Homemade Doughnuts Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy here.

This Homemade Doughnuts Recipe from scratch is a real treat! These warm, soft, melt in your mouth doughnuts are perfect for celebrating birthdays, holidays or making any ordinary day a special one!

This Homemade Doughnuts Recipe from scratch is a real treat! These warm, soft, melt in your mouth doughnuts are perfect for celebrating birthdays, holidays or making any ordinary day a special one! #homemadedoughnuts #homemadedonuts #fromscratch #breakfast #specialbreakfast

Homemade Old Fashioned Doughnuts

Nothing is quite as good on a cold winter morning than to wake up to the smell of frying homemade doughnuts. Before we moved away, I got to spend a weekend with my sister who makes the best Homemade Doughnuts recipe. I asked her to show me how to make it before we left. Even though I can’t enjoy doughnuts because of my gluten issues, I still wanted to be able to make this recipe for my hubby and family for a special treat.

–Looking for a healthier version that can be made gluten-free? Try this Yellow Squash Chocolate Doughnut Recipe.

Homemade Doughnuts Recipe

Homemade Doughnuts Recipe

Thanks to my sister’s mother in law for sharing this recipe.

What You Need:

  • 2 tablespoon Yeast
  • 1 1/2 cup lukewarm Milk (scalded then cooled, you can use powdered milk)
  • 1/2 cup Sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1/3 cup Shortening
  • 5 cups Flour

How to Make Donuts:

Dissolve yeast in 1/4 c warm water in a small bowl.

Add milk, 1/2 c sugar, salt, eggs, shortening and 2 c. of the flour. Beat on low-speed, scraping the bowl constantly for about 30 seconds.

Beat on medium speed, scraping the bowl occasionally for 2 minutes. Stir in remaining flour until smooth.

Cover and let the dough rise in a warm place until it doubles, approximately 50 – 60 minutes.The dough is ready when indentation remains when touched. (You can mix this all together in a stand mixer if you prefer)

Turn the dough onto a generously floured surface; roll around lightly to coat with flour. Gently roll the dough 1/2 inch thick with a well-floured rolling pin. Cut with a floured doughnut cutter. Cover and let the doughnuts rise again until double, 30-40 minutes.

Homemade Doughnuts Recipe

Heat oil (2-3 inches) in a deep fryer or Dutch Oven to 350 degrees. Slide the doughnuts into the hot oil with a wide spatula. Turn the doughnuts as they rise to surface. Fry until golden brown, about 1 minute on each side.

Remove them carefully from the oil (do not prick surfaces) and drain. Serve sugared or spread with cream or chocolate glaze while they are still warm.

— Looking for a different flavor? Try this Strawberry Frosting on your doughnuts!

Homemade Doughnuts Recipe

 

Don’t forget to fry up any leftover pieces!

Print this Homemade Donuts Recipe to add to your Recipe Binder below:

Homemade Old Fashioned Doughnuts

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoon Yeast
  • 1 1/2 cup lukewarm Milk scalded then cooled, you can use powdered milk
  • 1/2 cup Sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1/3 cup Shortening
  • 5 cups Flour

Instructions

  1. Dissolve yeast in 1/4 c warm water in a small bowl.
  2. Add milk, 1/2 c sugar, salt, eggs, shortening and 2 c. of the flour. Beat on low-speed, scraping the bowl constantly for about 30 seconds.
  3. Beat on medium speed, scraping the bowl occasionally for 2 minutes. Stir in remaining flour until smooth.
  4. Cover and let the dough rise in a warm place until it doubles, approximately 50 - 60 minutes.The dough is ready when indentation remains when touched. (You can mix this all together in a stand mixer if you prefer)
  5. Turn the dough onto a generously floured surface; roll around lightly to coat with flour. Gently roll the dough 1/2 inch thick with a well-floured rolling pin. Cut with a floured doughnut cutter. Cover and let the doughnuts rise again until double, 30-40 minutes.
  6. Heat oil (2-3 inches) in a deep fryer or Dutch Oven to 350 degrees. Slide the doughnuts into the hot oil with a wide spatula. Turn the doughnuts as they rise to surface.
  7. Fry until golden brown, about 1 minute on each side. Remove them carefully from the oil (do not prick surfaces) and drain. Serve sugared or spread with cream or chocolate glaze while they are still warm.

If you like this recipe, here are a few more special breakfast ideas you might enjoy:

Homemade Bread Machine Bagels

Homemade Chocolate Chip Bagel Recipe

Amish Cinnamon Rolls or Caramel Rolls Recipe

Simple Gluten Free Pancakes Recipe

Homemade Pancake and Waffle Mix

Find more Breakfast Recipes on Little House Living.

Do you have a special Homemade Doughnuts recipe that you make?
What kind of treat do you like to make for your family every so once in a while?

merissabio

This Homemade Doughnuts Recipe was originally published on Little House Living in December 2013. It has been updated as of December 2019.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Support Little House Living by Sharing This

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




46 Comments

  1. Hi Merissa,
    Thanks for sharing this recipe! I was just wondering if you could answer a couple of questions about it for me. First, I don’t see any instructions to knead the dough anywhere. Does this recipe just not need it? If so that’s awesome, as that is my least favorite part of bread making. Also, does this recipe make a more dense (cake-like) doughnut, or a fluffier one? Thanks again, can’t wait to try it!

