This Basic Yeast Donut recipe creates easy, crispy on the outside, light and fluffy on the inside, donuts that you can fill and top in hundreds of ways for an endless variety of flavors.
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It’s Chanukah! Jews traditionally make fried foods for Chanukah and one of those foods is donuts! So, I have been working on my yeast dough for the occasion. I have personally used this dough to make a wide variety of donuts just this week. I’ll post some creative flavor ideas below.
Like any yeast dough, temperature is very important in this Basic Yeast Donut recipe. The hot water needs to be between 110 and 115 degrees. While proofing (rising), be sure to keep the dough in a warm place. A hot kitchen or on top of the refrigerator are usually good, warm places. Then lastly, you will want to keep your fryer oil consistently between 350 and 360 degrees. If you use an electric deep fryer, then set it to 356.
It is also very important to feel the dough. This recipe is a baseline. If the dough is too sticky, knead in up to ¼ cup of more flour. This is in addition to flouring your surface and tools. For the right texture, knead the dough as directed. By the time you are rolling out, it should be elastic and pliable.
If you are stuffing your Basic Yeast Donuts, use a 3-¾” ring and don’t cut holes. For ring donuts, use the 3-¾” ring, and then cut out the center with a 1-½” ring to create the donut holes. To fill a donut, use a Wilton #32 decorating tip or a similar sized serrated tip, create a hole in the side or top of each donut. Insert the tip, twist, and pull it back out. Then, place all of your filling into piping bags and snip open the tips. You don’t need a piping tip for this. Insert the tip of the pastry bag in your hole, hold the donut firmly in your other hand, and pipe in your desired amount of filling. You will feel the weight of the donut as you fill it.
Things you’ll Need: ring cutters, rolling pin, deep fat fryer, Wilton decorating tips (#sponsored)
Here are some creative flavor ideas for your Yeast Donuts:
Lotus Biscoff Stuffed Donuts:
Filling: Make the mousse from Lotus Mousse Cups. I use the full 16 oz container of non-dairy whipping cream and a fold in an extra couple tablespoons of cookie butter.
Topping: Use the glaze recipe from Lotus Apple Bundt Cake. Then sprinkle some crushed speculoos cookies over the tops.
Chocolate Sprinkle Donuts:
Topping: Whisk together 2 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder, 1 Cup Powdered Sugar, 4-5 teaspoons of Milk. Sprinkle the tops with your favorite mix of sprinkles.
Boston Kreme:
Filling: Make Vanilla Pastry Cream. (recipe this week)
Topping: Scald ½ Cup of Milk or Non-dairy Milk, then pour it over 1 cup of Chocolate chunks. Whisk until smooth. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then give it one more whisk before glazing the donuts.
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Jump to RecipeServes: 12 Prep Time: 1 Hour, 25 Minutes Cook Time: 12 Minutes
Ingredients:
- 1-½ Tablespoons Active Dry Yeast
- 3 Tablespoons Sugar
- 1 Cup Water
- ⅓ Cups Shortening
- 2 Eggs
- 3-½ Cups Flour
- 1-½ Tablespoons Kosher Salt
- Oil for Frying
- Extra Flour for Dusting
Instructions:
- In a large mixing bowl, add Active Dry Yeast and Sugar. Heat Water to 110F and pour it over the yeast-sugar mixture. Whisk well. Let sit for 5 minutes.
- Whisk in Shortening and Eggs.
- Whisk in 2 Cups of Flour and the Kosher Salt.
- Add remaining flour and knead by hand until combined, then 5 minutes more.
- Cover the bowl and allow the dough to rise for 5 minutes.
- Dust your work surface and rolling pin with flour. Knead the dough for 3 minutes, then roll out to ½” thickness. Cut your donuts. I recommend a 3-¾” ring and a 1-½” ring if you are making holes.
- Place the cut donuts onto a floured sheetpan and cover. Allow to rise in a warm location for 1 hour.
- Heat at least 4-5” oil in a deep pan to between 350-360F. Or set your deep fryer to 356F. Fry the donuts in batches. The donuts fry about 1 minute per side until golden in color.
- Roll in sugar, fill, glaze or decorate as desired. Donuts are best fresh. Store at room temperature for up to 24 hours or refrigerate for 2-3 days. Serve cold or room temperature. Do not reheat.
Basic Yeast Donut
Equipment
- Ring Cutters
- Rolling Pin
- Deep Fat Fryer
- Decorating Tips
Ingredients
- 1-½ Tablespoons Active Dry Yeast
- 3 Tablespoons Sugar
- 1 Cup Water
- ⅓ Cups Shortening
- 2 Eggs
- 3-½ Cups Flour
- 1-½ Tablespoons Kosher Salt
- Oil for Frying
- Extra Flour for Dusting
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, add Active Dry Yeast and Sugar. Heat Water to 110F and pour it over the yeast-sugar mixture. Whisk well. Let sit for 5 minutes.
- Whisk in Shortening and Eggs.
- Whisk in 2 Cups of Flour and the Kosher Salt.
- Add remaining flour and knead by hand until combined, then 5 minutes more.
- Cover the bowl and allow the dough to rise for 5 minutes.
- Dust your work surface and rolling pin with flour. Knead the dough for 3 minutes, then roll out to ½” thickness. Cut your donuts. I recommend a 3-¾” ring and a 1-½” ring if you are making holes.
- Place the cut donuts onto a floured sheetpan and cover. Allow to rise in a warm location for 1 hour.
- Heat at least 4-5” oil in a deep pan to between 350-360F. Or set your deep fryer to 356F. Fry the donuts in batches. The donuts fry about 1 minute per side until golden in color.
- Roll in sugar, fill, glaze or decorate as desired. Donuts are best fresh. Store at room temperature for up to 24 hours or refrigerate for 2-3 days. Serve cold or room temperature. Do not reheat.
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