Fluffy donuts

When I crave something simple, quick, and guaranteed to succeed, I make these doughnuts. I have tested the recipe many times, especially when someone drops by unexpectedly or when I need something sweet without hassle. There's no need for special utensils. Everything goes quite quickly, and the ingredients are always at hand. I have always found it useful that the dough is not fussy and you can prepare everything without stress.

Quick Info

Total time: about 2 hours
Preparation time: 25-30 minutes
Rising time: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Frying time: 15-20 minutes
Servings: 25-30 doughnuts, depending on diameter
Difficulty: easy to medium
Recipe type: homemade dessert, suitable for breakfast or snack

Ingredients

700 g all-purpose flour
250 ml milk
100 g butter
100 g sugar
2 packets vanilla sugar
1 packet dry yeast (7 g)
2 egg yolks
a pinch of salt

Preparation method

1. In a saucepan, heat the milk, butter, sugar, and vanilla sugar. Stir gently over low heat until the butter and sugar are completely melted. Do not let it boil. Allow the mixture to cool until it is just warm.

2. Once it has cooled slightly, add the dry yeast to the milk mixture. Stir gently and let it sit for a few minutes until it starts to bubble on the surface.

3. In a large bowl, place the flour and a pinch of salt. Add the egg yolks.

4. Pour the milk and yeast mixture over the flour and start kneading. You can use your hand or a spoon at first, then switch to kneading with your hands until you achieve a smooth, elastic dough. Kneading takes about 8-10 minutes. The dough is ready when it no longer sticks to your hands and easily pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

5. Cover the bowl with a clean towel and let the dough rise for one hour in a warm, draft-free place.

6. After the dough has doubled in size, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll it out to about 0.5 cm thick. Do not press too hard.

7. Cut circles from the dough using a glass (medium diameter works best). Gather the scraps, knead them gently, and roll out again until you finish all the dough.

8. Place the cut doughnuts on a board or parchment paper and cover them with a towel. Let them rise for another 30 minutes.

9. Heat enough oil in a deep pot. The oil should be hot but not excessively so (medium to high heat). Fry the doughnuts in batches, without overcrowding the pot. When they are golden brown on one side, flip them to the other.

10. Remove the doughnuts onto paper towels to absorb the excess oil. While they are warm, dust them with granulated sugar or powdered sugar, as preferred.

Why I make this recipe often

I love that these doughnuts always turn out fluffy, without much effort. The dough is easy to work with, not sticky, and doesn’t require complicated shaping. They remain soft the next day if covered, but usually, they don’t last that long. They are perfect when you don’t have much time or want a quick sweet treat with basic ingredients.

Tips and variations

Tips

- Let the milk be warm, not hot, so you don’t kill the yeast.
- Don’t add extra flour unless the dough is too sticky after kneading.
- Don’t overcrowd the pot while frying; the doughnuts should float freely in the oil.
- If you don’t want them to soak up oil, maintain the right heat and don’t leave them too long on one side.

Substitutions

- Milk can be replaced with plant-based milk, but the taste and texture will differ slightly.
- Butter can be replaced with margarine, but they taste better with butter.
- Vanilla sugar can be replaced with vanilla essence, but the powdered version gives the classic aroma.

Variations

- You can add grated lemon or orange zest to the dough for extra flavor.
- If you wish, you can fill the doughnuts after frying with jam or chocolate using a piping bag.
- For a different look, cut the dough into sticks or other simple shapes.

Serving ideas

- They are good both plain and with jam, melted chocolate, or whipped cream.
- They can be dusted with powdered or granulated sugar, to taste.
- Whether warm or cold, they pair well with a cup of milk, tea, or coffee.

Frequently asked questions

1. Can I use fresh yeast instead of dry yeast?
Yes, you can also use fresh yeast. For this amount, use about 25 g of fresh yeast, which you dissolve in the warm milk.

2. If I don’t have vanilla sugar, can I use essence?
Yes, you can add a teaspoon of vanilla essence directly to the milk and butter mixture, but the flavor will be slightly different.

3. What do I do if the dough is too sticky?
Add a little more flour, one tablespoon at a time, until it becomes elastic and no longer sticks to your hands, but don’t overdo it, or the doughnuts will be denser.

4. Why don’t the doughnuts rise while frying?
Usually, if the yeast was active and they had enough rising time, they should rise nicely. If they didn’t rise, check if the milk was too hot or if the yeast was expired.

5. What kind of oil is recommended for frying?
Sunflower oil is most commonly used for such desserts. It’s important to have enough and to heat it well.

Nutritional values

Estimated for an average doughnut (40-45 g):

- Calories: approximately 120-140 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Protein: 2.5 g
- Fats: 4-5 g

Values may vary depending on how much oil they absorb while frying and how large you cut them.

Storage and reheating

Doughnuts are best the day you make them. If there are leftovers, place them in a container with a lid or covered with plastic wrap at room temperature until the next day. They can be reheated for a few seconds in the microwave, but the texture won’t be quite the same as fresh. They don’t stay soft for more than 24 hours. I do not recommend storing them in the fridge, as they become harder.

 Ingredients: 700 g of flour 250 ml of milk 2 egg yolks 1 packet of dry yeast a pinch of salt 100 g of butter 100 g of sugar 2 packets of vanilla sugar

 Tags:  fluffy donuts doughnuts donut dessert flour milk yeast