Homemade Glazed donuts are fluffy, airy, and melt-in-your-mouth soft. Think of these as gourmet Krispy Kreme donuts.
We love homemade donuts and pastries from Baked Jelly Donuts to Italian Zeppole Donuts. If you are a fan of doughnuts, this Glazed Donut recipe is a must-try! Watch the easy video tutorial and you’ll be on your way to enjoying the best donuts.
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Glazed Donuts Video
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Homemade Donuts are the Best!
Making donuts is easier than you think with very little active time, and you’ll love the simple vanilla glaze. You can’t beat the flavor and texture of a donut that is still warm and super fresh.
These glazed donuts are so much more enjoyable than the ones at a donut shop because they are made from scratch and you are using real and natural ingredients (no shortening, or ‘hydrogenated soybean oil’). Plus, when you make them at home, you aren’t frying hundreds of batches in the same oil.
Ingredients for Glazed Donuts
- All-purpose flour – be sure to measure correctly. If you add too much, the donuts will be dense.
- Granulated sugar – we add just 1/4 cup for lightly sweet dough.
- Salt – balances the sweetness
- Instant Yeast – also called rapid rise, or quick-acting yeast and will make your dough rise faster.
- Milk – for the softest donuts, scald milk in a saucepan until it reaches 180˚F or is steaming then cool until it’s 115˚F before using.
- Egg yolks – we use yolks only for a richer and smoother dough.
- Vanilla extract – adds flavor that compliments the glaze
Secret to the Fluffiest Donuts
The secret to the fluffiest homemade donuts is in using scalded milk. I’ve tested both ways and the old fashioned method of using scalded milk created the airiest dough inside.
- What is scalded milk? Scalded milk is milk heated to a near boil at 180˚F, then cooled.
- Why scald milk? Scalding milk denatures the whey protein in the milk which can hinder gluten formation in the dough. The gluten strands will form easier resulting in fluffier and springier donuts.
How to Make Donuts
- Scald milk and set aside to cool to 115˚F.
- Proof yeast: In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cup flour, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 pocket yeast and 1/4 tsp salt. Add scalded and cooled milk, oil, egg yolks and vanilla and whisk to combine. Cover and rest 10-15 minutes until bubbles form on top.
- Knead dough: Stir in remaining flour (make sure to measure correctly with the fluff, spoon and scrape method) then knead by hand 5 minutes in the bowl. Dough should be soft and slightly sticky.
- Proof dough: Cover and let dough rise in a warm place 45 minutes or until doubled.
- Roll dough with a rolling pin to 1/4″ to 1/3″ thick disk. Cut out 11-12 donuts, re-roll scraps if desired.
- Let donuts rise: Cover and let dough rise in a warm place 20 minutes.
- Fry donuts: Heat oil to 375˚F and fry donuts 2-3 at a time for about 60 seconds per side until deep golden in color then immediately dip in glaze one at a time.
Pro Tip: Set up your work station to make your frying and dipping work flow easier. From left to right: proofed donuts, fryer, bowl with glaze, cooling rack over a baking sheet (line baking sheet with paper towels for easier cleanup). I also have my chopsticks ready for frying and more chopsticks for dipping in glaze.
The Easiest Donut Glaze
- Combine – 1 lb or 4 cups of powdered sugar with 5-6 Tbsp water and 1 Tbsp of vanilla extract.
- Stir until smooth – whisk the glaze until completely smooth without any lumps. Add more water if needed to get a thinner drizzly consistency.
How to Glaze Donuts
Dip hot donuts into the glaze as soon as they come out of the batter. I love using chopsticks or large wooden skewers to flip them in the glaze and lift them out without crushing the donut.
Can I skip the glaze? The dough itself is very lightly sweet so adding glaze is nice, but you can also roll them in cinnamon sugar when they come out of the oil or dust with powdered sugar after they cool.
Common Questions:
Check out our baked donuts recipe and video tutorial for instructions on baking.
Using instant yeast will make your dough rise faster. If substituting with active dry yeast, you will need longer rising/ proofing times.
Put 2/3 cup milk in a microwave-safe measuring cup and heat on full power for 60-75 seconds, stirring every 15 seconds until it reaches 180˚F and is steaming hot.
