Doughnuts
I was thrilled when doughnuts took over as the “hot dessert trend” from the fanciful cupcake. I do like cupcakes, but they don’t excite me like a freshly made doughnut. These days you can find gourmet doughnut shops popping up all over. They offer the classic flavors along with some very exotic, even esoteric combinations. I’ve seen everything from bacon to rose petals on a doughnut. I’ve tried every combination I can find and for me it all comes down to the dough. I like soft, airy yeast dough and it should be slightly sweet, but not overly so. The gourmet shops use great ingredients and treat their dough with TLC, so they often cost a small fortune. Truth is, homemade doughnuts are super easy and quick to make, especially with our five minute dough. You can make them as fancy or simple as you like and they only cost about 20 cents each, add a few cents for the bacon and rose petals! 😉
Quick & Easy Doughnuts
Doughnuts start with Brioche Dough. I used the dough from The New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day, but you can make a batch with whole grains from Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day.
1 1/2 cups Water
1 tablespoon Red Star Platinum, Quick Rise or Active Dry Yeast
1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons Kosher Salt
8 large Eggs
1/2 cup Honey
3 sticks Unsalted Butter
7 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
– Mix the yeast, salt, eggs, honey and melted butter with the water in a 6-quart lidded container. Add the flour and combine with a Danish Dough Whisk or 5-Quart Stand Mixer (with paddle) until a smooth dough forms. Cover, but not airtight, and allow to rest on the counter for 2 hours. It will be quite wet and can’t be used until thoroughly chilled. Refrigerate and use over the next 5 days. For more detailed instructions please refer to page 301 of The New ABin5.
To fry the doughnuts:
Vegetable Oil – 3 to 4 inches deep, use a pot that is large enough that your oil is not sitting too high in the pot.
Cinnamon sugar (one cup sugar + 2 tablespoons cinnamon)
or
Powdered sugar
Pull out a 1-pound piece of dough and roll it out to a 1/2-inch thick. Use a Doughnut Cutter or round cookie or biscuit cutters.
Use a small cutter to use up all of the scraps. Allow the dough to sit for at least 20 minutes while the oil heats up. I got distracted before heating the oil and the dough sat out for about an hour. The doughnuts were amazingly light and airy. It isn’t necessary, but if you have the time and patience to let the dough sit longer, give it a try.
Once your oil reads 360-370°F on a Candy Thermometer you are ready to fry. I used a smallish pot, so I was only able to fry two doughnuts at a time. The amount will depend on the size of your doughnuts and pots, but be sure not to over crowd them.
Use a slotted spoon or Basket Strainer to flip the doughnuts over after about 2 minutes and then to take them out of the oil once they are golden brown on both sides. Lay them out on paper towel to allow some of the oil to drain off.
Whisk together the cinnamon sugar in a large bowl and dip the doughnuts in it or dust them with powdered sugar. You can get fancier with the toppings if you like. Here are some that we filled with jam.
Eat them slightly warm. The texture is magic.
Note: BreadIn5.com is reader supported–when you buy through links on the site, BreadIn5 LLC earns commissions.
Made these several times. Also made simple twists (crullers) with tapered ends.
YUM!
Fantastic!
Would you use the same brioche dough for crullers? Crullers seem to have more body than doughnuts
Rita
You could, though more authentically you’d use a pate a choux.
Oh my, I didn’t expect pate a choux! I’ll have to look into that. Thanks Jeff!
Rita
Well, I saw one based on a cake/brioche dough too.
crullers should be airy and quite eggy inside–a moist and almost custardy sheen to the crumb. Doubt a brioche dough could pull that off, but still would be tasty and light.
Will the doughnuts last til the next day or can I freeze them? My kids would love to have these for breakfast but I don’t have enough time on a weekday morning to make these before we have to leave the house! Thank you!
Well, they might stay fresh overnight, placed in a plastic bag or other airtight container after they cool completely. Otherwise, go ahead and freeze them. In general, we say that home-made bread like this, with no dough conditioners or preservatives, is much better fresh. But it’s worth a try.
When posting recipes could you please equivalent weights in gr.
Thanks
We have gram equivalents in all the dough recipes in our books (with the exception of our very first book, the 2007 edition of ABin5). Our publisher would kill us if we put all the content here on the website!
