Easy Homemade Doughnuts Recipe (2024)

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María del Mar Cuadra

Easy Homemade Doughnuts Recipe (1)

María del Mar Cuadra

María del Mar Cuadra is a food stylist, recipe developer, and art director. She has written three cookbooks and worked for America's Test Kitchen.

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Updated August 30, 2018

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Note on the biscuits: I used Pillsbury biscuits for this recipe.

One roll of "Buttermilk" biscuits yields ten small (about 2 1/2-inch inches in diameter) doughnuts and ten tiny doughnut holes. You'll need a 1/2-inch round cutter to punch out the holes. One roll of "Grands Homestyle Buttermilk" biscuits yields eight large (about 3 1/2 inches in diameter) doughnuts and eight doughnut holes. You'll need a one-inch round cutter to punch out the holes.

Chopsticks are the best tool to use for turning the doughnuts, but you can use the ends of two wooden spoons if you don't have any on hand. If you don't have round cutters, use a bottle cap or the back of a pastry tip that fits the measurements provided.

The glaze recipes below make enough for one batch of large doughnuts. If making small ones, cut the recipe in half.

Serve the doughnuts warm.

The World's Easiest Homemade Doughnuts

Recipe Details

Easy Homemade Doughnuts Recipe

Active20 mins

Total30 mins

Serves8to 10 doughnuts

Ingredients

Doughnuts:

  • 1 roll biscuits (see note)

  • 8 cups vegetable oil

Plain Glaze:

Orange-Cardamom Glaze:

  • 2 cups confectioners' sugar

  • 1 teaspoon ground cardamom

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated zest plus 6 tablespoons juice from 2 oranges

Brown Butter Glaze:

  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces

  • 2 cups confectioners' sugar

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 1/4 cup milk

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chocolate Glaze:

  • 1 cup confectioners' sugar

  • 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 3/4 cup milk

Pink Glaze:

  • 2 cups confectioners' sugar

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

  • 1/4 cup strawberry-flavored milk

Directions

  1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven or large skillet with high sides over medium-high heat until temperature registers 350°F. (Oil should be 1- to 1 1/2 inches deep). Pop open biscuit container. If any of the biscuits look irregular, gently pat them down to even rounds and even thickness. Cut out doughnut holes.

    Easy Homemade Doughnuts Recipe (3)

  2. Add half of the doughnuts and half of the doughnut holes and fry until the bottoms turn golden brown, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes for small doughnuts and 2 to 2 1/2 minutes for large doughnuts. Using chopsticks, turn the doughnuts and holes and fry for until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes longer.

    Easy Homemade Doughnuts Recipe (4)

  3. Transfer doughnuts to a paper towel-lined plate and allow to cool slightly, 1 to 2 minutes before dipping in glaze. Serve warm.

    Easy Homemade Doughnuts Recipe (5)

  4. For the plain glaze: Place confectioners’ sugar and salt in medium bowl. Add melted butter, milk, and vanilla extract and whisk until smooth. Dip doughnuts and serve immediately.

  5. For the orange-cardamom glaze: Place confectioners’ sugar, cardamom, salt, and orange zest in medium bowl. Add orange juice and whisk until smooth. Dip doughnuts and serve immediately.

  6. For the brown-butter glaze: Melt the butter over medium-high heat in a small stainless steel saucepan. Cook the butter until browned, 5 to 8 minutes, swirling the pan occasionally. The butter will begin to foam; the subsiding foam is an indicator that the butter is almost done. Once the solids are caramel brown remove pan from heat and immediately pour butter into a medium bowl, scraping in all the solids. Add the confectioners’ sugar, salt, milk, and vanilla extract and whisk until smooth. Dip doughnuts and serve immediately.

  7. For the chocolate glaze: Place confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, and salt in medium bowl. Add milk and whisk until smooth. Dip doughnuts and serve immediately.

  8. For the pink glaze: Place confectioners’ sugar and salt in medium bowl. Add melted butter and milk and whisk until smooth. Dip doughnuts and serve immediately.

Special Equipment

1/2-inch round cutter and/or 1-inch round cutter; 1 pair chopsticks; deep-fry thermometer

This Recipe Appears In

  • The World's Easiest Homemade Doughnuts
  • Doughnuts
  • Hanukkah Desserts
  • Frying
  • Mother's Day
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
476Calories
30g Fat
49g Carbs
4g Protein

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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8to 10
Amount per serving
Calories476
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 30g38%
Saturated Fat 9g45%
Cholesterol 26mg9%
Sodium 427mg19%
Total Carbohydrate 49g18%
Dietary Fiber 1g3%
Total Sugars 24g
Protein 4g
Vitamin C 0mg1%
Calcium 141mg11%
Iron 2mg10%
Potassium 88mg2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Easy Homemade Doughnuts Recipe (2024)
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