BEST Homemade Donuts EVER!!!

I have tried and tried and tried homemade donuts over the years with disappointing results- until now! I discovered this donut recipe online from the Pioneer Woman Cooks blog.  I have a favorite donut place up the street, and their donuts are so fluffy and crispy, yet tender and melt-in-your-mouth delicious. However, I often crave donuts in the evenings, and of course, no donut places are open that late! Now, I can make donuts when I want them, and they'll be delicious!!!! Thanks Pioneer Woman!!!

Note:  This recipe requires you to make the dough and refridgerate it the night before. I strongly recommend this! The dough does not take long to whip up (right before bed!), and not long to roll out and cut the next morning. They just need time to raise and they're ready. So, don't be shy, try them today!!!

Homemade Glazed Doughnuts

by Ree Drummond  (step-by-step pictures are available on her web site HERE)
 (with a few extra tips from Erin!)

Donuts

1-⅛ cup Whole Milk, Warm (Erin's tip: I used 1% milk and it turned out fine)


■¼ cups Sugar

■2-¼ teaspoons (one Package) Instant Or Active Dry Yeast

■2 whole Large Eggs, Beaten

■1-¼ stick Unsalted Butter, melted

■4 cups All-purpose Flour

■¼ teaspoons Salt

■Canola Oil


GLAZE

■3 cups Powdered Sugar

■½ teaspoons Salt

■½ teaspoons Vanilla

■½ cups Cold Water Or Milk

*Erin's Frosting tips:   I put powdered sugar in 3 bowls. One I made the standard glaze -above-, the second I added a few Tablespoons of Cocoa powder and vanilla and made chocolate glaze, and the third I added maple syrup for maple donuts! They were fantastic!!!*
 
To Make the Dough:



1. Make sure milk is nice and warm, but not overly hot.

2. Add sugar to milk. Stir to dissolve.

3. Add yeast into a small bowl.

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

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

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

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

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

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

10. 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.

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

12. After five minutes, stop the mixer and scrape the bottom of the bowl. (Erin's tip: don't add more flour! It is stickier than you would expect, but it works! Just complete the steps below and it turns out great!)


13. Turn on the mixer for 30 seconds.

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

15. 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.

16. Refrigerate dough for at least 8 hours, or overnight.



To Make the Doughnuts:

1. Remove bowl from fridge and turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. (*Erin's tip:  dough will be firm. It worried me at first, but it maked it easier to roll out, and it softens up and raises as it warms up.)


2. Roll out to 1/4 to 1/3-inch thickness. (*Erin's tip: I preferred my donuts to be thicker and puffier, so I rolled them almost 1/2" thick and they were more like my donut shop donuts, and didn't make as many, which I didn't need that much anyway!)

3. 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. (*Erin's tip: I used a heart shaped cookie cutter, and a small heart for the center! Super cute!)


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

5. Place both doughnuts and holes on a floured baking sheet.

6. 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.

7. 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


1. 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. (*Erin's tip: I used Crisco shortening in place of oil because I have found in the past it gives scones a crispier outside. IT worked great, but I'm sure the oil is fantastic, too.)

2. 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.

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

4. 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.

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

6. Allow doughnuts to slightly cool.



To Glaze


1. Mix all glaze ingredients in a bowl until completely smooth. (or make the 3 flavors as stated in Glaze recipe above!)

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

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

5. Serve warm if possible, or room temperature.

(*Erin's Tip: Roll a few donut holes or donuts in sprinkles after you dip in the glaze! Kids can't stay out of them!)