19/12/2025
Easy Homemade Donuts, 5 Ways
Fluffy, chewy, baked or fried — these are all doable at home. No mixer, no stress.
1️⃣ Twisted Donuts:
- ½ cup warm milk (120ml)
- 2 Tbsp melted butter (28g)
- 1¼ tsp active dry yeast (4g)
- 3 Tbsp sugar (38g)
- 1 large egg
- ¼ tsp salt (1.5g)
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour (180g)
- Oil for frying
Steps:
1. Mix warm milk, butter, sugar, and yeast. Let sit 5 min until foamy.
2. Add flour, salt, and whisked egg. Mix and knead until soft. Add a splash of milk if dry.
3. Cover and rest 1 hour until doubled.
4. Punch down, knead, cover, and rise again 30–60 min.
5. Divide into 8. Roll each into a 10-inch (25cm) rope, twist, and pinch ends.
6. Place on floured tray. Rise 30 min, flipping halfway.
7. Heat oil to 350°F (175°C). Fry 5 min, flipping until golden.
8. Drain and coat in sugar while warm, or dust with powdered sugar when cool.
2️⃣ Baked Donuts:
* 2 cups all-purpose flour (240g)
* 2 tsp baking powder (8g)
* ⅓ cup sugar (67g)
* ⅓ cup light brown sugar, packed (73g)
* ½ tsp salt (3g)
* 1 cup milk (240ml)
* 2 large eggs
* 2 Tbsp vegetable oil (30ml)
* 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted (57g)
* 2 tsp vanilla extract (10ml)
* Cooking spray
Steps:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly coat a donut pan with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.
3. Add the wet ingredients. Stir until smooth.
4. Transfer batter to a piping bag or zip-top bag. Snip the tip and pipe into donut wells, filling each about ¾ full.
5. Bake for 10 minutes, or until tops spring back when lightly pressed.
6. Let donuts rest 3 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack. Wipe pan, re-spray, and repeat with remaining batter.
7. Let all donuts cool completely before glazing or dusting with powdered sugar.
3️⃣ Donut Balls:
- 2½ cups bread or all-purpose flour (300g)
- 2½ Tbsp sugar (30g)
- 1 packet vanilla sugar (about 1 Tbsp or 8g)
- ½ cup warm milk (125ml)
- 2 tsp dry yeast (6g)
- 1 large egg
- 3½ Tbsp unsalted butter, room temp (50g)
- Pinch of salt
Steps:
1. Stir yeast into warm milk. Let sit 5 minutes until foamy.
2. In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, vanilla sugar, and salt.
3. Pour in milk-yeast mix and beaten egg. Mix gently.
4. After 3 minutes, add butter. Knead 10–15 minutes until smooth and soft.
5. Cover and let dough rise until doubled (about 1½ hours).
6. Punch down. Shape into 20g balls or roll to ⅜ inch (1cm) thick and cut.
7. Place on parchment. Cover and rise again ~1 hour.
8. Heat oil to 320°F (160°C). Fry until golden, flipping once.
9. Coat in sugar while warm or dust with powdered sugar when cool. Optional: fill with jam or cream.
4️⃣ Mochi Donuts:
- ½ cup silken tofu (120g)
- 1 large egg
- ¾ cup cake flour (100g)
- ¼ cup sugar (50g)
- ¾ cup glutinous rice flour (100g)
- 1 tsp baking powder (4g)
- Neutral oil for frying
Steps:
1. Mash and strain tofu. Stir in egg and sugar until smooth.
2. Sift in cake flour, glutinous rice flour, and baking powder. Mix and knead into a soft dough.
3. Roll into small balls (2 tsp or 6g each). Arrange 8 balls in a ring on parchment to form a donut.
4. Heat oil to 300°F (150°C). Place donut (with paper) into oil.
5. When the donut detaches from the paper, remove it. Fry until golden, flipping as needed.
6. Drain and top with glaze, powdered sugar, or enjoy plain while warm.
5️⃣ Eggless Donuts:
- 2½ cups bread flour (300g)
- ¾ cup + 2 tbsp warm milk (205ml)
- 3 Tbsp sugar (38g)
- 1 tsp instant yeast (3g)
- ½ tsp salt (3g)
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temp (28g)
- Neutral oil for frying
- Granulated sugar, for coating
Steps:
1. Mix warm milk, sugar, and yeast. Let sit 5 minutes.
2. Stir in flour and salt. Knead into a soft dough. Rest 20 minutes.
3. Knead in softened butter until dough is smooth and stretchy (about 10 minutes).
4. Cover and let rise 1 hour until doubled.
5. Punch down. Divide into 12 balls (~45g each). Roll smooth and shape into rings.
6. Place on floured surface. Cover and rise 40 minutes.
7. Heat oil to 320°F (160°C). Fry donuts on medium-low heat until golden on both sides.
8. Drain and coat warm donuts in sugar or your favorite topping.