We use peanut oil which is a high heat oil that’s perfect for deep frying. Vegetable oil or canola oil also work well.
Use either a donut cutter or round cookie cutters. If you don’t have the cutters, you can use any circular-shaped item like a drinking glass for the outside and shot glass for the center. It helps if you have a sharper edge, like the lid of a cooking spray can.
Make-Ahead:
- Refrigerating Overnight: Instead of letting the donuts rise in step 6, cover and refrigerate overnight. The next day, let them rest covered at room temperature until they have puffed and nearly doubled then fry as directed.
- To Reheat: Just like reheating a Krispy Kreme donut, place a donut on a plate and set it in the microwave for 7 to 8 seconds on high power then enjoy.
I hope you love these “gourmet” Krispy Kreme copycat donuts. These homemade fried donuts really are next level and they disappear fast so consider yourself warned.
More Sweet Treats
If you love these glazed donuts, then you won’t want to miss these sweet homemade treats:
Glazed Donuts Recipe (VIDEO)
Ingredients
Donut Dough:
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided, plus more for dusting
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 packet instant yeast, quick acting or rapid rise (about 2 1/4 tsp)
- 2/3 cup milk, scalded and cooled to 115˚F
- 1/4 cup light olive oil, or vegetable oil or canola oil
- 2 egg yolks, room temperature
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Donut Glaze:
- 1 lb powdered sugar, (4 cups)
- 5-6 Tbsp water
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- oil, for frying such as peanut oil or vegetable oil
Instructions
- Scald milk: Pour milk into a small saucepan over medium/low heat, stirring constantly to prevent film from forming. Once milk reaches 180˚F, or you see milk steaming, remove from heat and transfer to a measuring cup to cool to 115˚F on a thermometer.
- Proof dough: In a large mixing bowl, add 1 cup flour, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 packet yeast and 1/4 tsp salt, and whisk to combine. Add 2/3 cup warm milk, whisk in 1/4 cup oil, 2 egg yolks, and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract and whisk to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature 10-15 minutes or until some bubbles form on the surface (this indicates your yeast is active).
- Knead: Use a firm spatula to mix in most of the remaining 1 1/2 cups flour, adding just enough flour until dough holds together and no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl (add the last 2 Tbsp flour only if needed). Kead the dough in the bowl by hand for 5 minutes. If dough is really sticking to your hands, dust lightly with flour then continue kneading. Dough should be soft and slightly sticky.
- Let dough rise: Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set in a warm 100˚F oven for 45 min or at room temp for 1.5 to 2 hours until doubled in size.
- Roll and cut donuts: Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Roll dough with a rolling pin to 1/4” to 1/3” thick and use a donut cutter to make 11-12 donuts and donut holes. Gently press together scraps and re-roll to get another donut if desired.
- Let donuts rise: Place donuts and donut holes on a parchment lined baking sheet, with just enough space so they are not touching. Cover with a tea towel and let donuts rise again in a warm place for 20 minutes or at room temperature for 45 minutes until puffed.
- Make glaze: combine all glaze ingredients in a bowl and stir together until sugar is dissolved then set aside.
- Fry Donuts: In a dutch oven with clip on thermometer or in a deep fryer, Heat oil to 375˚F. Once donuts have puffed, fry 2 donuts at a time for 45 to 60 seconds per side until golden on each side, flipping once.
- Glaze donuts: Remove donuts from the oil one at a time and Immediately dip both sides in glaze then transfer to a wire rack.
- Fry donut holes: Fry and glaze the donut holes in 2 batches. Serve donuts as soon as the glaze is set.
Your recipe calls for 2 egg yolks. Can I just use the whole egg?
Egg yolks work best for a rich and smooth dough.
the dough didn’t rise and at the end they were flat and burnt from frying in oil. for the jelly donuts, they didn’t rise either… why is this happening?
Hi Eliana! Did you use the correct yeast? For this recipe, we use Instant Yeast – also called rapid rise, or quick-acting yeast which will make your dough rise faster. You might check if your yeast is expired and get some fresh yeast. That can happen and has happened to me and I only realized it when my dough wasn’t rising. Also, consider room temperature – maybe it was too cold, or were the ingredients added possibly too hot (which can deactivate the yeast)? I hope that helps to troubleshoot.
