Description
Delicious homemade cinnamon sugar doughnuts with a soft, fluffy texture and a sweet, spiced coating. These classic treats are fried to golden perfection and dusted with a fragrant cinnamon sugar blend, making them perfect for breakfast or a sweet snack.
Ingredients
Scale
Doughnut Dough
- 230 g whole milk, lukewarm
- 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 tsp active, dry yeast
- 425 g all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 large egg, at room temperature, lightly beaten
- 50 g neutral oil or light olive oil
- Neutral oil or light olive oil for frying
Cinnamon Sugar
- 100 g granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground cardamom (optional)
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Activate yeast: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the lukewarm milk, granulated sugar, and active dry yeast. Let it stand for 5 to 10 minutes or until the mixture becomes foamy, indicating the yeast is active.
- Mix dough: Add the all-purpose flour, salt, lightly beaten egg, and oil to the yeast mixture. Mix on low speed until the dough forms. Continue mixing for 10 to 12 minutes until the dough is soft, smooth, and passes the windowpane test when stretched.
- First rise: Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a bowl. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 3 hours or up to overnight to allow the dough to ferment and develop flavor.
- Shape doughnuts: Turn the chilled dough onto a very lightly floured surface. Roll it out to about ½ inch (1.2 cm) thickness. Using a 3¼ inch circle cutter, cut out doughnut shapes. Use a 1 inch cutter to cut out the holes from the centers. Place the doughnuts and doughnut holes on squares of parchment paper on a baking sheet, spaced apart.
- Proof doughnuts: Cover the doughnuts and holes, and let them proof at room temperature for 35 to 45 minutes, until slightly puffy and a gentle poke leaves an indentation that springs back slowly.
- Prepare frying setup: While doughnuts proof, heat neutral or light olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or deep fryer to 350°F (180°C). Place a wire rack over a baking sheet lined with parchment paper for draining. Combine cinnamon sugar ingredients in a shallow bowl.
- Test oil temperature: Fry a small piece of dough or an imperfect doughnut to test if the oil is at correct temperature; it should sizzle and brown in about 3 minutes.
- Fry doughnuts: Carefully lower two doughnuts at a time into the hot oil, keeping the parchment paper attached if desired for easy handling. Fry for about 3 minutes total, flipping halfway through, until golden brown on both sides. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on the wire rack to drain.
- Coat doughnuts: Let the doughnuts cool for 30 seconds, then toss them in the cinnamon sugar mixture until evenly coated.
- Repeat and serve: Continue frying and coating the remaining doughnuts and holes. Best enjoyed the same day. Store leftovers lightly covered at room temperature and refresh by microwaving briefly before eating if desired.
Notes
- Use lukewarm milk to properly activate the yeast without killing it.
- The windowpane test ensures the dough is kneaded enough to develop gluten, resulting in fluffy doughnuts.
- Refrigerating the dough overnight enhances flavor and makes handling easier.
- If you don’t have a circle cutter, use a glass or cup of similar size for shaping.
- Maintain oil temperature at 350°F to cook doughnuts evenly without absorbing excess oil.
- Fry doughnuts in small batches to avoid temperature drops in the oil.
- Leftover dough scraps can be fried as mini snacks or re-rolled and cut to avoid waste.
- For a less spicy cinnamon sugar, reduce the amount of cinnamon to 1 teaspoon or omit cardamom.
- Use a slotted spoon and wire rack to drain excess oil and keep doughnuts crisp.
- Consume doughnuts fresh for the best texture and flavor; they tend to stale quickly.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 doughnut
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg