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Soft Homemade Doughnuts

These melt in your mouth soft homemade doughnuts are so delicious, perfect and airy. Top with melted chocolate, glaze or just cinnamon sugar, and watch these little rings of delight disappear off the plate in record time.

soft homemade doughnuts

soft homemade doughnuts

There is no beating any classic recipe, they are pure nostalgic comfort food, shared and passed on through the years. Made with minimal change today in our kitchens, coffee shops, restaurants or bakeries. Just like with these super soft classic doughnuts, absolute perfection and even better homemade.

soft homemade doughnuts

Easy to prepare, and dipped in your favourite toppings, makes this a really fun recipe.

soft homemade doughnuts

A few tips when making these doughnuts

The liquid added to the dry ingredients should be just warm, not too hot or too cold. If you have a thermometer, it should read  between 100° – 115°F ( 37°C – 46°C)

In this recipe, I used vegetable shortening. This is what gives the doughnuts that crisp, melt in your mouth texture. If you do not have shortening, then go ahead and substitute it with butter.

Do not over handle the dough, just mix and knead it for 3 to 5 minutes until it forms a soft dough. After the dough has risen, press it out using the palms of your hands before cutting into doughnuts. Avoid using a rolling pin. Overhandling the dough will cause the doughnuts to lose that soft and airy texture when fried. 

Allow the oil to heat up to between 350°F – 370°F ( 176°C – 185°C ) before frying the doughnuts.  

soft homemade doughnuts

MAKING THE SOFT HOMEMADE DOUGHNUTS

Using a large bowl, combine the instant dry yeast, sugar, flour and salt. ( Dry ingredients )

In a jug or saucepan, warm the milk and water. It should be just warm, not too hot or cold. If you have a thermometer, it should read between 100° – 115°F ( 37°C – 46°C). Add beaten eggs, shortening or butter to the warm milk and water mixture ( wet ingredients) and mix. 

Add the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix to combine.

Turn out onto a floured surface, and knead for about 3 to 5 minutes until the dough is soft and smooth. If you find that the dough is too sticky, then add up to ¼ cup extra flour while kneading.

soft homemade doughnuts

ALLOW THE DOUGH TO RISE

Place the dough back into the bowl and in a warm, draft free area of your kitchen, allow the dough to double in volume. This should take an hour.

After an hour, punch down the dough and turn it out onto a floured surface. Using your palms press out the dough to about ½ inch ( 1 ½ cm ) thick and cut out the doughnuts using a doughnut or cookie cutter. If you are using a cookie cutter, then cut out the centre of each doughnut using a smaller cutter as well.

Turn out onto a floured surface, and knead for about 3 to 5 minutes until the dough is soft and smooth. If you find that the dough is too sticky, then add up to ¼ cup extra flour while kneading.

Place the cutout doughnuts onto a tray and leave to rise again for about 15 to 20 minutes.

Using a deep pan, add sufficient oil to deep fry the doughnuts.

Allow the oil to heat up to between 350°F – 370°F ( 176°C – 185°C ) before frying the doughnuts.

Deep fry the doughnuts for about 1 minute on each side, until cooked and golden brown.

Drain the doughnuts on paper towel and top as preferred.

Topping suggestions: cinnamon sugar, melted chocolate, or a simple glaze.

Super easy to make, skip the store bought the next time and give these homemade doughnuts a try, so deliciously soft and light.

soft homemade doughnuts

Enjoy  ♥

soft homemade doughnuts

Soft Homemade Doughnuts

5 from 10 votes
Author: Ashika | Gardening Foodie
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 25 minutes
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These melt in your mouth soft homemade doughnuts are so delicious, perfect and airy. Top with melted chocolate, glaze or just cinnamon sugar, and watch these little rings of delight disappear off the plate in record time.

Ingredients

DRY INGREDIENTS

  • 5 cups / 600g all purpose / cake flour
  • ½ cup / 100g white granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 4 ½ teaspoons / 14g instant dry yeast

WET INGREDIENTS

  • ¼ cup / 60ml water
  • 1 ½ cups / 375ml milk
  • 2 eggs beaten
  • ⅓ cup / 65g vegetable shortening or butter
  • Oil for deep frying

Instructions

  • Using a large bowl, combine the instant dry yeast, sugar, flour and salt. ( Dry ingredients )
  • In a jug or saucepan, warm the milk and water. It should be just warm, not too hot or cold. If you have a thermometer, it should read between 100° - 115°F ( 37°C - 46°C)
  • Add beaten eggs, shortening or butter to the warm milk and water mixture ( wet ingredients).
  • Add the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix to combine.
  • Turn out onto a floured surface, and knead for about 3 to 5 minutes until the dough is soft and smooth. If you find that the dough is too sticky, then add up to ¼ cup extra flour while kneading.
  • Place the dough back into the bowl and in a warm, draft free area of your kitchen, allow the dough to double in volume. This should take an hour.
  • After an hour, punch down the dough and turn it out onto a floured surface. Using your palms press out the dough to about ½ inch ( 1 ½ cm ) thick and cut out the doughnuts using a doughnut or cookie cutter. If you are using a cookie cutter, then cut out the center of each doughnut using a smaller cutter as well.
  • Place the cut out doughnuts onto a tray and leave to rise again for about 15 to 20 minutes.
  • Using a deep pan or pot , add sufficient oil to deep fry the doughnuts.
  • Allow the oil to heat up to between 350°F - 370°F ( 176°C - 185°C ) before you start to fry the doughnuts.
  • Deep fry the doughnuts for about 1 minute on each side, until cooked and golden brown.
  • Drain the doughnuts on paper towel and top as preferred.
  • Topping suggestions : cinnamon sugar, melted chocolate, glace icing.

Notes

Nutrition

Serving: 0g | Carbohydrates: 0g | Protein: 0g | Fat: 0g | Saturated Fat: 0g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 0mg | Potassium: 0mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 0g | Vitamin A: 0IU | Vitamin C: 0mg | Calcium: 0mg | Iron: 0mg
Have you tried this recipe?I'd love to hear how it turned out, tag me on @gardeningfoodie

 

                                                                                                                                                       

                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

 

 

 

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Leanne | Crumb Top Baking says

    2nd December 2018 at

    5 stars
    These look awesome Ashika! They caught my eye on Facebook and I just had to pop over to check out the recipe! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  2. 2pots2cook says

    2nd December 2018 at

    5 stars
    Comforting it is 🙂 Love it ! Thank you Ashika !

    Reply
  3. Emma @ Bake Then Eat says

    2nd December 2018 at

    These doughnuts do look amazing, I have never tried making fried ones before but I must admit nothing beats a fried doughnut.

    Reply
  4. Kelsie | the itsy-bitsy kitchen says

    3rd December 2018 at

    5 stars
    Ashika, these look killer! I’ve never fried my own doughnuts but I think I need to start. I’m just afraid I won’t be able to stop!

    Reply
  5. Laura says

    4th December 2018 at

    5 stars
    There’s nothing like a classic donut, Ashika! And these are beatiful and look so scrumptious I’d like to try them all, please!

    Reply
  6. Ron says

    4th December 2018 at

    5 stars
    Those are some fine looking doughnuts. They could set on the racks at any Dunkin Donut House. We don’t have proper donut shops here so I might just make up a batch for the holidays.

    Reply
  7. neil@neilshealthymeals.com says

    4th December 2018 at

    5 stars
    Oh yes please Ashika! Your donuts look amazing! Those toppings are to die for. I could easily have a couple of those with my coffee that I’m having right now. I know something was missing! 🙂

    Reply
  8. Katherine | Love In My Oven says

    5th December 2018 at

    Ashika! These donuts look so soft and delicious, like they came straight from a bakery. My kids would love me if I made these!! XO

    Reply
  9. Chava Stark says

    5th December 2018 at

    5 stars
    Hello! Although I realize this is not a Hanukkah post, it is customary to eat fried foods to celebrate the holiday so this is a very timely post for me! These look amazing!

    Reply
  10. Maria | kitchenathoskins says

    7th December 2018 at

    5 stars
    These look absolutely fabulous!!! Looks so soft and so perfect. I haven’t made doughnuts in a long time. This is such a yummy treat!

    Reply
  11. R. Sivapriya says

    19th June 2019 at

    Hi!! Tried ur recipe. It came out very nice.. Soft and yummy!! The only mistake I did was I cut the donuts and kept on non-oiled parchment paper. So, after allowing the cut donuts to raise, I was not able to take it from the sheet. It got stuck. So, better to oil the parchment or the plate on which we r planning to keep the cut donuts!! 100 marks for the recipe 😊😊

    Reply
  12. Kristin says

    24th July 2020 at

    These look amazing! I wonder if these could be baked instead of fried?

    Reply
    • Ashika says

      26th July 2020 at

      Hi Kristin. Thank you 🙂
      I have not baked these doughnuts. I do know that it will change the texture of the doughnuts if it is baked instead of fried though. It might not be as soft when baked.
      If you are looking for a baked doughnut recipe, you could try my Chocolate Cake Doughnuts or my Baked Doughnuts.
      I hope that this helps 🙂

      Reply
  13. Ella says

    22nd October 2020 at

    approx. how many does this make? they look great

    Reply
    • Ashika says

      23rd October 2020 at

      Hi Ella, thank you, this recipe makes approximately 20 doughnuts, but it will also depend on the size of the cutter you are using 🙂

      Reply

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