Homemade Yeast Doughnuts

Donuts are awesome. If you don’t like donuts, I don’t think we can be friends. (I realized that could be closed minded for someone who doesn’t like pizza to say, but I’m sticking with it). Speaking of donuts, do you spell it donut or doughnut? I think I’ve officially become a Bostonian because when I write the word, I spell it donuts. Thanks a lot Dunkin’.

Now when I said that donuts are awesome, that comes with some caveats. Some donuts aren’t awesome. I’ve tried my fair share of donuts and definitely have strong preferences when it comes to the sugary treat. In my book, nothing beats a warm freshly glazed yeasted donut. Nothing.

So when I added donuts to my 30-while-30 list, I couldn’t wait to make them and mark it off the list. The whole process took a couple hours and I don’t usually fry things, but the time and effort was definitely worth it. I took these to share with friends and they were a huge success.

Hubby was the one who had the idea to dip the donut holes into a cinnamon/sugar mixture instead of glazing them. He’s so smart. I really couldn’t decide which I liked better. The warm glazed donuts were an obvious front runner, but those little cinnamon/sugar bites gave the donuts a run for their money.

In the end, all of the donuts and holes were consumed in no time flat. I threw them in a little box with a window to transport them because it reminded me of a box you might buy donuts in.

One Year Ago: Pot of Gold Cupcakes for St Patrick’s Day
Three Years Ago: Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Four Years Ago: S’mores Cupcakes

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Homemade Yeast Doughnuts

Making doughnuts at home takes a bit of time, but the effort is well worth the reward!

Yield: 18 doughnuts

Ingredients:

For the Doughnuts
1-1/8 cup whole milk, warm
1/4 cup sugar
2-1/4 tsp (one Package) Instant Or Active Dry Yeast
2 eggs, beaten
1-1/4 stick unsalted butter, melted
4 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
canola oil

For the Glaze
3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup cold milk

Directions:

To Make the Dough
Make sure milk is nice and warm, but not overly hot.

Add sugar to milk. Stir to dissolve.

Add yeast into a small bowl.

Pour milk/sugar mixture over yeast. Stir gently, then let sit for 10 minutes.

Melt butter in separate bowl until butter is almost melted. Stir to finish melting so butter won’t be overly hot.

Add beaten eggs to melted butter, stirring constantly to make sure the butter’s not too hot for the eggs.

Add the egg/butter mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook.

With the mixer on 3 or medium-low speed, pour in the yeast mixture and salt.

Allow the dough hook to stir this mixture for a couple of minutes, making sure it’s thoroughly combined.

With the mixer still going, add helpings of the flour mixture in 1/4 to 1/2 cup increments until all the flour is gone.

Stop the mixer, scrape the bowl, then turn the mixer on the same speed for five whole minutes.

After five minutes, stop the mixer and scrape the bottom of the bowl.

Turn on the mixer for 30 seconds.

Turn off the mixer and allow the dough to sit in the bowl undisturbed for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Toss the dough to coat, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place straight in the fridge.

Refrigerate dough for at least 8 hours, or overnight.

To Make the Doughnuts
Remove bowl from fridge and turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface.

Roll out to 1/4 to 1/3-inch thickness.

Using a 3-inch cutter, cut as many rounds as you can, then roll out remaining dough and cut as much as you can, etc.

Cut holes out of each round using a 1 1/2-inch cutter.

Place both doughnuts and holes on a floured baking sheet.

Cover with large tea towel and place in a warm place in your kitchen; my kitchen is very drafty, so I have to briefly warm the griddle, then turn it off and set the sheets on top to keep warm.

Allow doughnuts to rise undisturbed for at least 1 hour; 1 hour 15 minutes if necessary. Doughuts should be visibly puffier and appear to be airy.

To Fry the Dougnuts
Heat plenty of canola oil in a large pot until the temperature reaches 375 to 380 degrees—do not let it get hotter than 380 degrees! 375 is ideal; keep the thermometer in the pan to continually monitor.

One to two at a time, gently grab doughnuts and ease them into the hot oil. Allow them to cook 1 minute on each side; they will brown very quickly.

Remove doughnuts from the oil with a slotted spoon, allowing all oil to drip off.

Place doughnut immediately on several layers of paper towels. Count to five, then flip it over onto a clean part of the paper towels.

Count to five, then flip it over again; the purpose, obviously, is to drain as much grease as possible before it soaks into the doughnut.

Repeat with remaining doughnuts and holes. The holes will cook more quickly than the doughnuts; about 30 seconds per side.

Allow doughnuts to slightly cool.

To Glaze
Mix all glaze ingredients in a bowl until completely smooth.

One by one, dip doughnuts into the glaze until halfway submerged. (Note: completely submerge doughnut holes, then remove with slotted spoon.)

Remove from glaze, then turn right side up on a cooling rack over a cookie sheet (to catch dripping glaze.)

Serve warm if possible, or room temperature.

Recipe from The Pioneer Woman

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9 Responses to “Honey Yeast Dinner Rolls”

  1. #
    1
    EliFla — December 9, 2010 at 6:15 pm

    These rolls are delishous…thank you, ciao Flavia

  2. #
    2
    Lisa — December 9, 2010 at 6:45 pm

    These rolls look fantastic and I love the idea of using honey to sweeten them. By the way, I’m holding a giveaway on my blog for Orglamix Organic makeup and you’re welcome to come by and enter. http://sweet-as-sugar-cookies.blogspot.com/2010/12/orglamix-organic-mineral-makeup-review.html

  3. #
    3
    helen — December 9, 2010 at 7:57 pm

    gosh, i can just taste them, hot out of the oven. Please come and cook them at my house!

  4. #
    4
    Fun and Fearless in Beantown — December 9, 2010 at 10:14 pm

    I would like one of these straight from the oven with a pat of butter. 🙂

  5. #
    5
    Melissa @ Made in Melissa's Kitchen — December 10, 2010 at 1:52 am

    These are my favorite rolls! We had them on Thanksgiving as well, and as usual, they were delicious!

  6. #
    6
    Paula — December 10, 2010 at 9:29 am

    what a delicious looking dinner rolls!

    have a nice weekend!
    Paula

  7. #
    7
    Shannon — December 11, 2010 at 1:15 am

    ooh, wow, these look like a perfect accompaniment to a holiday meal 🙂

  8. #
    8
    Kerstin — December 11, 2010 at 5:04 pm

    I made these exact same rolls for Thanksgiving! And I loved them – I hoarded all the leftover ones for myself – haha 🙂

  9. #
    9
    sheila @ Elements — May 19, 2011 at 6:22 pm

    They look like they melt in your mouth! I’ve bookmarked it and will definitely make some these days! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe! I can’t wait to try them! 🙂

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