Simplest Sugared Doughnuts Recipe on Food52 (2024)

5 Ingredients or Fewer

by: Emma Laperruque

September17,2018

4.7

9 Ratings

  • Prep time 2 hours 30 minutes
  • Cook time 10 minutes
  • Makes 8 doughnuts
Author Notes

Homemade doughnuts don’t have to be hard. These are no-knead and a cinch to come together, thanks to instant yeast. They're also sourdough-tangy from buttermilk and ultra-crusty from frying in refined coconut oil. Stretch the doughnut hole as wide as possible—way wider than you’d think—to yield that perfectly imperfect shape. I like to roll these around in salted sugar because, well, it’s the easiest. But you could do powdered sugar, too, or any glaze. —Emma Laperruque

Test Kitchen Notes

This is one of our Big Little Recipes. Read more here: Homemade Doughnuts So Simple, You'll Actually Make Them. —The Editors

  • Test Kitchen-Approved

What You'll Need

Watch This Recipe

Simplest SugaredDoughnuts

Ingredients
  • Dough
  • 1 cup(245 grams) well-shaken buttermilk
  • 2 tablespoonsrefined coconut oil
  • 2 cups(256 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoonssugar
  • 1 3/4 teaspoonsinstant yeast
  • 1/2 teaspoonkosher salt
  • Frying and sugaring
  • 3 cups(654 grams) refined coconut oil, give or take as needed
  • 1 1/2 cups(300 grams) sugar
  • 1 pinchkosher salt
Directions
  1. Combine the buttermilk and coconut oil in a small saucepan and set over the lowest-possible heat on the stove. You want it to get just lukewarm—if it gets too hot, the buttermilk will separate.
  2. Meanwhile, combine the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt in a bowl.
  3. When the buttermilk and coconut oil are lukewarm, pour onto the dry ingredients. Mix with a spoon or rubber spatula until a cohesive dough just forms, switching to your hands if that’s easier. But don’t overwork.
  4. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let rise for about 1 1/2 hours, or until doubled in size.
  5. When the dough is ready, dust a work surface generously with flour, then turn out the dough. Dust the top with a little more flour. Use a rolling pin to gently roll the flour to a 1/2-inch thickness.
  6. Use a 3-inch biscuit cutter (or similarly sized glass) to cut out circles—you should get 5. Gently gather the scraps back together, gently roll to flatten, then cut out more circles—you should get 3. (If your numbers differ on either yield, just gently reassemble and recut the dough until you get 8 total.)
  7. Dust your hands with flour and pick up one dough circle. Stick your thumb through the center to create a hole, then use your hands to stretch out the perimeter until the hole is wider than you’d think and the circle is at least 4 inches in diameter. Repeat with the remaining dough circles.
  8. Make sure each doughnut is on a well-floured surface—otherwise they’ll stick when you try to pick them up later on. Cover them all with plastic or a very lightweight kitchen towel (you don’t want to squash the doughnuts).
  9. Let the doughnuts rise for about 45 minutes until puffy.
  10. Meanwhile, add the 1 1/2 cups sugar and pinch of salt to a shallow bowl or rimmed plate. Line another plate with paper towels. Set a cooling rack on a work surface with a piece of parchment underneath.
  11. Add the 3 cups coconut oil to a 12-inch cast-iron skillet—or enough oil to another large-sized skillet to reach 1/2-inch depth. Set over medium-high heat to reach 350° F.
  12. When the oil is hot, unveil the doughnuts. Dust the tops with more flour so they’re easier to pick up. Gingerly pick up one doughnut—taking care to not deflate—and lay into the oil. Repeat with a couple more doughnuts to fill the pan but not overcrowd it. (In a 12-inch pan, I can comfortably fit three to four.)
  13. Fry for 2 minutes until deeply golden-brown on the bottom, then use tongs to carefully flip, and fry another 2 minutes.
  14. When done, transfer the doughnuts to the paper towel–lined plate to drain any excess oil. Immediately transfer to the sugar, roll around to coat, then transfer to the cooling rack.
  15. Repeat frying the remaining doughnuts.
  16. You’ll want to eat the doughnuts the second they’re out of the oil—but don’t! They’re still cooking inside. Let cool until they’re warm, not hot to the touch. Then go ahead and devour.

Tags:

  • Pastry
  • American
  • Buttermilk
  • Fry
  • Cast Iron
  • 5 Ingredients or Fewer
  • Breakfast
  • Brunch
  • Dessert

See what other Food52ers are saying.

Recipe by: Emma Laperruque

Emma was the food editor at Food52. She created the award-winning column, Big Little Recipes, and turned it into a cookbook in 2021. These days, she's a senior editor at Bon Appétit, leading digital cooking coverage. Say hello on Instagram at @emmalaperruque.

Popular on Food52

6 Reviews

Carey January 13, 2019

I made these yesterday and they are truly wonderful! I just wanted to note I only had about a cup of coconut oil for frying, so mixed it with some sunflower and a splash of canola, which worked out perfectly! Mine only needed 1 minute, 20 seconds on each side for frying, so check to prevent burning. Thanks Emma!

Emma L. January 14, 2019

Hi Carey—so glad you enjoyed!

Picholine January 6, 2019

Wish I could bake them ! Any ideas? I have a donut baking pan.

Emma L. January 6, 2019

Hi! I haven't tried baking these, so can't say for sure how they'd turn out. While cake doughnut recipes can translate well from frying to baking, since these are yeast-raised, it's a bit more unpredictable—and the crispy, browned crust that you get from frying wouldn't turn out the same. If you give it a go, let me know!

