homemade glazed donuts on a white plate
Breakfast

Homemade Glazed Donuts

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I just love these homemade glazed donuts. They are so light and pillowy and are very close to the classic Krispy Kreme glazed doughnuts.

Growing up I used to walk from my house down to the local donut shop. Fond memories for sure. In college, I definitely ate my fair share of classic glazed Krispy Cream donuts. While it is hard to get a completely identical donut to theirs, this recipe comes pretty close and I am super happy with it.

If you are a lover of donuts, give this homemade glazed donuts recipe a try. They are easy to make and oh so delicious. If I can do it, you can do it. Let’s get started!

Are cake donuts your thing? Check out these chocolate cake donuts, they are awesome!

Step 1: Gather the ingredients

In order to make these homemade glazed donuts you need the following ingredients:

Doughnuts

  • Milk – I always use whole milk but any other milk will be fine.
  • Active dry yeast – Or you can also use rapid rise or instant yeast.
  • Granulated Sugar
  • Butter – Either salted or unsalted butter.
  • Egg
  • All-purpose flour
  • Salt – reduce by half if you use salted butter.
  • Nutmeg
  • Oil for kneading and frying

Step 2: How to make homemade glazed donuts

Activated yeast in a glass bowl on top of a wooden table.

Begin by prepping the yeast. In a small bowl heat up the milk, either with the microwave or use a pot on the stovetop. The temperature of the milk should be between 100 and 110 F (37 – 43 C).

Then sprinkle in about 1 tsp. of the sugar. This will be food for the yeast. While not completely necessary, I always do it. Add the yeast and mix it in with a fork or small whisk.

Allow the yeast to sit for 5 to 10 minutes until it gets nice and foamy/frothy. If it doesn’t get foamy after 10 minutes. Start again, the yeast could be bad or the milk was too hot or not hot enough.

Step 3: Eggs and Butter

Heat up the butter again either in the microwave or on the stovetop, just until melted. If it is super hot allow it to cool a bit, then add it to the yeast mixture along with the sugar. Add in the large egg as well and mix with a whisk.

Step 4: Complete the homemade glazed donuts dough

In a separate bowl combine the flour, salt, and nutmeg together, using a whisk.

Add the flour mixture about a third of it at a time, mixing it in with a wooden spoon or silicone spoon. You can use a whisk for the first third but after that switch to the spoon. Leave out about 2 to 3 tablespoons of the flour mixture.

Step 5: Knead the donuts dough

Hands kneading homemade donuts dough on a wooden table.

Pour the dough out onto a work surface. Set any extra dry mixture to the side. Knead the dough for 10 minutes, it will be fairly sticky. Instead of adding the flour mixture when it is sticky, add a bit of oil to your hands and to the dough. Which will enable you to knead the dough.

The reason why we don’t want to add the extra flour mixture is it will make the dough more dense. The less flour we have the lighter the resulting homemade donut will be.

Risen homemade glazed donuts dough

Shape the dough into a ball and add it to a large bowl with a bit of oil. Coat the ball of dough in oil and then cover the bowl with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and set it somewhere warm. Allow the dough to rise for an hour and a half to two hours until it more than doubles in size.

Step 6: Cut out those homemade donuts shapes

Hand cutting out the homemade donuts with a biscuit cutter.

Use some of the leftover flour and dust your work surface. Then roll out the dough until it is about 1/4 of an inch thick. Next, use a doughnut cutter or biscuit cutter to cut out the shapes.

If you use a biscuit cutter you can come back in and use a large pastry tip to cut out the hole. Save those donut holes!

Homemade donuts on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.

Place the cutout donuts onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Cover them loosely with plastic wrap or a cloth and allow them to rise for an hour.

Six risen homemade donuts ready to go in the fryer.

You can roll the leftover dough scraps and cut more doughnuts out or just lay out the scraps as they are for interesting shapes.

20 minutes before the donuts are done rising, take a large pot and add enough oil for it to be about 1 inch to 1 and a half inches deep. Set the heat to medium and heat the oil to 325 F/162 C.