I love doughuts. Have been among my favorite foods for most of my life. But I don’t like deep frying – not for health reasons, but because I hate to throw away all that oil at the end. Seems a shame to me.
So I wonder – can these be baked? Or even barbequed? I realize both of these get away from the nice coating of fat on a good doughnut, but I wonder if it may still be a tasty pastry.
Sure can– 350 degrees F on a well-greased or parchment covered cookie sheet (heavy duty is best, like https://www.amazon.com/Metallic-Commercial-Traditional-Uncoated-Jelly-Roll/dp/B003YKGRPK/ref=as_sl_pd_wdgt_ex?&linkCode=wey&tag=arbrinfimiada-20). Or line the pan with a silicone mat (https://www.amazon.com/Silpat-Non-Stick-Baking-2-inches-Sheet/dp/B00008T960/ref=as_sl_pd_wdgt_ex?&linkCode=wey&tag=arbrinfimiada-20). The time will probably be about 15 to 20 min depending on size and your oven.
Excellent! I also dislike frying for a number of reasons. I look forward to trying these baked, soon!
Great! Thank you, Jeff!
If I did use oil, can the oil be saved and how long can I keep it and how many times can I reuse the oil?
Hi Lynn,
You certainly save the oil and reuse it. You’ll know when the oil is done by smelling it. I may reuse it once, if I am only frying a few doughnuts, but after that it starts to smell and taste a little burnt. Be sure to strain the oil very well.
Thanks, Zoë
This sounds absolutely incredible. I can’t wait to try it.
Does the dough require kneading & how thin do you roll it out?
Hi Nicki,
No need to knead the dough. Just roll it out to 1/2-inch thick.
Enjoy, Zoë
I grind my own wheat and use the 100% Whole Wheat Bread, Plain & Simple recipe regularly–especially for crispy, flatbread pizza crust. The recipe is on p 79 in Healthy Bread in 5. How can I make a bendable, flatbread (pizza size) to spread hummus over, add veggies and then roll tightly for a veggie wrap? So excited to get your reply–thank you!
Hi Sue,
Here is a post about something that may work: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2012/01/31/turkish-spiced-lamb-pita-lahmacun
Thanks, Zoë
These look amazing can’t wait to try gf style
I made dinner rolls today using the Master Recipe from the new abin5. I added 1 tablespoon of melted unsalted butter to the dough. Dinner was great but the rolls were absolutely the star of the show. I’m a happy fellow here 🙂
Hi Frank,
So glad to hear it. I love the idea of adding butter.
Thanks, Zoë
If I use quick rising yeast, is it possible to cook the doughnuts the same day? If so, how long should I let the dough rise before rolling out and then cutting into doughnut shapes?
Hi Sean,
You can certainly do it the same day, but you’ll want to get started early. The dough needs at least an 1 1/2 hours to rise and then you have to chill it for 3 hours before it has enough structure to roll out. If you make the dough in morning, it will be ready by afternoon.
Thanks, Zoë
I would love to make doughnuts for my son, but he has a severe allergy to dairy so butter is out. Can I use a butter substitute like Earth Balance spread?
Hi Teresa,
Yes, I have used Earth Balance with great success!
Enjoy, Zoë
I made these for breakfast this morning,way better than dunkin donuts! Made both fried and baked, (I prefer the fried ones) and will definately be making them again
Thanks for the kind words, Leah!
These were great! How could the recipe be modified to produce chocolate glazed donuts?
Enter “Chocolate Espresso Mini Doughnuts” in the Search bar above…
Hi! Is it okay to bake these? Thanks a lot!
Hi Janice,
Yes, you sure can. Here are some instructions that may help: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2012/10/04/baked-apple-doughnuts-with-gold-medal-flour
Thanks, Zoë
This recipe states 1/2″ but your kids breakfast doughnuts stated 1/4″?
Hi Audrey,
Either one works, it will just result in different sized doughnuts.
Enjoy, Zoë
Wow, just made these and had to come comment! They are fantastic!! They are the lightest doughnut I’ve ever had, with a lovely bite to them, and are absolutely delicious. And the dough couldn’t have been easier to make. Thank you so much for such a perfect recipe!
Thanks for the kind words!