Sugar Dusted Doughnuts Recipe

Bloom yeast

Combine warm water (105–115°F / 40–46°C), 1 tsp of the granulated sugar (from the 1/4 cup), and the instant dry yeast in a small bowl. Stir gently and let sit 5–10 minutes until foamy. If it does not foam, the yeast may be inactive—start over with fresh yeast.

Warm milk and mix wet ingredients

Warm the milk until lukewarm (about 100°F / 38°C). In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, whisk together the warmed milk, bloomed yeast, the remaining granulated sugar (from the 1/4 cup), eggs, and vanilla extract until combined.

Add dry ingredients and knead

Add 2 cups of the flour and the salt to the wet mixture and mix on low speed until incorporated. Continue adding remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms (you may not need the full amount). Add the softened butter in pieces and knead 6–8 minutes in the stand mixer (or 10–12 minutes by hand) until the dough is smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky but not overly sticky. The finished dough should pull away from the bowl but still be pliable.

First rise

Form the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly oiled bowl, turning once to oil the surface. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean towel and let rise in a warm draft-free spot until doubled in size, about 1 to 1.5 hours.

Shape doughnuts

Turn the risen dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently deflate. Roll dough to about 1/2-inch (1.3 cm) thickness. Using a 3-inch round cutter for the doughnut and a 1-inch cutter for the hole, cut as many doughnuts as possible. Re-roll scraps once and cut more. Transfer cut doughnuts and holes to a baking sheet lined with parchment, spacing them about 1 inch apart.

Second rise

Cover the sheet loosely with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let the doughnuts rise until puffy and slightly expanded, about 30–45 minutes. They should be noticeably softer but not doubled.

Heat the oil

Pour oil into a heavy-bottomed pot or deep fryer to a depth of about 2–3 inches. Attach a thermometer and heat to 350°F (175°C). Maintain temperature between 350–360°F (175–182°C) during frying. If you don’t have a thermometer, test with a small piece of dough: it should sizzle and brown in about 45–60 seconds.

Fry doughnuts

Carefully place 3–4 doughnuts into the oil (do not overcrowd). Fry 60–90 seconds per side, flipping once when the undersides are golden brown, until both sides are golden and the doughnuts are cooked through. Fry holes for 30–45 seconds, turning as needed. Use a slotted spoon or spider to transfer doughnuts to a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain briefly (about 1 minute).

Drain and cool slightly

Allow doughnuts to rest on the rack 1–2 minutes so they are warm but not piping hot. This helps the coating adhere without melting the sugar completely.

Prepare sugar

In a wide shallow bowl or rimmed baking dish, combine the 1.5 cups granulated sugar and the optional 1 tsp ground cinnamon if making cinnamon-sugar. Stir to mix evenly.

Coat doughnuts

Working in batches, gently toss each warm doughnut in the sugar (use tongs or your hands) until evenly coated. For an even dusting, place doughnut in sugar and gently press and roll to cover all surfaces. Shake off excess and transfer to a clean rack to set for a few minutes before serving. Repeat with doughnut holes.

Serve

Serve the sugar-dusted doughnuts warm or at room temperature. Best eaten the same day; to refresh slightly stale doughnuts, warm at 300°F (150°C) for 5–7 minutes and re-dust before serving.