Regarding the burning- I highly encourage using a clip on thermometer (affiliate link) to make sure your oil is the right temperature. We use peanut oil which is a high-heat oil that’s perfect for deep frying. Vegetable oil or canola oil also work well. Just make sure it’s a high-heat oil.
thank you Natasha for helping me out!!
I don’t know whether the yeast was expired but I will keep an eye out for next time.
You’re welcome, Eliana!
Hi, just about to try this recipe. Just wondering how long the cooked donuts will last and how to store. Thank you in advance 🙂
Hi Bronte! These are best enjoyed fresh but we have stored leftovers in an air-tight container and reheated them for 7-8 seconds in the microwave. I would not keep them longer than 1-2 days on the counter but they’ll probably last longer (up to a week) in the refrigerator.
For those asking about freshness after a few days, put unglazed donuts in air fryer at 400 degrees for a few minutes. They taste amazing and get crispy again.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Debra!
My oven only goes down to 150. Can I put the dough in the oven at 150 for less time?
Hi Kennedy! You can fully preheat your oven then turn it off and let the dough rise. You can also set it to the lowest temperature and leave the door cracked open a bit.
What is the size of egg I should use medium or large and do I need to put it in the oven/ what gas mark.
Ps: I ❤️ your recipes
You may use medium sized eggs or any should be fine. I’m glad you’re enjoying our recipes!
Hi!!! Krispy Kreme is my absolute favorite and i love this recipe!! Making them for the second time now. Question though my dough keeps over proofing with the times that are in the recipe. I was able to save it the first time but im sire it affected the quality. My oven doesnt go below 170 so i saw in the comments you recommended preheat the oven and turn off and out in there and i did that and it “blew up” then deflated as soon as i touched. I am not going to try at room temp but it looks ready at just about 30 minutes now. Im brand new to working with dough. Ive made this recipe, one other donut recipe, and a white bread recipe. Any tips?
Hi Brittany, I recommend using an in oven thermometer (Amazon Affiliate link) to get it just to the 100, then you can turn if off and close the door to have it proof at or around the 100 degree temperature.
Could you please help me. On your Glazed Donuts recipe it calls for 2 egg yolks. I am allergic to eggs. Is there something that I can use as a substitute? I wish you would have some recipes without eggs. Your recipes look so yummy. Do you have a egg substitute chart by chance?
Hi Melanie! I’m sorry, but I have not tested an egg substitutes. No, I do not have a substitute chart but you may be able to find one by doing a quick Google search. You may also enjoy eggless chocolate cupcakes.
I hope this isn’t a silly question but can the dough be made in bread machine once you scald the milk?
Hi Michele, I haven’t tried that in a bread machine to advise, but feel free to test it out.
Anyone tried air frying? I am on low fat diet. I know they will be delicious as is but hope air fryer will work also. Thanks Natasha for all your recipes.
Hi Wendy! I have not tested it and reading through the comments here, I don’t see that anyone else has. Please let us know if you experiment.
Also, you may enjoy this baked donut recipe instead. 🙂
Natasha, I love ya but I would need about $100 of equipment and a minimum of 3 hours to devote to the project. For me, it is cheaper and less time consuming to purchase. AND, I don’t have to make them for other people. I’ll keep watching all your videos tho cuz I have saved many of them. You ROCK!!
Hi Beth! Thank you for sharing. 🙂
Hi. I would love to make this recipe ( it looks so good! ) but I’d like to know if you can bake these donuts instead of frying them.
Hi Lani, you can check out our baked donuts recipe and video tutorial for instructions on baking.
I made your glaze donut step by step but my vame to he a flop I let the milk cool I will try again until get 5his simple recipe so easy must be doing something wrong when tell add the lady amount of flour I will add it a little at a time
Hi Rita, make sure you’re not adding too much flour! Be sure to measure by fluffing the flour first with a spoon then spoon it into a dry ingredient measuring cup and scrape off the top. If you push your measuring cup into a flour bin, you will get up to 25% too much flour. Also, do not tap the flour down in the measuring cup.
