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Krispy Kreme Donuts are a classic for a reason. Whether you’re able to pick them up from the store yourself or dream about the days they make an appearance in your city, Jo is here to put those cravings to rest.
The original glazed yeasted donut! Is there any quite as popular, as beloved, as popularly devoured as the krispy kreme? I think not!
Now what exactly is so magical about this donut? Is it the fluffy, chewy, drool worthy tender texture? Maybe its the sinfully sweet glaze – either way your taste buds will never be the same once you’ve feasted on these little stars made from scratch.
Donuts – Yeasted Or Cake?
Super simple, a cake donut is a sweet treat that uses baking powder as it’s leavening agent rather than yeast. Whereas yeasted donuts use – you guessed it – yeast! But what makes the superior donut?
People seem to be split, some argue that raised donuts are too sweet, that you end up getting a donut that holds too much air. At the same time cake donuts are argued to be too dense and dry. Regardless what side you may find yourself on, there is no question that the krispy kreme is the quintessential raised donut, and for good reason.
Ingredients
Donuts
- Water – We want lukewarm water to help activate our yeast. Be sure to watch the temperature of your water otherwise you could kill your yeast!
- Yeast – Today we’re using dry active yeast, I’ve included a section below with details about yeast if you have any questions.
- Sugar – This sugar will both sweeten our recipe but it will also be food for our yeast to activate.
- Egg – We need only 1 large egg as a binder.
- Milk – Use any kind of milk you have on hand.
- Flour – All purpose works just fine for these little donuts.
- Salt – Every dessert recipe needs salt, just a bit to balance out all the sweetness.
- Shortening – In order to keep this recipe as authentic to the original as possible – I must insist that you use shortening! Any brand you’d prefer will give you a perfectly moist, melt in your mouth donut.
- Oil – Just some light neutral tasting vegetable oil to give us a rich donut.
Glaze
- Icing sugar – This finely ground sugar dissolves easily and is perfect for icing and glazes. Don’t be tempted by the granulated used earlier, it will give your glaze a gritty texture.
- Salt – We’ll want to season our glaze ever so slightly.
- Milk – Used sparingly to thin out the glaze if need be.
- Corn syrup – This ingredient will add some syrupy sweetness and great consistency.
How To Make Krispy Kreme Donuts
Donuts
- Prep the yeast: Add the yeast and warm water to the bowl of your mixer and lightly stir. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes until foamy. If your yeast doesn’t get foamy it means your donuts won’t rise.
- Combine the dough: Add in the milk, sugar, salt, eggs, shortening and 2 cups of the flour. With the mixer on low, use the dough hook attachment and mix for a couple minutes. Beat in remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time until the dough comes clean from the sides of the bowl. Should take about 5 minutes. The dough should be smooth and elastic.
- Allow to rise: Place the dough into a large greased bowl and let it rise until doubled in size in a warm, draft free environment.
- Assemble the donuts: Working with half the dough at a time, roll it to 1/2 inch thick on a floured surface. Dip your donuts cutter in flour and cut out a dozen donuts with each half of the dough. Reroll the leftover dough and cut out more donuts. Let the donuts rise until doubled in size.
Glaze
- Make the glaze: Add the corn syrup, the icing sugar and vanilla to a saucepan over medium-low heat and whisk until smooth. Remove from heat and whisk in the milk. The glaze should be thin but not watery.
- Fry the donuts: In a large Dutch oven or deep saucepan, heat the vegetable oil to 375 degrees. Fry the donuts for about 90 seconds on each side. Drain on a cooling rack until they’re all finished cooling.
- Finish the donuts: Dip donuts into the glaze while still hot.
Can I Bake My Donuts Rather Than Fry?
You sure can! If you’re not into frying or don’t have the tools necessary these will pop right up in the oven nicely.
- Once you’ve shaped your donuts, allow the dough to proof for a further 45 minutes.
- While this is happening preheat your oven to 350 F degrees. Brush your donuts with melted butter before placing in the oven
- Bake the donuts for 12 – 15 minutes until golden brown. Coat with the glaze and serve hot!
No Shortening On Hand?
If you’d prefer to go shortening free, feel free to use an equal amount of neutral vegetable oil, like canola, instead.
