This doughnut dough recipe results in super soft, fluffy and light doughnuts. It’s true! Homemade doughnuts are delicious and easy. Filling options are endless too!

If you love doughnuts, then you’ll also love my baked doughnut recipes! My baked chocolate doughnuts and Oreo donuts are family favorites!

Freshly fried doughnuts on a tray.

The Secret to Soft, Flavorful Doughnuts

Truthfully the secret to soft doughnuts is getting the dough right, annnnnd deep frying them.

Let’s be honest, there’s something special about a golden-brown, deep fried doughnut. It’s even extra special when those doughnuts are homemade (can I hear you say, “labor of love?”) 😁

If we’re going through the effort to make our own doughnuts, you best believe we’ll use the best recipe out there! Introducing, this recipe. 🙌🏼  It has some great flavor to it. A lot of that flavor actually comes from the dough doing its second rise in the refrigerator. The doughs’ flavor deepens as it chills in the fridge. (I’ll even chill my pizza dough in the fridge for several hours to get better flavor). 

Once you’ve made these mouthwatering doughnuts you can toss them in sugar and fill them with homemade raspberry jam, Nutella, pastry cream, or even make them into Boston Cream Donuts. 

One thing to note, doughnut dough is fairly sticky. Don’t worry! Just follow the recipe, trust in the rise and you’ll be good to go.

Three fried doughnuts being tossed in granulated sugar.

How to Make Homemade Doughnuts

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the water and yeast. Let the yeast sit for 10 minutes or until foamy. Note: you can add a pinch of sugar to the water + yeast mixture to get the yeast working quicker. A glass bowl full of ingredients used to make Doughnut Dough.
  2. Add the flour, sugar, eggs, and salt. Mix on medium speed. Once the dough starts to come together (mix for about 3 minutes) switch to the dough hook and mix for 5-8 minutes. The dough will be very sticky. A stand mixer mixing the sticky doughnut dough.
  3. Turn off the mixer and let the dough rest for 5 minutes.
  4. Start the mixer again on medium speed and slowly add the butter, 2 tablespoons at a time. Once the butter is incorporated mix on medium-high speed for 5 minutes or until the dough is smooth, glossy, and elastic when pulled. Doughnut dough in a glass bowl prior to rising and doubling in size.
  5. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let prove for 1-2 hours or until doubled in size.
  6. Once doubled in size remove the plastic wrap, punch down the dough with a floured fist then re-cover and place the bowl in the fridge to prove overnight.
  7. The following day remove the bowl from the fridge. Cut the dough into 50 gram sized pieces. Will make about 21 dough balls.
  8. Line 2 baking sheet with parchment paper, then generously flour the parchment paper.
  9. Roll the dough pieces into smooth tight buns/balls and place on the floured baking tray. Leave enough space between each bun so that they have room to prove and expand. Balls of doughnut dough spread out over a baking sheet.
  10. Cover the baking tray loosely with plastic wrap and let prove for 2-3 hours or until doubled in size.
  11. Fry the doughnuts. Fill a large saucepan halfway with oil and heat the oil to 360°F – 375°F. Use an instant read thermometer to monitor the oils temperature. It’s important that the oil stays at the proper temperature while cooking. Too hot and the doughnuts will burn and the insides will be raw. Too cool and the doughnuts will soak up too much of the oil and become greasy.
  12. When the oil is heated, carefully slide (or transfer) the doughnuts from the tray to the hot oil. I like to use a floured bread scraper to gently pick of the balls. Be careful not to deflate the doughnuts when doing so. Cook 2-4 per batch depending on the size of the pan or fryer you’re using.
  13. Fry for 2 mins per side or until golden brown. The doughnuts should float so you may need to gently press them down into the oil so that they color evenly. A spatula pushing down a doughnut in hot oil.
  14. Remove the doughnuts from the hot oil and place on a paper towel lined baking sheet.
  15. Wa-la! Homemade doughnuts!

A pile of golden brown doughnuts on a white background.

Filling Doughnuts

Toss the warm doughnuts in a bowl of superfine sugar, granulated sugar, or powdered sugar.

To fill the doughnuts, fill a piping bag with the desired filling. You could use jelly, homemade jam, pudding, pastry cream, Nutella.

Pipe the filling, inserting the piping tip into the side crease of each doughnut. Fill each doughnut with 1-2 tablespoons of filling. The doughnuts will swell slightly.

Once filled, eat immediately. Doughnuts are best enjoyed the day they are made!

Can store them in an airtight container at room temperature.

A fried doughnut being tossed in granulated sugar.

A stack of 3 donuts filled with raspberry jam.

