Yeast Doughnuts (Old Fashioned Donuts)

4.67 from 9 votes

Yeast Doughnuts (Old Fashioned Donuts)

These old fashioned homemade yeast doughnuts are soft and fluffy, pleasantly light crusted, and gloriously coated with sugar.

Prep Time20

Cook Time10

Proofing Time2

Total Time2 30

Course: Snack

Cuisine: American

Servings: doughnuts

Calories: 136.3kcal

Author: Priya Maha

Ingredients

Dough

225 g all purpose flour
5 g instant dry yeast
75 ml milk lukewarm
½ tablespoon granulated sugar
40 g butter
1 egg
⅛ teaspoon salt
Oil for frying

Coating

½ cup granulated sugar (for coating)

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

Measure yeast into a large mixing bowl. Add the milk.
Next, add the egg, followed by sugar, flour and salt.
Mix on low speed for 2 minutes or until the dough comes together.
Add butter and continue kneading on medium-low speed until the butter is all incorporated into the dough and dough becomes smooth and elastic. This should take about 8 to 10 minutes.
Remove the dough from the bowl and shape it into a ball. Return the dough into the mixing bowl and let if proof until it has almost trippled in size. Keep the bowl covered with a kitchen towel or cling wrap while the dough proofs.
Remove the dough from the bowl. Press it down to remove all air bubbles.
Knead it for approximately 2 to 3 minutes, until the dough becomes smooth.
Divide the dough into 2 sections for easy rolling. Roll each section to about 1cm thick.
Using a ring cutter, cut out the doughnuts. Re-roll the scraps and cut out more doughnuts until the dough is all used up.
Place each doughnut on a lightly floured parchment square. Arrange the doughnuts in a large tray, cover them with a kitchen towel and let them proof until almost tripled in size. Allow sufficient space between each doughnut so the they do not stick to one another as the rise in size.
Heat oil in a deep pan or wok and fry the doughnuts until they turn golden brown. Turn them over halfway through to allow both sides to cook.
Once done, remove from oil and drain them on a kitchen paper towel with a slotted spoon or tongs.
For the sugar coating, fill the granulated sugar into a small bowl. Dip each doughnuts into the sugar on both sides before serving.

Notes

Be cautious not to add too much flour into the dough, as it can make the doughnuts dense.

Allow the dough sufficient time to rise (proof) until it has at least doubled in size. This can take any where between 1 to 2 hours or more, depending on the temperature and the yeast you are using. To prevent the dough from drying out, cover it with a clean kitchen towel or cover the bowl with a plastic wrap.

Make sure to give sufficient space between each cut out doughnut when proofing them to avoid them to sticking to one another as they rise in size.

Use a deep-fry thermometer to monitor the oil temperature. The ideal frying temperature for yeast donuts is between 173 to 175 degrees Celsius (approximately 345 to 350 degrees Fahrenheit). Make sure the oil is hot enough before adding the doughnuts, as this helps them develop a golden crust and prevents them from absorbing excess oil.

Once the doughnuts are cooked, use a slotted spoon or tongs to remove them from the oil and transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.

Nutrition