Step 7: Fry up those homemade glazed donuts

Two donuts in hot oil in a yellow pot.

Gently drop a couple of the donuts into the hot oil. They only need to cook about 1 minute per side until they get nice and golden brown.

You can flip the donuts with a fork or use a spider strainer. Tongs will work as well, just be gently with them. Once both sides are golden brown you can remove them from the oil and place them on a wire rack to cool and drain.

Don’t forget to fry up those donut holes!

Step 8: Time for that yummy glaze

Donuts being glazed in a glass bowl on top of a wooden table.

In a small bowl melt the butter either in the microwave or use a pot on the stovetop. Then add the powdered sugar and enough milk to get the consistency you want. I like a nice thin glaze.

Now dip the donuts into the glaze making sure both sides get coated. Place them on a wire rack and allow the glaze to set.

Finished homemade glazed donuts on a wire rack on top of a sheet pan.

Once those homemade glazed donuts have dried, take a big bite out of one. Enjoy!

How long do homemade glazed donuts last?

These donuts will stay fresh in an airtight container for a few days at room temperature, or up to a week in the fridge. They are definitely the best when fresh.

homemade glazed donuts on a white plate
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5 from 5 votes

Homemade Glazed Donuts

I am a donut lover, especially these homemade glazed donuts. They are light, pillowy, and oh so delicious. They taste very similar to those classic Krispy Kreme glazed donuts. And they are pretty easy to make. If I can do it, you can do it!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time2 minutes
Rising time3 hours
Total Time3 hours 22 minutes
Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: airy, light, pillowy, soft, yeast
Servings: 12 donuts
Calories: 237kcal
Author: Matt Taylor

Equipment

  • rolling pin
  • Donut cutter or biscuit cutter
  • Bowls
  • Whisk
  • Fork or spider strainer
  • Large pot for oil
  • Wire rack
  • sheet pan
  • parchment paper

Ingredients

Donuts

  • 1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp. whole milk 140ml
  • 2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast may use instant or rapid rise (7g)
  • 1/4 cup white granulated sugar 50g
  • 3 Tbsp butter salted or unsalted, melted (42)
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 280g
  • 3/4 tsp. salt 3g
  • 1/4 tsp. nutmeg 1g
  • Oil for kneading and frying Vegetable, canola, peanut, coconut, etc.

Glaze

  • 3 Tbsp. butter melted (42)
  • 2 cups powdered sugar 240
  • 1/4 cup milk plus a Tbsp. or two depending on the consistency you want 60 to 75 ml

Instructions

  • In a small bowl heat up the milk in the microwave between 100 and 110 F (37 – 43 C) Or heat it in a pot on the stovetop. Add a pinch of the sugar and also the yeast. Mix with a fork and set aside for 5 to 10 minutes until the yeast gets nice and foamy/frothy.
  • Now melt the butter until just barely melted and add that along with with the egg and sugar. Mix those ingredients together with a whisk.
  • In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, salt, and nutmeg. Then add it a third at a time to the main bowl. Use a wooden spoon to mix the ingredients until a dough forms. Save about two tablespoons of the flour mixture for later.
  • Dump the dough onto a work surface and knead it for 10 minutes. The dough will be sticky, instead of using more flour, use a bit of oil on your hands to knead the dough. Adding more flour will make the donuts less light and pillowy when fried.
  • Once the dough has been kneaded, shape it into a ball and place it into a large bowl with a bit of oil. Coat the dough with the oil and then cover the bowl with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise for 90 minutes to 2 hours until the dough more than doubles in size.
  • After the dough has risen, roll it out onto a lightly floured work surface, use the remaining flour from before. Make it about 1/4 of an inch thick. Then use a donut cutter or a biscuit cutter and pastry trip to cut out the doughnut shapes.
  • You can combine all the scraps and then roll them out or just leave the scraps as is for unique looking donut shapes.
  • Place the cutout donuts onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. And then cover loosely with plastic wrap or a cloth and let them rise for 1 hour.
  • 20 minutes before done rising add oil to a large pot until it is about 1 inch to 1 1/2 inches deep. Set the heat to medium and heat the oil to 325 F/162 C.
  • Once the oil is at temp, you can fry up those donuts. Gently drop in a couple of donuts and all them to cook for about 1 minute per side until golden brown on both sides. Use a fork or spider strainer to turn them over and then remove them when done.
  • Place them on a wire rack to drain. Make sure to fry up those donut holes and other scraps.
  • Create the glaze by melting the butter in a bowl and adding the powdered sugar and enough milk to get a nice thin consistency or thick if desired. Dip the donuts in the glaze and make sure they are evenly coated. Then place them on a wire rack to dry. Once dried gobble up those homemade glazed donuts. Enjoy!