If you make this recipe or any other recipe from saltandbaker.com be sure to share it on social media. Tag @saltandbaker on Instagram in your posts and stories so I can see what you’ve made.

Freshly fried doughnuts on a tray.
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5 from 5 votes

Doughnut Dough Recipe

Light and airy doughnuts. Fill them with whatever you'd like: cream, jam, Nutella. The possibilities are endless.
Prep Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Rest Time: 14 hours
Total Time: 16 hours 35 minutes
Servings: 21 doughnuts

Ingredients
 

  • 150 grams water - warmed to 100°F
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 570 grams all-purpose flour - about 4 cups
  • 60 grams granulated sugar - equals 1/3 cup MINUS 1 1/4 teaspoon
  • 4 eggs - at room temperature
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 125 grams unsatled butter - softened to room temperature and cut into 1 tablespoon sized pieces (you need about 9 T of butter)
  • 4-6 cups vegetable oil or canola oil for frying
  • granulated or powdered sugar for coating

Instructions
 

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the water and yeast. Let the yeast sit for 10 minutes or until foamy. Add the flour, sugar, eggs, and salt. Mix on medium speed. Once the dough starts to come together and form a ball (takes about 3-4 minutes), switch to the dough hook and mix for 5-8 minutes. The dough should start to come away from the sides of the bowl. The dough will be very sticky! My dough didn't fully clean the sides of the bowl.
  • Turn off the mixer and let the dough rest for 5 minutes. 
  • Start the mixer again on medium speed and slowly add the butter, 2 tablespoons at a time. Once the butter is incorporated mix on medium high speed for 5 minutes or until the dough is smooth, glossy, and elastic when pulled. Again, the dough will be very sticky. If it's excessively sticky you can add a few tablespoons of flour and mix for several more minutes. Do not add too much flour though. This dough is sticky, that's the nature of it.
  • Transfer the dough to a large bowl that has been lightly oiled. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let prove for 1-2 hours or until doubled in size. 
  • Once doubled in size, remove the plastic wrap punch down the dough with your fist then re-cover and place the bowl in the fridge to chill overnight. 
  • The following day remove the bowl from the fridge. Cut the dough into 50 gram sized pieces. Will make about 21 balls (maybe more, maybe less depending on how much flour you added).
  • Line 2 baking sheet with parchment paper. Generously flour the parchment paper.
  • Roll the dough pieces into smooth tight balls and place on the floured baking tray. Leave enough space between each bun so that they have room to prove and expand. 
  • Cover the baking trays loosely with plastic wrap and let prove for 2-3 hours or until doubled in size.
  • Fill a large saucepan halfway with oil and heat the oil to 180°C or between 360°F - 375°F. Use an instant read thermometer to monitor the oils temperature. It’s important that the oil stays at the proper temperature while cooking. Too hot and the doughnuts will burn and the insides will be raw. Too cool and the doughnuts will soak up too much of the oil and become greasy.
  • When the oil is heated, carefully slide (or transfer) the doughnuts from the tray to the hot oil. I like to use a floured bread scraper. Be careful not to deflate the doughnuts when doing so. Cook 2-4 per batch depending on the size of the pan or fryer you’re using. 
  • Fry for 1-2 mins per side or until golden brown. The doughnuts should float so you may need to gently press them down into the oil so that they color evenly.
  • Remove the doughnuts from the hot oil and place on a paper towel lined baking sheet. 
  • Toss the warm doughnuts in a bowl of granulated sugar or powdered sugar. 
  • To fill the doughnuts, fill a piping bag with the desired filling. Pipe the filling, inserting the piping tip into the side crease of each doughnut. Fill each doughnut with 20-50 grams of filling, or 1-2 tablespoons. The doughnuts will swell slightly. 
  • Once filled, eat immediately. Doughnuts are best enjoyed the day they are made! 
  • Can store them in an airtight container at room temperature. 

Notes

This recipe was made at sea level. Sometimes higher elevation can affect the amount of flour you need to use. Keep that in mind as you make this. 
Nutritional values are for 1 doughnut. The values do not include tossing in sugar or the filling used. Also doesn't take into account frying in oil. 

Nutrition

Calories: 169kcal (8%)Carbohydrates: 24g (8%)Protein: 4g (8%)Fat: 6g (9%)Saturated Fat: 3g (15%)Cholesterol: 44mg (15%)Sodium: 180mg (8%)Potassium: 54mg (2%)Fiber: 1g (4%)Sugar: 3g (3%)Vitamin A: 194IU (4%)Calcium: 10mg (1%)Iron: 1mg (6%)
author: Whitney Wright
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
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