Cyd L. October 10, 2018

What oil can you use to fry these other than coconut oil which is rather cost preventative? This much coconut oil would cost around $11, way too much. Also, shouldn’t the sentence be “why they do to the beach as much for a dozen glazed as they do for th3 ocean”, not 5he other way around as historically most people go for the water?

Emma L. October 10, 2018

Hi Cyd! Feel free to use peanut or vegetable oil instead. And you're right—the sentence should be flipped! Nice catch.

Simplest Sugared Doughnuts Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret for soft doughnuts? ›

There's only one way to make doughnuts even softer and fluffier and that is by scalding some of the flour. Scalding is a technique used to not only make bread softer, but also to make it stay soft for longer. You can use it for pretty much any recipe you like.

What is a donut with sugar on top called? ›

Zeppole. These fried doughnuts are of Italian origin. Their texture can either be fluffy or dense, depending on what type of dough they're made with. They're often topped with a sprinkle of powdered sugar.

Why are Amish donuts so good? ›

The ability to do this all in one swish in their food truck makes for the freshest, most delicate, and fluffiest donut you'll ever have. Why is an Amish donut so special? Amish doughnuts follow traditional recipes and are always made from scratch. The basics include sugar, flour, milk, yeast, and eggs.

What's the difference between cake Doughnut and yeast doughnut? ›

Yeast donuts are lighter with a puffy, malleable quality and a slighly chewy texture. Cake donuts have a dense, more compact crumb and a sturdy, crisp exterior shell. Cake donuts are rich and buttery because of the amount of butter in the batter.

Why are Krispy Kreme doughnuts so soft? ›

The secret ingredient, mashed potato, gives the donuts moistness and tenderness. It's rumored potato is in the secret Krispy Kreme recipe too! The first Krispy Kreme shop was opened in 1937 in North Carolina by Vernon Rudolph, who used his uncle's yeast-raised donut recipe.

How are Krispy Kreme doughnuts so soft? ›

Yeast-raised: Krispy Kreme donuts are yeast-raised, which gives them a softer and fluffier texture compared to cake donuts, which are denser.

What is a honeymoon donut? ›

Round yeast donut, without the center cut out! Dipped. in white icing, and topped with either lemon or cherry. jelly!

What is a derogatory term donut? ›

In informal speech the phrase is used to highlight stupidity. E.g. You Donut. An individual whom is extremely stupid. Lacks intelligence and common sense. An idiot.

What is a dolly donut? ›

Female Red Cross workers answered the call to duty again during the Korean War. In its early stages, they earned the endearing nickname, “Donut Dollies,” turning out up to 20,000 donuts a day for American Soldiers disembarking troop ships in Pusan.

What is the most unhealthy donut in the world? ›

The Honey Dew Coconut Jelly Stick is the most calorie and sugar-heavy donut on our list with 590 calories and 40 grams of sugar per stick. Not only that, but it has a whopping 680 milligrams of sodium, which is almost a third of the recommended daily limit.

What are holy donuts made of? ›

The Holy Donut in Portland, Maine, isn't just any donut shop. Instead of baking traditional yeast and cake donuts, the shop makes donuts from potatoes. For Leigh Kellis, owner of The Holy Donut, locating a good donut proved tricky.

What country eats the most donuts? ›

Per capita, Canadians eat the most doughnuts compared to all world countries.

Are doughnuts better fried or baked? ›

While many prefer the light and crispy texture of a fried donut, leaving the deep fryer in the cabinet and baking your cake donuts instead makes for healthier, less oily donuts. It's also safer and easier to clean up, given that you don't have to deal with lots of hot oil.

Are Krispy Kreme donuts cake or yeast? ›

If you're eating a jelly- or a cream-filled doughnut, you are eating a yeast doughnut. Of course, the pinnacle of the yeast doughnut variety is the Original Glazed made by Krispy Kreme (more below). Cake doughnuts, on the other hand, are denser—dare we say, cakier—and better for dunking in your coffee.

What is the difference between cruller donuts and old fashioned donuts? ›

For example, the Old Fashioned Cake Donut has a mild vanilla flavor with a slight nutmeg finish. These donuts take about 12-15 minutes to create from start to finish. A French Cruller* has a soft, airy texture with a pleasant light “egg-like” flavor. The center of the French Cruller is wet with a crunchy exterior.

What softens donuts? ›

Use buttermilk: Buttermilk helps to tenderize the dough and add moisture. Add eggs: Eggs add richness and moisture to the dough. Add oil: Oil helps to keep the donuts moist.

Why are my donuts not light and fluffy? ›

To make light and fluffy donuts, make sure that your dough is properly risen by allowing it to rest in a warm place until it doubles in size. Also, avoid overmixing the dough as it can lead to a denser texture. Handling the dough gently and not overworking it will help maintain the desired fluffiness.

Why are my donuts not soft? ›

Underproofed – leads to stiffer (denser) donuts that don't puff up well when fried. Cracked donuts – this may have happened if you used a cutter and it wasn't sharp enough to cut through the dough cleanly. Or the dough is underproofed or too cold.

Why are my homemade donuts so dense? ›

Yeast. Yeast is a tiny yet magical organism that helps doughs of all kinds rise. Without yeast, your doughnuts might resemble dense disks rather than fluffy rings. There are a variety of types of yeasts available for purchase, and some bakers even capture native yeasts to create their own unique doughnut dough.

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