Homemade Glazed Donuts

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There's nothing quite like Homemade Glazed Donuts freshly cooked and warm. These delicious doughnuts are made with a tender, pillowy dough and topped with a sweet glaze made from scratch. Plus, this donut recipe is made the traditional way by deep frying to give them the perfect texture and bite. It's impossible to eat just one! Make them for your next brunch, special occasion, or just because. Your family will thank you!

Homemade Glazed Donuts are made with tender, pillowy dough and topped with a sweet glaze. Making doughnuts at home are a lot easier than you'd think! | aheadofthyme.com

If you're intimidated by the thought of making glazed doughnuts at home, you don't need to be! There are a few steps that can be scary to new bakers, like making yeast dough and frying. However, the process is so much easier than you'd expect, and we've prepared careful, step-by-step instructions (with pictures) to support you along the way. Once you see how easy and fun it is to make from scratch, you'll make homemade donuts all the time!

Why You'll Love These Homemade Glazed Donuts

So soft and tender. The secret to the best donuts is the dough. It needs to be soft and tender, not hard or chewy. This enriched donut dough has butter, milk, and egg to give you the perfect texture. Just follow the tips for rising and shaping the doughnuts, then fry to perfection! They're delicious every time.
Donut shop flavor. This particular recipe tastes so much like Krispy Kreme doughnuts or the classic glazed donuts from your local donut shop. They'll take you right back to your childhood!
Great for brunch or special occasions. Wouldn't it be fun to make donuts for special occasions in your life? They'd be such a sweet birthday breakfast treat. They'll disappear instantly at any gathering!

Ingredient Notes

To make these delicious homemade glazed donuts, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

all purpose flour - you don't need fancy flour to make this doughnut recipe. Regular all purpose works great.
whole milk - warm milk will make the donut dough soft and flexible.
butter - use unsalted and melted butter to give your dough a rich, tender texture.
white sugar - sweeten the dough just a little. The glaze will add most of the sweetness.
egg - eggs make yeast doughs lighter, fluffier, and more flexible.
instant yeast - this yeast will start working instantly so you can enjoy your glazed donuts quickly. Active dry yeast is a good alternative.
salt - salt balances sweetness and is an important part of any dough.
boiling water - to create a warm environment when oven proofing the dough.
neutral oil - use a neutral option, like canola oil or vegetable oil.
homemade glaze - you will need confectioners' sugar (also known as powdered sugar, this will thicken the glaze and make it sweet), butter (to keep the glaze soft and reduce cracking) hot water, milk, and vanilla (for flavor).

You will also need measuring cups and spoons (or a kitchen scale), stand mixer, mixing bowls, plastic wrap, baking sheets, parchment paper, rolling pin, donut cutter, whisk, paper towels, rubber tongs, large pot or Dutch oven, and wire rack.

How to Make the Best Homemade Glazed Donuts

First, make the dough.

Combine ingredients. Add flour, warm milk, melted butter, sugar, egg, instant yeast, and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer. Attach the dough hook attachment onto the stand mixer, and turn the mixer on to medium-low speed. Mix for around 5-10 minutes for the dough to form. When ready, the dough should be smooth, elastic, and a little bit sticky and tacky to the touch.
Rise. Transfer the dough to a large greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, then place in a warm place to rise for about 1-2 hours, or until the dough is doubled in size.

Now, let's shape into donuts.

Prep work. Meanwhile, prepare 2 large baking sheets with 12 small parchment squares about 4x4-inches in size). You can buy these or cut them out of 2 large sheets of parchment paper. Also, prepare your oven for proofing by adding a rimmed baking sheet or a large cake pan to the bottom rack, and filling it with boiling water. This humid and warm environment is crucial for the final rise.
Roll dough. Turn the proofed dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and roll out to be about ½-inch thick.
Cut dough. Using a donut cutter (or a large 3-inch cookie cutter coupled with a small 1-inch cookie cutter) cut out your donuts, then transfer each donut onto a parchment square.
Rise. Transfer the baking sheets into your humid oven, and allow it to rise for about 20 minutes. They should look risen but not doubled in size.

