Step-by-step instructions with pictures for super soft Glazed Donuts from scratch! You’ll love these homemade donuts with a secret method to keep them soft and fresh! If you love Krispy Kreme donuts, you’ll love these even more!
There is nothing more delicious than a fresh, soft donut! You can make them right at home by following these step-by-step instructions.
Equipment for Homemade Glazed Donuts
Here’s what you’ll need before you get started:
Dutch oven (with clip-on thermometer), deep fryer, or electric skillet. (To fry the donuts).
Tongs (To flip the donuts in the hot oil).
Chopsticks or wooden spoon with round handle (To dip the fried donuts into the glaze).
Rolling pin (To roll out the dough).
Donut cutter. (If you don’t have a dedicated donut cutter, you can use a large drinking glass to cut the outside, and a small medicine cup to cut the holes).
Non-stick baking mat (To roll out the dough). If you don’t have a baking mat, you can also roll out the dough on a lightly-floured surface.
Wire rack (To place the donuts after they’ve been dipped in glaze).
Cookie/baking sheet (To put under the wire rack and catch any drips).
Ingredients for Homemade Glazed Donuts
For the donut dough:
- Water
- Flour
- Granulated sugar
- Salt
- Active dry yeast
- Milk
- Vegetable oil
- Egg yolks
- Vanilla
For the donut glaze:
- Powdered sugar
- Water
- Vanilla extract
Let’s get started!
Step-by-step instructions for Homemade Glazed Donuts
First, you’ll want to make the Tangzhong.
“What the heck is that?” you’re wondering. It’s just a cooked mixture of flour and water that helps the dough maintain its moisture and stay fresh longer.
I use this same method in my Japanese Milk Bread, and it stays fresh so much longer than other types of bread that don’t use it.
To make the Tangzhong, just add 6 tablespoons of water and 2 tablespoons of flour to a small saucepan. Whisk together and cook over medium heat until the mixture turns into a paste and you can see the bottom of the pan when you drag a whisk or spoon across it. Then remove it from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
Meanwhile, add the milk to a small saucepan and cook it on medium-high heat until scalded. You’ll know it’s scalded when you tip the pan and see tiny bubbles along the bottom, and the milk is stuck to the bottom. As soon as you see this, remove the pan from the heat.
While the milk is cooling down, add your egg yolks to your Tangzhong mixture and whisk well. Set aside.
When your milk reaches about 110 degrees F. sprinkle your yeast on top. If your yeast does not seem to be activating, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar over the top. Allow to sit for about ten minutes. The yeast should get bubbly and frothy.
Once the yeast has been activated, add the Tangzhong/egg mixture to the yeast and whisk together.
Add the sugar, salt, and vanilla and mix well.
Pour into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer.
Add 1 cup of flour and mix well.
Add another 1 3/4 cups flour and blend using the dough hook (if using a stand mixer) or a wooden spoon (if mixing by hand).
Knead for 3-4 minutes if using the dough hook, or turn out onto a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes by hand.
Allow the dough to rise in the bowl by covering with plastic wrap and setting in a warm place.
If it’s wintertime, I’ll often set the bowl on top of a heating vent to help the dough rise.
Other ways to shorten the rising time are to heat up your clothes dryer and then place the covered bowl inside your dryer. (If you do this, use a cloth rather than plastic wrap to cover your bowl of dough).
Alternately, you can heat your oven up to 100 degrees F. Then turn off your oven and place the covered bowl of dough inside. (Again, use a cloth covering rather than plastic wrap if you use the oven method).
Once the dough has doubled in size, the fun part begins!
Punch down the dough. Prepare a large cutting board, countertop, or silicone mat by sprinkling with flour.
Roll the dough out onto the floured surface to 1/4 to 1/3-inch thickness.
Use a donut cutter or large drinking glass and small medicine cup to cut the donuts and holes.
Gather the scraps and press together. Gently re-roll and cut more donuts and holes.
Note: the more you roll the dough, the tougher it will get. Try to just press the edges of scraps together as much as you can rather than pressing the leftover dough into a ball and re-rolling it.
Place the cut donuts and holes on a lightly-floured surface, parchment paper, or silicone baking mat. Cover with a tea towel and allow to rise for 20-45 minutes, until puffy.
Prepare the glaze by mixing together the powdered sugar, water, and vanilla. Set aside. (The glaze should be pretty runny).
Heat the oil in your Dutch oven, deep fryer, or electric skillet to 375 degrees F.
Fry the donuts in the hot oil for 30 seconds per side, carefully turning with tongs.
