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Whole Wheat 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!
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Prep Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 12 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

  1. Use a deep fry thermometer to test oil temperature so donuts cook properly.
  2. 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).
  3. These homemade doughnuts holes taste best rolled in sugar otherwise they aren’t sweet enough.
  4. Fried donuts are best eaten the day prepared. The texture changes the next day and they start to dry out.
  5. 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.
  6. If using an instant yeast, your rise time will be a little shorter.
  7. 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.
  8. 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)
Keyword Whole Wheat Doughnuts