Video

How to make Glazed Donuts | Easy Homemade Yeast Doughnuts Recipe | Krispy Kreme Style

Notes

Nutritional facts for homemade glazed donuts
Tried this recipe?Mention @WPRecipeMaker or tag #wprecipemaker!

Nutrition

Calories: 237kcal

Do you like this recipe? Please give it a rating and comment down below, I really appreciate it.  If you make it tag me on Instagram @inthekitchenwithmatt. Also, sign up for the newsletter so you won’t miss out on any of my new posts and recipes.

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Amazing Peach Cobbler

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38 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Great recipe. Can these donuts be cooked in an air fryer instead of cooking them in oil?

  2. I have never made donuts at home but the recipe looks good and the sweet tooths in my family (my neices) who love cooking will love this recipe, I’ll share it with them!

  3. 5 stars
    wow, your doughnuts look amazing! I had no idea that you had to roll out the dough like that to make them. I thought you had to put the batter into moulds. I am so trying your method.

  4. 5 stars
    Oh yummmm! But if my kids knew I could make these, they would never let me out of the kitchen!

  5. You have just scooped my confidence from 0 to 100. I’ve been so scared to try donuts but you make it look so easy. Your recipe is so easy to follow. I’ll keep you updated on how they turnout.

  6. 5 stars
    Always love classic glazed doughnuts. These look so fluffy, could just gobble them all up!

  7. i love donuts. stopped at the local bakery yesterday for a buttermilk donut. it’s nice to see you provide a recipe that anyone can make without having to have a donut maker machine. thanks!!

  8. 5 stars
    I love your Homemade Glazed Donuts recipe. I will definitely try making my own and serve it to my nephews and niece. They’ll love it!

  9. This looks delicious. We are huge donuts fan, and I can only imagine how mouthwatering these are!!!

  10. This looks like such a yummy recipe! I’ll have to give it a try myself one of these days! Thanks for sharing. 🙂

  11. Gervin Khan

    5 stars
    This is such a delicious and an easy snack to make for my kids today, I am sure they will love it.

  12. i love doughnuts so much especially ones with a simple glaze , they are my favs

  13. 5 stars
    I have never tried to make donuts at home but you make it look so easy. In the past, I have also been a fan of Krispy Cream donuts but have to be a little careful about my sugar intake these days. I know my partner would just love this so I will give it a go and have one or two for myself.

  14. Wow, Matt these looks so yummy, cud you guide me when and how should I add chocolate and sprinkles to this??? my daughter loves chocolate donut ?

  15. Krissy Allori

    5 stars
    I love glazed donuts. They are my all time favorite. I’ve never tried to make them before but I am going to do it now. Can’t wait to see how they turn out.

  16. stephanie

    5 stars
    These homemade glazed donuts look sooo delicious!!!!

  17. Valentina

    5 stars
    These homemade donuts are SOOO good! My go-to new donuts, with the BEST glaze.

  18. 5 stars
    I LOVE glazed donuts and have never considered making them at home, but with this tutorial, I feel like its much easier than I thought! Great for a brunch!

  19. I love donuts too Matt, and I’m going to make these for Easter, thank you for sharing your recipe, we want you to have a wonderful Easter Holiday, stay safe.

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