I try tour glazed donut it was a complete flop I follow the recipe step by step but did not come out. I’m going try it again a see what I did wrong I let the milk cool down too
Hi Rita, I haven’t had that outcome, was anything possibly substituted ingredients-wise? I wish I could be more helpful; I recommend watching thee video again to ensure no steps were missed.
My first time making fried doughnuts. I made the dough to rest in the refrigerator overnight and they were great for breakfast this morning and sharing with the neighbors. My wife gave me a thumbs up and a kiss when she tasted them! Only problem was maintaining the 375 temperature in a dutch oven, but practice makes perfect………….and, to me, they were perfect! Better than Krispy Kreme, by far!!!! Thanks, Natasha!
Wow! That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Ken!
I made this and oh my goodness it was perfect!!! Thank you…
I’m making them again today😋
You’re so very welcome! Thanks for trying my recipe.
Amazing! I’m giving this 5 stars because it tasted great and the firing was fun but my one complaint is that mine weren’t as big as your and I followed the recipe exactly. I’m suspecting it’s because I used soy milk instead of dairy milk, but overall was delicious and everyone enjoyed them!! ❤️🍩
Thank you for sharing, Gigi! I’m so glad you loved the recipe.
Hey! So I made these and my husband loved them but they didn’t hit the spot for me. I followed the recipe exactly BUT I used oat milk instead of regular milk – & just as an FYI for anyone curious in the comments: with baking, to date I have found that milk and oat milk are perfectly interchangeable. The thing that bothered me about them was the very obvious taste of the oil that I deep fried them in. When you buy store bought donuts, you don’t taste the oil. I used fresh, new canola oil. So maybe I need to try another kind of oil. That said, the consistency of the donut was great and I am excited to try this recipe again with another kind of oil. So that’s 5 stars from me, because the recipe itself is great. Thanks Natasha!
Hi Vivien, thank you for your comments and feedback. Canola oil should be alright but you can try peanut oil or vegetable oil next time.
You might want to try vegetable oil. I did, and it worked without an oily taste!
Vivien, did you make sure the oil was hot enough before adding donuts? If the oil isn’t hot enough it can absorb into whatever you are cooking.
My donuts are not fluffy, is it because of too much flour, the milk too warm or the fact that I used soy milk instead of whole milk, or maybe all of the above? I still enjoy making them after all.
I’m sorry to hear that! I have not tested this recipe with soy milk to advise if that could have been the culprit. I always recommend making the recipe once as written before making adjustments to it. Also, check the yeast, we used rapid rise, or quick-acting yeast which will make your dough rise faster. I would look over the instructions and tips in my notes to see if you missed anything.
Tried many recipe, I vote this recipe is the best love it how it’s so airy and soft and easy to handle, thanks for sharing this recipe Natasha <3
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Ludwina!
These were perfect! Rave reviews all around. Measured the flour with the spoon to cup method, left about 2 tbsp out just like you said and they were light and soft with the perfect chew. I was really careful with the frying temp and took my time. Did add a little more water to the glaze (which was delicious). Seriously Natasha…all the high fives, rounds of applause, and accolades on this one!
Yay love it! Thanks a lot for sharing that with us, good to know that the recipe was a huge success!
so, so far this recipe is’t my favorite, it’s so hard, and dry. you don’t need all the flour. that might just be me, but how she is explaining it is, it needs to be soft and kinda sticky. mine was hard, and not coming together at all. i had to take out the 1/3 cup of extra flour, and i added about a tsp of water, and after that it looked more like what she was explaining it to be. another thing i was thinking of is, normally the yest gets mixed in with the warm milk.
so, rn i’m waiting for the dough to rize but i’ll keep updating. i hope it comes out good, and i’m sure it prob will.
Hi Rachael, thank you so much for your feedback. I wonder if too much flour was used initially since I haven’t had these turn out dry or hard. Be sure to measure by fluffing the flour first with a spoon, then spoon it into a dry ingredient measuring cup and scrape off the top. If you push your measuring cup into a flour bin, you will get up to 25% too much flour. Also, do not tap the flour down in the measuring cup.