I have held off on baking for a while this quarantine. Only because I only had a limited supply of flour and my family eats bananas like they are a lifeline. So no opportunity to make banana bread. I was doing pretty well till one day, I got hit in the face with a Krispy Kreme doughnut craving.
It was all over the news that the only KK within driving distance had a lineup of 100 cars or something ridiculous like that.
Anecdote time
When the KK in the area opened up, it was huge deal. I was in high school and I was pretty outspoken and loud ( I guess somethings you never grow out of.) child. And I told my dad I MUST HAVE THIS DOUGHNUT. Like any dutiful father of any 15 year old, he obliged.
When I got to the parking lot to see the craziness of a line snaking around the building, I was so annoyed! HOMEGIRL WANTS A DOUGHNUT OF PILLOWY PERFECTION, and now has to wait for it?
Oh heck no.
My father, got in line, with what seemed like other parents of other teens and did what he needed to do.
But I was up in arms! the wait was what? 2 hours? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
NO.
I promptly gathered my clear vinyl bag, and grabbed my father’s hand as I stepped out of line, and stormed off with my puzzled father in tow, not before yelling at the top of my lungs,
“I HOPE YOU ALL GET DIABETES!”
Needless to say, Krispy Kreme doughnuts became a favorite of mine. Along with every kind of yeast doughnut available to me in a 50km radius. Glorious doughnuts. All of them. But to me, when I get a craving fro doughnuts, it’s ALWAYS the soft pillowy variety rather than the cake-like dense versions, also, baked doughnuts are not doughnuts in my books, sorry. If you have a craving for a real doughnut, respect it. Any make a deep fried golden crown of glory.
Okay so enough with the preaching about fried yeast doughnuts. I promised you a recipe, so here it is. Handle with care and let me know how it turns out. I know you wont regret it.
Some Notes:
- This recipe can be made a day ahead, and just slightly warmed up in the microwave for that freshly made taste we love from a good KK doughnut.
- If you want fresh but you have to make them ahead, cut out the doughnuts, place them on a tray covered. and let them rise in the fridge.
- This recipe can be halved with no issues. To keep things consistent, make sure to use a food scale. I find it an essential tool in baking perfectly every time.
Copycat Krispy Kreme Doughnuts
Equipment
- stand mixer
- baking trays
- wire rack
- round cookie cutter or mason jar lid
Ingredients
For the Doughnuts
- 560 grams all purpose flour
- 80 grams granulated white sugar 1 tsp separated
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg or cinnamon
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup milk warmed
- 80 grams unsalted butter melted
- 20 grams active dry yeast
- 2 cups vegetable oil for frying
For simple glaze
- 375 grams powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup butter melted
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 4-6 tbsp milk as needed
Instructions
For the Doughnuts
- In a small bowl, add warm milk and sprinkle the yeast and the tsp of sugar on top. stir lightly and leave it to the side.
- In the mixing bowl of your stand mixer, combine flour, the rest of the sugar, salt, your choice of nutmeg or cinnamon.
- By now, the yeast should be blooming, as in, there should be a frothy foam forming in the little bowl.Add all wet ingredients into the milk - eggs, melted butter and vanilla. Mix well.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix on low with the dough hook till well combined and the dough is starting to form.
- At this point, increase the speed of the mixer to medium (4 on a KitchenAid) and let it kneed the dough for 10 minutes. If you don't have an electric mixer, this is where you need a little elbow grease. Lay the dough out on your clean counters, making sure to not add any flour. the dough will be wet, and a little sticky. Kneed the dough, folding over and pushing it forward, this will take a good 10-15 minutes. This step is a fantastic way to get that arm workout in!In both scenarios, you will know when you are done, because the dough is soft and when poked with your finger the indent will disappear in the dough. If the indent is still visible, keep kneading.
- once you have kneaded all your frustrations away, lightly oil a bowl, place your dough in, and brush the dough with oil so that no skin forms. Cover with a clean kitchen towel, and place it in a warm dark place.Let the dough rise for 1.5 hours, resist the urge to check.
- You are looking for the dough to double in volume. After the 1.5 hours, your dough will be fragrant, and have doubled in volume. IT WILL BE GLORIOUS.
- Flour your work surface, and dump out your dough on the counter. Now, you can spread the dough out a little and use a rolling pin to roll the dough out to a 1/4 inch thickness.
- using a circle cookie cutter/mason jar lid/doughnut cutter, cut out circles then punch out the holes in the enter with the fat end of a piping tip.This dough is soft and pliable, so feel free to collect the extra dough and re-roll more circles.I got 24 doughnuts with a mason jar lid.
- Lay out all your cut out doughnuts on a cookie sheet covered with parchment, spacing them out a little, cover with a clean kitchen towel and let sit to rise for 30 min.
- After the second rise, heat vegetable oil in a pot with high sides to medium - 320 degrees Fahrenheit, it should not be too hot.
- add doughnuts to the hot oil 2-3 at a time to let them swim around. Flip once as you see a golden colour forming on the bottom(about 30-45 seconds). Flip, and wait another 30 seconds and pull them out of the oil and rest on a cooling rack.Complete frying all doughnuts.
For the Glaze
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl and add milk while you whisk. Depending on how thick you like your glaze you may not use all the milk.
- once doughnuts come out of the fry, while still a little warm, dunk them in the glaze, coating both sides.
- cool on a cooling rack to get that hardened glaze that flakes when you touch them.
- Eat immediately, but if you must wait.... nuke them in the microwave for 8 seconds for optimal yum.
Notes
- This recipe can be made a day ahead, and just slightly warmed up in the microwave for that freshly made taste we love from a good KK doughnut.
- If you want fresh but you have to make them ahead, cut out the doughnuts, place them on a tray covered. and let them rise in the fridge.
- This recipe can be halved with no issues. To keep things consistent, make sure to use a food scale. I find it an essential tool in baking perfectly every time.
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Beautiful job! Can’t wait to try it out, soon 🤞
Also lovely photography! BTW seattle has the best donuts, well Portland does too, so I think you need to come over after quarantine for a donut road trip!
Author
I have always wanted go to Seattle!
Definitely trying these out. They look too good. Quick question.. how thick should the dough be rolled out before we cut out the donuts? Thanks in advance.
Author
OOH – 1/4 inch thick. <3 let me know if you need any help with anything!
I’m trying these. How much vanilla for the dough.. only mentioned in the glaze… Thanks
Author
You don’t need to add vanilla in the dough.
Just made these beauties.. will know how they taste at iftar.. jazakAllah Khair for sharing.. hope they taste as good as they look 😉