Perfect yeast doughnuts are easy to make at home if you have the right recipe. You now have that recipe in your hands (or on your desk). What are you waiting for?

If you think that yeast doughnuts are difficult to make, think again, especially if you own a stand mixer or bread machine. You can make ring doughnuts, filled doughnuts, or doughnut holes. I just want you to know that one batch of these beauties will disappear within seconds. However, don’t take my word for it, read the comments!

Incidentally, I’ve linked to the bread machine I have, but any bread machine with good ratings will work (like the one I linked to above), and they are much less expensive.

How to Make Yeast Doughnuts
adapted from a recipe in The Bread and Bread Machine Bible
makes about 16 ring doughnuts

SEE PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW FOR MORE EXPLICIT DIRECTIONS FOR USING A STAND MIXER OR BY HAND

The measurements are critical in this recipe, so a scale is necessary. (This is why there are no cup measurements-please do not ask for them.)

Too many readers were not having success with this solid, tested recipe, and the only reason I can think of, is difference between using cups versus a scale (volume vs weight). The ONLY way to obtain the correct amount of flour and other ingredients is by weighing them.

Ingredients
water
buttermilk
egg
butter
all-purpose or bread flour
sugar
salt
regular or quick-rise yeast
oil for frying
(sugar for coating the doughnuts)
(jam, chocolate hazelnut spread, and or whipped cream for filling, if desired)

Special equipment:

parchment paper, cut into about 4″ squares (smaller pieces for doughnut holes)
large pot, deep fryer or wok
a sharp doughnut cutter (a reader asked what I recommend, and I like this one as there is no guessing where the center of the doughnut is–perfect doughnuts every time).
candy/oil thermometer, not necessary, but very helpful if you’re not a deep-frying pro
skimmer

Make the Doughnut Dough

Place the water, buttermilk, beaten egg and melted butter in the bread machine pan or stand mixer bowl, then add the dry ingredients, except for the yeast.

adding flour to liquid in bread machine

Make a small indentation in the dry ingredients, then add the yeast.

adding yeast to dry ingredients

Set the bread machine on the ‘dough’ setting.

If using a stand mixer (see directions in printable recipe below, as steps with the yeast are different), run it with the dough hook, until a soft dough is formed, then cover and set aside until at least doubled in size.

I do not specify a time on the dough rising because there are too many factors that will determine the length of time. Which yeast was used (regular or quick rise), if the yeast was fresh or old (older yeast doesn’t work as well, or sometimes not at all), and the temperature of your kitchen. In my kitchen, this process usually takes 1 to 2 hours.

dough in a bread machine

Roll out the Dough and cut
Once the dough has risen, place it on a floured surface and knead lightly. Divide it in half, keeping half the dough covered, so it doesn’t form a skin.

yeast dough on the counter

With a rolling pin, roll out half of the dough to about 1/2″ thickness. (Do not rest the dough.)

Cut with a round, sharp doughnut cutter (about 3″ diameter). Or else use a sharp cookie cutter, then make the holes with a smaller cookie cutter (about 1″ diameter), saving the holes. This is an older photo, I recommend this cutter.

dough being cut with a doughnut cutter

Let the cut Doughnuts Rise
Place each doughnut on a piece of parchment paper, then place on a cookie sheet. Put the tray in the oven (turn it on for 1 minute, SET A TIMER, then turn the oven off again, just to make it barely warm). The oven warming step should not be necessary in the summer unless your a/c is very cool.

Next, boil some water and pour it into a measuring jug or bowl. Place the jug of water in the oven with the tray of doughnuts (this will create steam will keep a skin from forming).

rings of dough on parchment paper

With the remaining dough, divide into quarters, then divide each piece in half to make 8 equal amounts. If you are perfectionistic, you can weigh each piece–not that I’d ever do any such thing! 😉

piece of dough cut out and being weighed on scale

Roll each piece of dough into a smooth ball on a lightly floured surface, and place on parchment or waxed paper pieces and place on a cookie sheet; place in the oven with the other doughnuts and holes to rise until doubled in size. (Please don’t focus on the time, just go by how they look, but usually anywhere from 1/2 hr to 1 hour is normal for this second rise.) I don’t like to waste plastic wrap, so use the hot water method again.

making perfect yeast doughnuts recipe rising on tray
This is what your dough should look like after rising.
Fry the Homemade Yeast Doughnuts
Heat the oil to about 350ºF (180º). If you don’t have a thermometer, test the oil with a doughnut hole. If it doesn’t start frying (bubbling) immediately, the oil is too cold, if the hole turns brown right away, the oil is too hot. Adjust the heat accordingly.

Drop the donuts and donut holes into the hot oil using the paper to carefully lower them into the oil.

frying yeast doughnuts in hot oil on stove

Turn them over as soon as they become golden brown on the underside, then remove and place on a paper towel lined plate or baking sheet once they are ready.

frying yeast doughnuts in hot oil with doughnuts in background

How Should You Finish Your Donuts
Sugar Coated Doughnuts
When the doughnuts have cooled, roll them in sugar to coat evenly.

rolling circular doughnuts in sugar

You can also use powdered sugar to coat them. I remember liking the Dunkin’ Donuts chocolate kreme filled donuts when I was a young transplant to the US in the late 1970s! They were filled with a fake chocolate “cream” and coated with confectioner’s sugar! I don’t think I’d like them today. Now I’m wondering if they still make them?

Glazed Doughnuts
Put some powdered sugar in a small bowl and add a little bit of milk or water. Stir and keep adding liquid until you reach a smooth, slightly runny consistency. You want the glaze to run off the doughnuts when you’ve dipped them.

glazed doughnut

Dip a donut hole to test the glaze, and place it on a cooling rack to set. If all the glaze runs off, add more sugar, and if it’s too thick, add more liquid. No measuring needed.

Filled Doughnuts
If you choose to fill the large yeast doughnuts, push a skewer into the center of the doughnut to make a hole. Next, put some room temperature jam, or slightly warmed chocolate hazelnut spread (I’ve gone off Nutella since they’re using tons of palm oil) into a piping bag and pipe the filling into the doughnut.