Now, make the sweet glaze.

In a medium mixing bowl, add the confectioners’ sugar, melted butter, milk, hot water, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth and set aside for later.

Let's fry the donuts.

Heat oil. When the donuts are ready, add oil to a large wide pot, such as a Dutch oven, filling it about halfway. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches between 350°F as read on a cooking thermometer, about 3-4 minutes.
Fry. Pick up the donuts with the parchment paper attached, and carefully place them into hot oil. Use rubber tongs to remove the parchment papers from the oil. Fry the donuts for about 60-90 seconds per side, or until golden. It is best to fry in batches – I fried mine in 3 batches, as to not drop the oil temperature too much.
Cool. Place the fried donuts onto paper towel-lined baking sheet to cool off.

Finally, coat with glaze.

While the donuts are still warm, dunk each donut into the glaze, then place onto a wire rack for the excess to drip off. Allow the glaze to fully harden before enjoying.

Recipe Variations

Make doughnut holes. Instead of cutting out rounds, cut out lots of small donut holes for a bite-sized treat. Be sure to adjust the frying time to avoid overcooking them.
Adjust the glaze. This creamy milk glaze is wonderful on a warm donut, but you can easily adjust it or replace it with something different. Try changing the extract, adding a little citrus zest, or shaking some cinnamon. You can also use a chocolate glaze with sprinkles for a fun throwback treat.
Decorate them. Add some chopped nuts, coconut shreds, sprinkles, orange zest, crushed cookies, or other toppings to make this glazed donut recipe your own.
Use bread flour. You absolutely do not have to use bread flour, but it can be a game-changer for making the perfect donuts, pizzas, and other breads. Look for regular white bread flour.

How to Serve

These homemade glazed donuts are a delicious treat on their own or pair them with some of my favorite drinks such as:

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Let the dough rise fully. This is the secret to that perfect bite. Make sure you let the dough fully double, then punch it down, shape, and rise again. Underproofed donuts will be dense and chewy instead of soft and pillowy.
Don't overfry. Watch the dough as it's frying. It should turn a beautiful golden brown shade when it's ready. If it starts to overcook, the donuts can take on a burnt taste.
Glaze properly. Glazing donuts can be a messy business! Set a wire rack on your sheet pan to catch any drips. Use two forks or a slotted spoon to carefully lift the donuts in and out of the glaze. Be careful not to puncture the donuts or drop them!
Work in batches. If you add too many donuts to the pan, the temperature will drop, and you'll get soggy, greasy donuts. Focus on deep-frying just 3-4 at a time.

Storing and Freezing Instructions

How to Store

Leftover donuts should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days. You can also refrigerate them for longer, but they may begin to dry out.

How to Reheat

The best donuts are warm! Microwave your donut for 15-30 seconds to make it taste fresh from the fryer.

FAQ

Can you decorate glazed donuts?

Absolutely! As the glaze hardens, it'll hold any toppings in place, so it's best to decorate right after glazing. There are tons of options, too. Keep it simple with sprinkles, chopped nuts, citrus zest, or shredded coconut, or get a little more creative. Try crushing cookies, freeze-dried fruits, and other sweet snacks for a fun topping. You can also add dried, edible flowers like rose petals or lavender for a floral note. If you want to add a fun topping, consider adding an extract to support that flavor in the glaze. For example, you can add a little lemon juice or extract to the glaze and top with lemon zest. Sweet donuts are also wonderful with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.

Are donuts better fried or baked?

That really depends on the type of donut! Cake donuts and baked jelly donuts taste amazing fresh out of the oven, but frying produces a crust that adds a wonderful bite. Some varieties, like yeast donuts, are generally best when fried.

What flour is best for donuts?

The best flour is the one you have on hand. You can very easily make wonderful, tender donuts with the all purpose flour already hanging out in your pantry. However, as a yeasted dough, bread flour can be a wonderful addition that will give you a softer dough with an impossibly tender texture. Just skip the cake flour. It doesn't have enough protein for yeasted doughs.

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Why You'll Love These Homemade Glazed Donuts

Ingredient Notes