Donuts are the ultimate crowd pleaser! Not to mention they are super fun to make at home. The dough is super simple to whip up, and if you are intimidated by frying them (or want to cut down on calories) you can try these simple baked cake donuts or my air fryer donut recipe instead. If you aren’t quite ready to jump into the doughnut dough, you can try these super easy and delicious donut muffins. They are always a hit too!
Glazed Donut
I know we are all thinking it, I totally want these glazed donuts right now. What’s stopping you?! This recipe is simple, delicious, and tried and true. I promise they will turn out fluffy and moist because I give you all of my pro tips for frying donuts. I share those in my tip box below. The only other things you need to worry about are not adding in too much flour (which makes a dry dense donut) and not getting too nervous when frying. You’ve got this! There is something so craveable about a fried dessert. Homemade apple fritters, fluffy irresistible beignets, and cannolis oh my! I think a lot of people shy away from making them because of the hot oil and the unknown of frying something. I’m about to share all of my tips and tricks that will have you making fry donuts like a pro. There is nothing to be scared of and a divine donut waiting for you at the end of this recipe!
Ingredients
Glazed donut dough is a really simple list of ingredients! You will likely already have these things on hand and they are super easy to work with. No eggs or butter required, so the cost is pretty low too. Other things you may want to pick up from the store to make your life easier is some parchment paper and a doughnut cutter. You can find exact measurements below in the recipe card.
Glazed Donut Ingredients
Heavy Cream: The fat in heavy cream is great for donut dough. It makes them fry up better and gives them great color and texture, and of course flavor!Whole Milk: Whole milk has more fat in it and will help the dough become soft and the perfect texture.Granulated Sugar: This is how you will sweeten the dough, and it also helps the yeast activate and the bread rise so make sure to add it in.Dry Active Yeast: Active dry yeast will give the dough the perfect rise and help those donuts get to the perfect texture.Kosher Salt: A high quality salt makes a difference. A pink Himalayan salt or sea salt would work great too.All-Purpose Flour: This is the easiest to work with and what you most likely have on hand already.Oil: You will need about 2 quarts for frying! I know oil can be expensive, so choose the best quality oil that makes sense for frying these donuts. Vegetable oil or canola oil are good options.
Donut Glaze
Powdered Sugar: You really do need to use powdered sugar to get the perfect silky smooth and shiny glaze. Make sure you have some on hand!Milk: You can use whatever type of milk you want here, I used whole milk since I already had it on hand from the donut dough.
Glazed Donut Recipe
Now that you have all of your ingredients, it’s time to make a glazed donut. If this is your first time making a donut at home, you are going to be so blown away by the flavor! They are worth all of the effort, and they really aren’t hard at all to make. Here is how to make your donut, shape and fry them, and finish them with a simple powdered sugar glaze.
Make Donut Dough and Shape
Fry and Glaze Donuts
Oil Temperature: Maintain your oil heat. It’s important to not let the oil get too hot or too cool while you’re frying. This may require some adjusting of the heat during the process to prevent it from changing too much between batches. Don’t overcrowd the pan. Frying too many donuts at a time will cause the temperature of the oil to drop too quickly and result in oily donuts. You may also have your donuts expand into each other and make them harder to flip while maintaining their shape. About the Glaze: Customize your glaze flavor. Add ½-1 teaspoon of vanilla, maple, orange or lemon extract to the glaze for a twist on the classic glazed donut.Fry Like a Pro: Have everything set up before you start frying. Have the donuts resting and within reach, the pot of hot oil with the candy thermometer in it, a cooling rack with paper towels beneath it, the glaze ready for dipping, and a spider or slotted spoon. Being ready to fry and dip will make things go much smoother and safer.
On the Counter: You can store your leftover donuts in an airtight container or paper bag on the counter for up to 4 days. They will dry out the longer you wait to eat them, so try to eat them fresh!
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