Is there anything better than a warm glazed doughnuts? These Whole Wheat Doughnuts are super simple to whip up which is soft and tender inside with super simple vanilla glaze. Add your favorite doughnuts toppings and serve warm!
Whether it’s for breakfast or just a treat, these homemade doughnuts are sure to knock off anyone’s socks!
INGREDIENTS TO MAKE DOUGHNUTS:
You only need a few ingredients to begin.
- Whole Wheat Flour: I have used King Arthurs’s Whole Wheat Flour in this recipe. You’ll be tempted to add more and more flour as you mix the dough, but don’t. When kneading, use extra flour on your hands and work surface.
- Milk: Liquid activates the yeast. Whole milk is a must for the most tender dough. Lower fat or nondairy milks work in a pinch, but the doughnuts aren’t as flavorful or rich.
- Yeast: You can use active dry yeast or instant yeast. If using an instant yeast, your rise time will be a little shorter.
- Sugar: Sugar sweetens the doughnuts, but it also feeds the yeast, increases its activity, and tenderizes the dough.
- Eggs: Eggs provide structure and flavor.
- Butter: Melted butter promises enhanced flavor.
- Salt & Vanilla Extract: Both add flavor.
HOW TO MAKE WHOLE WHEAT DOUGHNUTS?
Let me walk you through the process , Homemade doughnuts seem a little intimidating, but I assure you– they’re really not!
Prepare the dough – Mix all the ingredients and make a dough . After the dough comes together in the mixing bowl, knead it for 2 minutes.
Let the dough rise – In a relatively warm environment, the dough rises in about 90 minutes.
Roll & cut into doughnuts – Punch down the dough to release the air. Roll the dough out to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut the doughnuts using a 3-3.5 inch doughnut cutter. Line 1-2 baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Place doughnuts (and doughnut holes!) onto the lined baking sheet, then lightly cover and allow to rest as you prepare the oil.
Prepare the oil – Using a heavy-duty pot and an oil thermometer, heat the oil to 375°F (191°C). Place a cooling rack over another baking sheet.
Fry the doughnuts – Working with 2-3 doughnuts at a time, cook for 1 minute on each side. Carefully remove from the oil and place onto prepared rack. Repeat with remaining doughnuts.
Make the glaze – Dip each warm doughnut into the glaze and coat both sides. After about 20 minutes, the glaze will set.
TIPS FOR MAKING BEST DOUGHNUTS AT HOME:
- Use a deep fry thermometer to test oil temperature so donuts cook properly.
- Don’t try to fry all the doughnuts holes at once, otherwise you’ll lower the temperature of the oil and they won’t fry properly (they’ll start absorbing excess grease).
- These homemade doughnuts holes taste best rolled in sugar otherwise they aren’t sweet enough.
- Fried doughnuts are best eaten the day prepared. The texture changes the next day and they start to dry out.
- Whole milk is a must for the most tender dough– or you can try buttermilk. Lower fat or nondairy milks work in a pinch, but the doughnuts aren’t as flavorful or rich.
- If using an instant yeast, your rise time will be a little shorter.
- The amount of oil really depends on how wide or tall your pot is. You want oil to fill about 1/3 of the pot.
- If you don’t have a doughnut cutter, you can use 1 large + 1 smaller circle cookie cutter (large should be about 3 and 1/2 inches)
HOW TO STORE THE DOUGHNUTS?
Fried homemade doughnuts are best the day they are made but they will stay soft up to 2 days, just keep them at room temperature in a lightly covered container.
HOW TO FREEZE THE DOUGHNUTS?
Freeze shaped doughnuts for up to 3 months. On the day you serve them, let the doughnuts thaw and rest at room temperature for about 4-5 hours. Fry as directed. You can also freeze the fried doughnuts (unglazed). Allow them to cool completely, then freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature, then reheat as desired (microwave is great) and dunk in glaze.
Are you making this recipe? Then don’t forget to like and leave your comments for this recipe! I LOVE to see your creations so snap a photo and tag BlendOfSpicesbySara on Instagram with the hashtag #blendofspicesbysara
Craving more? Subscribe to blendofspicesbysara to get new recipes and a newsletter delivered straight to your inbox! And stay in touch on blendofspicesbysara@gmail.com and also you can follow me on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM ,PINTEREST,TWITTER for all of the latest updates.!
Whole Wheat Doughnuts
Ingredients
- 1 cup 240ml whole milk
- 1 tbsp active dry yeast
- 1/3 cup 65g granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 6 tbsp 86g unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups 500g whole wheat flour, plus more as needed
- 2 cups vegetable oil
- 2 cups 240g confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 1/3 cup 80ml heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Whisk the warm milk, yeast, and sugar together in the bowl. Cover and allow to sit for 5 minutes. The mixture should be a little frothy on top after 5 minutes.
- Add the eggs, butter, vanilla, salt, and 2 cups (245g) flour. Form a dough if its sticky, add tbsp of flour. Keep kneading the dough on a lightly floured surface for 2 minutes.
- Lightly grease a large bowl with oil or nonstick spray. Place the dough in the bowl, turning it to coat all sides in the oil. Cover the bowl with aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or a clean kitchen towel. Allow the dough to rise in a relatively warm environment for 1.5-2 hours or until double in size.
- When the dough is ready, punch it down to release the air. Remove dough from the bowl and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. If needed, punch down again to release any more air bubbles. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out until it is 1/2 inch thick. Using a 3-3.5 inch doughnut cutter, cut into 12 doughnuts. If you can’t quite fit 12, re-roll the scraps and cut more.
- Line 1 or 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Place doughnuts and doughnut holes on each. Loosely cover and allow to rest as you heat the oil. They will rise a bit as they rest. Place a cooling rack over another baking sheet.
- Heat oil in a large heavy-bootom pot over medium heat. Add 2-3 doughnuts at a time and cook for 1 minute on each side. Carefully remove with a metal spatula or metal slotted spoon.
- Whisk all of the glaze ingredients together. Dip each warm doughnut (don’t wait for them to cool!) into the glaze, making sure to coat both sides. Place back onto prepared rack as excess glaze drips down. After about 20 minutes, the glaze will set + harden.
- Doughnuts are best enjoyed the same day. You can store in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 1-2 extra days.
Notes
- Use a deep fry thermometer to test oil temperature so donuts cook properly.
- Don’t try to fry all the doughnuts holes at once, otherwise you’ll lower the temperature of the oil and they won’t fry properly (they’ll start absorbing excess grease).
- These homemade doughnuts holes taste best rolled in sugar otherwise they aren’t sweet enough.
- Fried donuts are best eaten the day prepared. The texture changes the next day and they start to dry out.
- Whole milk is a must for the most tender dough– or you can try buttermilk. Lower fat or nondairy milks work in a pinch, but the doughnuts aren’t as flavorful or rich.
- If using an instant yeast, your rise time will be a little shorter.
- The amount of oil really depends on how wide or tall your pot is. You want oil to fill about 1/3 of the pot.
- If you don’t have a doughnut cutter, you can use 1 large + 1 smaller circle cookie cutter (large should be about 3 and 1/2 inches)