is rising, prepare 3 or 4 large baking sheets with parchment paper or wax paper; these are to place the doughnuts on to rise. Once risen, punch down the dough to deflate. Transfer to a lightly floured counter and roll out to about ½ inch in thickness. Cut out doughnuts using a floured doughnut cutter or two cookie cutters. Place doughnuts on the prepared pans, leaving room between them to rise. Cover the pans with plastic wrap and let rise for 30 minutes.
- While the doughnuts are rising, start heating your oil to 350℉ in a large Dutch oven or a heavy pot. Prepare the glaze (recipe below) so that it's ready to glaze the doughnuts while they are still hot. Prepare a baking sheet or plate with some paper towel to place the doughnuts on as soon as they come out of frying to absorb excess oil. Prepare a wire rack to place the doughnuts on after glazing with a parchment paper-lined baking sheet underneath to catch excess glaze that drips down.2 liters oil suitable for frying
- Once the doughnuts have risen and your oil has reached 350℉, it's time to start frying! Fry as many doughnuts as you can fit at one time in your dutch oven or pot without crowding them. Try to maintain an oil temperature of 350℉ and adjust the heat as necessary. Fry until golden brown on the first side and then flip using a fork. The time for each side really varies, but you will figure it out as you go.
- Remove the doughnuts from the oil with a fork onto your paper towel-lined pan and allow the grease to soak up for a few minutes before glazing them in the still-warm glaze. Dunk one side and flip and dunk the other. Work quickly and be careful not to burn yourself, the doughnuts will still be very hot. Place on the wire rack to let the excess glaze drip off.
- Repeat this process until all the doughnuts and doughnut holes are fried and glazed. I usually fry all the doughnuts first and then do the doughnut holes at the end. Enjoy!
To make the Glaze:
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, add the granulated sugar, milk, butter, and salt. Bring to a boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla extract before gradually adding the powdered sugar and whisking well until fully combined and no lumps remain. Transfer to a medium-sized bowl.¾ cup granulated white sugar, ¾ cup milk, ¼ cup salted butter, pinch of salt, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 3 cups powdered sugar
Notes
- Sunflower oil, canola oil, or peanut oil are best for frying doughnuts because they all have a high smoke point.
- Add ⅛ teaspoon of salt to the glaze if using unsalted butter.
Kara Bennie
This classic donut recipe is amazing!! The donuts are light and fluffy and the glaze has the perfect amount of sweetness. Would definitely make these again:)
Jaime
Just made these and they are fabulous. So light and fluffy. Not dense at all like the other comments say, they are perfect. And, this is the first time I have ever attempted donuts at home! My teenage sons are impressed. Will be making again in the future.
Naomi Andres
Thank you very much for the encouraging review, Jaime! I am so thrilled that you and your family enjoyed this recipe!
Naomi
Veronica
These donuts are very very dense and I didn’t much care for them. They weren’t bad but definitely not what I want when I eat donuts. They remind me of bread with sugar on it whereas donuts are light and fluffy, not terrible but won’t make again.
Naomi Andres
Hi Veronica,
I’m sorry to hear that you weren’t pleased with this recipe. I tested and tweaked this recipe thoroughly while developing it until a light textured dough was achieved. These doughnuts should come out light and fluffy, at least that’s how they turn out for me and those who’ve tried them say the same. Perhaps the yeast you used was inactive and they didn’t rise properly or you added too much flour which made them dense?
Jerry McAneney
I've tried this recipe twice and both times the dough is so sticky after rising, I can't work with it. I have to add alot of flour to be able to roll it out. They do turnout delicious but very frustrating when the dough sticks to everything. Thanks!
Naomi Andres
Hi Jerry, thanks for taking the time to leave a review! I’m sorry this recipe was difficult to work with, you can definitely add as much flour as you need to make it less sticky. I wanted to err on the side of caution though and use less flour to start with to prevent the dough from getting tough. Thanks again!