Sticky and sweet glazed doughnuts

Doughnuts might take a little extra prep, but they’re the ultimate in comfort baking and dessert cookery.

Imagine a warm doughnut fresh from the fryer. A fresh, springy, sugary dough that melts under your tongue, robed in a vanilla-sweet glaze that makes your taste buds jump for joy!

When I make doughnuts for breakfast, I prep the dough the night before and leave it in the fridge to prove. Then it’s just a case of whipping up a yummy glaze and frying the doughnuts in the morning. If there are any leftovers (and it’s a big ‘IF’!), then there are treats for the rest of the day.

Here’s my step-by-step baking guide to making sticky and sweet glazed doughnuts. If you make them, I’d love to hear how you get on!

Here’s what you need to make about 20 doughnuts

300g all-purpose flour
11g active dry yeast
60g granulated sugar
5g vanilla sugar
230ml whole milk
75ml vegetable oil
2 large egg yolks
½ tsp salt
Bottle of vegetable oil for frying
Donut glaze (powdered sugar, vanilla sugar, and water)

My delicious glazed doughnut recipe

Heat the milk to just under a boil, then set aside to cool. This is called ‘scalding’ the milk and is good to do when making bread as it helps the yeast dissolve faster
Mix the flour, egg yolks, salt, and vanilla sugar. Use an electric mixer with a dough hook to mix everything together until combined into a dough. Alternatively, you can knead by hand
Add the yeast and sugar to the lukewarm milk and let it rest for a couple of minutes until the yeast becomes frothy – this shows that it’s active. Then mix in the oil and add to the dough mix
Mix the yeast mix and dough together for about 5 to 10 minutes until everything is well-incorporated – you should be able to stick your finger into the dough and see it bounce back up. If your dough is too sticky, add a tablespoon of flour
Form your dough into a ball, place it in a lightly oiled bowl and cover it with cling film. Let it rest for at least an hour until it doubles in size
Punch the dough down with your fists (this stops it from over-proofing), sprinkle your work surface with flour and roll out the dough until it’s 2cm thick
Using a round cookie cutter, cut out the dough, and use a smaller cookie cutter (or bottle cap) to cut out the centre. Keep rolling and cutting the dough until you’ve used it all
Place your doughnuts on a tray with parchment paper, cover them with a kitchen towel and leave for an hour until they double in size. Once risen, use scissors to cut the parchment paper around the doughnuts, so they sit on a single squared piece of paper
Prepare your glaze by mixing the powdered sugar, water, and vanilla sugar with a hand whisk. The glaze should be thick enough so that the whisk leaves ribbons across the surface
Prepare a tray with kitchen towels laid on top and another tray with a wire rack on top close to where you’ll be frying the doughnuts
Start heating your oil to about 190°C, then lower the heat. Start frying the doughnuts two or three at a time – don’t overcrowd the pan! Hold the doughnut on the parchment paper and place it carefully in the oil; this helps the doughnut keep its shape. Fry on each side for about two minutes until they become golden
Place the cooked doughnuts on the kitchen towel to soak up the excess oil. Dip the doughnut in the glaze while still hot, then place on the wire rack to cool. Repeat until all the doughnuts are fried and glazed.

Doughnuts always taste most delicious when warm, but they’ll last in an airtight container for up to two days.

Making doughnuts: MY TOP TIPS

You should rest your doughnut dough for at least an hour, but if you’ve got time, let it rise overnight in the fridge – this makes the dough extra fluffy and gives it an even more delicious flavour!

Alternatively, if you’re short on time, let your dough rest in a warm area, so it rises faster. If you’ve been using the oven, pop your dough in and take advantage of the warmth!

Don’t waste the dough from the centre of the doughnuts – fry it and dip in granulated sugar to make tasty mini doughnuts!

You can freeze unglazed doughnuts for up to two months so you can enjoy them another day. Do this after you’ve fried them, then thaw and warm through when you want a tasty snack!

Check out my comfort baking cookery book for more tasty dessert ideas

I hope you enjoyed this doughnut recipe. While doughnuts might take a little longer to make than other breakfast treats, I’m sure you’ll agree they’re well worth it!

Don’t forget to leave a comment or review if you try this recipe; I’d love to hear what you think. Alternatively, why not send me a message by email or through social media?

If you love these doughnuts, you’ll find more delicious comfort family food recipes in my cookbook, Sweet Love. Order your copy today!