Having Trouble With Your Yeast?
- Always check the expiration date on your yeast and make sure it hasn’t expired. All your yeast products whether it’s in a jar or a package should be stamped with a “Best if Used by” date. Always make sure you check this date, even when you purchase the yeast.
- To keep your yeast fresh and longer lasting, unopened yeast packages or jars should be stored in a cool or dry place such as your cupboard.
- However, you can also store your yeast in the fridge or freezer. If you do store it in the freezer and need to use yeast for your baking, make sure you take out the amount you need and let it sit at room temperature for at least half hour before using.
- Once your yeast package or jar has been opened, you must refrigerate the yeast or freeze it in an airtight container.
One thing to remember about your yeast, is that it is a living organism and over time it will lose activity, even if you’ve never opened the jar or package. So if you don’t bake often, buy the smaller yeast packages rather than a big jar of yeast.
If after dissolving the yeast in the lukewarm water with the sugar, the yeast didn’t start to froth up, do not continue with the donuts, your dough will not rise.
Make Ahead
Sadly these little doughy morsels lose their appeal when not eaten fresh. Frying them up the day of is part of the appeal! So while I don’t recommend storing these cooked, lucky for us the uncooked dough can be stored for future use!
Fridge
You can refrigerate uncooked dough for up to 2 days if stored in an airtight container. Just be sure to take it out of the fridge and allow to come back up to temperature before frying, You never want to add cold dough to a fryer.
Freezer
Form the donuts and line them up raw on a baking sheet, place this in the freezer and once frozen through move them to an airtight container or freezer bag. Keep this in the freezer for up to 1 month. Allow it to defrost fully on the counter before frying up!
More Must Try Recipes:
- Tiramisu Recipe
- Peach Upside Down Cake
- Easy Chocolate Fudge
- Paczki (Polish Donuts)
- Baked Jelly Filled Donuts
- Cinnamon Sugar Donut Holes
- Boston Cream Donuts
- Italian Bomboloni
Krispy Kreme Donuts
Equipment
Ingredients
Donuts
- 1/2 ounce active dry yeast 2 (1/4 oz) packets
- 1/4 cup water warm, 105-115 degrees
- 1 1/2 cups milk lukewarm
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1/3 cup shortening
- 5 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 quart vegetable oil for frying
Glaze
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup unsalted
- 4 cups icing sugar
- 4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup milk more if needed
Instructions
- Prep the yeast: Add the yeast and warm water to the bowl of your mixer and lightly stir. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes until foamy. If your yeast doesn't get foamy it means your donuts won't rise.
- Combine the dough: Add in the milk, sugar, salt, eggs, shortening and 2 cups of the flour. With the mixer on low, use the dough hook attachment and mix for a couple minutes. Beat in remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time until the dough comes clean from the sides of the bowl. Should take about 5 minutes. The dough should be smooth and elastic.
- Allow to rise: Place the dough into a large greased bowl and let it rise until doubled in size in a warm, draft free environment.
- Assemble the donuts: Working with half the dough at a time, roll it to 1/2 inch thick on a floured surface. Dip your donuts cutter in flour and cut out a dozen donuts with each half of the dough. Reroll the leftover dough and cut out more donuts. Let the donuts rise until doubled in size.
- Make the glaze: Add the corn syrup, the icing sugar and vanilla to a saucepan over medium-low heat and whisk until smooth. Remove from heat and whisk in the milk. The glaze should be thin but not watery.
- Fry the donuts: In a large Dutch oven or deep saucepan, heat the vegetable oil to 375 degrees. Fry the donuts for about 90 seconds on each side. Drain on a cooling rack until they're all finished cooling.
- Finish the donuts: Dip donuts into the glaze while still hot.
Tips & Notes:
- You can refrigerate uncooked dough for up to 2 days if stored in an airtight container. Just be sure to take it out of the fridge and allow to come back up to temperature before frying, You never want to add cold dough to a fryer.
- Form the donuts and line them up raw on a baking sheet, place this in the freezer and once frozen through move them to an airtight container or freezer bag. Keep this in the freezer for up to 1 month. Allow it to defrost fully on the counter before frying up!