I recommend adding one donut at a time, and not adding a second donut until you have flipped the first donut.
When removing from the oil, allow any excess oil to drip off the donut.
Immediately put the hot donut into the bowl of glaze. Flip it over so that both sides are covered. Use two chopsticks or the handle of a wooden spoon.
Lift the donut out with the chopsticks and allow any excess glaze to drip back into the bowl.
Place on a wire rack over the cookie sheet. Glaze will quickly harden and become transparent.
Repeat with all the other donuts and donut holes.
Donut holes tend to fry on one side and then not want to flip over. To combat this problem, I’ve found it’s best to continually stir the donut holes in the hot oil, so that they are constantly rotating.
When the glaze has hardened, feel free to transfer the donuts to a baking sheet to make room for more donuts on the wire racks.
These donuts are best eaten fresh (like all donuts, in my opinion). But the Tangzhong will help keep them fresher for longer.
Store loosely covered at room temperature for up to 48 hours. (In a box or airtight container is best).
Glazed Donuts From Scratch
Step-by-step instructions with pictures for super soft Glazed Donuts from scratch! You'll love these homemade donuts with the secret method to keep them soft and fresh!
Ingredients
- 2 3/4-4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
- 6 tablespoons water
- 2/3 cup milk
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 egg yolks, room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, divided
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 5-6 tablespoons water
- Vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Before making the dough, prepare your Tangzhong by adding 6 tablespoons of water and 2 tablespoons of flour to a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat, whisking ocassionally, until the mixture thickens and turns into a paste. (When you can drag the whisk across the bottom of the pan and the area stays clean, the mixture is done). Remove from heat and set aside.
- In a separate small saucepan, heat the 2/3 cup of milk over medium-high until the bottom scalds. (Carefully tip the pan, and when you see bubbles all across the bottom of the pan and milk sticking to the bottom, it is done). Remove from heat and set aside to cool to about 110 degrees F.
- Add your two egg yolks to the Tangzhong mixture one at a time and whisk together.
- Add the 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract to the Tanghong/egg mixture. Mix well.
- When the milk has cooled to 100 degrees F. sprinkle with 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast. Allow the yeast to proof for about ten minutes, until bubbly and frothy. If yeast does not seem to be activating, sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of sugar.
- Add the activated yeast, milk, and Tangzhong mixture to a large mixing bowl or to the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Add 1 cup of flour to the bowl and mix well.
- Add the remaining 1 3/4 cups of flour and mix for 3-4 minutes with a dough hook. If kneading by hand, turn out onto a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes.
- Place into bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size. (See post for ideas on how to get the dough to rise faster).
- When dough has doubled, punch down and turn out onto floured surface. Roll out to 1/4-1/3-inch thick.
- Use a donut cutter or large drinking glass and small medicine cup to cut out the donuts and holes.
- Gently press together the dough scraps and continue cutting donuts and holes until all the dough is used up.
- Set on a cookie sheet and cover with a tea towel. Allow to rise 20-45 minutes, until puffy.
- While donuts are rising, prepare your glaze by mixing together your 4 cups of powdered sugar, 5-6 tablespoons of water, and 1 tablespoons of vanilla extract. Glaze will be runny.
- Heat your oil in a Dutch oven, deep fryer, or electric skillet to 375 degrees F.
- Fry one donut at a time, flipping after 30 seconds. Once you flip the donut, you can add a second donut to the oil.
- Working quickly, remove the first donut from the oil, allowing any excess oil to drip off.
- Place the hot donut into the bowl of glaze. Use two chopsticks to flip the donut so that both sides are covered with glaze.
- Allow any excess glaze to drip off. Then place the donut onto a wire rack over a cookie sheet.
- Repeat with remaining donuts.
- Fry the donut holes a few at a time, continually stirring them in the hot oil so that they get evenly cooked on all sides.
- Glaze if desired.
- Eat the same day if possible. Store leftovers at room temperature in a box or airtight container. Try not to stack the donuts.
Notes
Before starting this recipe, be sure to gather all your equipment, read through all the instructions, and see the step-by-step pictures in the post.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 16 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 484Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 24mgSodium: 75mgCarbohydrates: 97gFiber: 2gSugar: 31gProtein: 10g
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Donna M Ellis says
They look delightful, and I’m ready to enjoy some of those myself! Thank you for sharing your tips!
Crafting Smiles,
Donna
{Creative Smiles – my little crafting world}
Melissa Howell says
Thank you! I hope you enjoy them!