  2. They look delicious and easy. I have saved the recipe for when I feel good enough to make some. Have you tried them with a little nutmeg in them? I’ve always liked deep fried yeast donuts with a hint of nutmeg flavor. Might like them with some vanilla sometimes too. I guess it depends on what you coat or glaze them with.

  3. I don’t like to use shortening. Do you think butter would substitute?
    These look so completely yummy! Can hardly wait to try them.

      1. I like coconut oil instead of shortening. IT has the same consistency but is better for you than butter and has a light taste that is great for sweets!

  4. Love this recipe. I used organic sugar, coconut oil for shortening,
    organic flour, raw whole milk from the dairy, eggs from our chickens and fried them in lard
    from our pigs. Healthy and yummy. When done
    you can drizzle with raw honey or dip in real
    maple syrup. Delicious and guilt free eating. Just
    don’t eat the whole batch!

  5. Thank you for sharing! I have been wanting to make homemade doughnuts! I pinned your recipe to make them soon! 🙂

  6. What a great recipe , will definitely try them out. Am looking for the old great recipes thank you for sharing!

  7. My favorite kind of Doughnut, wish I had one right now. Thanks so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday and have a great weekend!
    Miz Helen

  8. These look so yummy! My grandmother and I were just talking about homemade doughnuts the other day, now we might have to try these. How many does it make? I’ll pin this for later!

    Thanks for linking up to our Weekend Wind-Down party! =)

  9. Awesome! These sound so simple! Definitely going to try!

    Thanks for linking up with us at our Weekend Wind-Down Party!

  10. I remember my grandmother making us doughnuts as kids, thanks for sharing this recipe and bringing back those pleasant memories. Thank you for linking up with us at the #WWDParty, I hope you enjoy the rest of the weekend.

  11. These look really yummy! I just got a deep fryer for Xmas, would I be able to use that as long as I kept the temp consistent?

  12. One quick question: I want to make these for tomorrow’s breakfast, but I have been banned (by my hubby!!) from the grocery store until next Friday, he isn’t being mean and I am okay with this!, my problem is, I don’t have any oil to fry them in. Can I bake them? If so, how long and what temp?

    1. I haven’t tried baking these but you should be able to. I would put them in the oven at about 375 degrees for maybe 10 minutes, then turn them over and bake until brown. Let us know how they turn out!

      1. They turned out pretty good, but next time I go to the store, I will be buying oil and frying them. 10 min at 375 flipped, then 4 more min. I added some melted butter, then sprinkled cinnamon and sugar on them! My kids didn’t care that they were baked, they each had 2 (well, so did I for that matter)!

  13. I’ve never made homemade doughnuts and those look great! Thanks for sharing this recipe. -Inspiration Spotlight Party

  14. Thanks for this! I’ve been looking for a recipe for doughnuts for awhile now!

    Beth

  15. CONGRATS!!!! Your glorious Homemade Doughnuts are being featured this week at MUNCHING MONDAYS as a Favorite!!! WE LOVED IT! Thanks so much for partying with us and hope to see you next week 🙂 Best, Nic

  16. These look amazing! Thank you for this great recipe. You will be featured this week on Good Tips Tuesday. Thanks for linking up.

  17. This look wonderful. I make Malasadas, a Portuguese doughnut, for my kids every once in a great while and they love it. Thanks for sharing your recipe on Merry Monday and hope you can join us again on Sunday at 6pm PST.

  18. Oh my goodness, this would be dangerous for me to make lol. I’d eat all of them! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe, it will be featured in tonight’s What’d You Do This Weekend! Pinned 🙂

  19. This looks so good, love home made donuts better then store bought!! Have a suggestion thou to, has anyone tried making donuts out of grands biscuits with honey or any generic kind?? Oh they are wonderful an less work. You just cut hole out in middle of biscuit with something round (small) put to side, (to make a donut hole with later),an follow instructions for frying on this recipe. There great!! You can put whatever topping you want on them also. I like powdered sugar or plain. Just a thought if you are in a hurry an want a fast treat for yourself or kids for breakfast!!!! If you try. Let me know what you think. Ty

  20. Since I an homebound due to knee replacement I have been going over some pinterest saves that I have not tried. This is one of the ones on my list. BUT, do you really get up 2-3 hours before everyone else to make them homemade donuts?? I would love to be that way but am too tired to do that. Maybe the fact that I am almost 70 accounts for it but you are one great Mama to be that dedicated to the family. I love your site AND your energy.

    1. I actually do! I never used to be a morning person but now I prefer to get up at 5…about 2 1/2 hours before the kids 🙂 It’s my only time of day to get things done!

  21. Today I get this. Last night I was searching for a good quality donut dropper. Have you any ideas where I might find this?
    Your “raised” donuts are lovely. But I have an old recipe (with nutmeg) for drop donuts.
    Has anyone any leads for the dropper for the home cook?
    TIA!

  22. Hi, these look lovely, but I’m put off by the fact that the instructions involve the use of a stand mixer, which I don’t have. Please can you include instructions for kneading them by hand? Thank you.