January 5, 2019
Cinnamon Salted Caramel Doughnuts!
*This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure for more details!*
Delicious and homemade cinnamon salted caramel doughnuts!
Doughnuts!
So, this doughnut recipe is one of the most highly requested things EVER on my Instagram, after I did a paid partnership with a company during the GBBO series in 2018, and one of the tasks was to do a doughnut challenge like they did! I realise it’s taken an absolute age to post it, seeing as the doughnut challenge was basically 6 months ago now, but I’ve been busy!
This post itself isn’t sponsored, which is why I haven’t mentioned the company itself, but the image became my third most ‘liked’ post on Instagram in 2018 so that’s saying something! I am going to do my absolute best to explain it all in this recipe, but I will say that they aren’t the easiest of things to make!
Dough
For the actual dough, it’s quite similar to a bread dough in how you have to ‘prove’ the dough twice/three times before you can actually use it, but at the same time it isn’t. Proving is very important, because if you don’t let the doughnuts rise enough they won’t bake right, and they won’t have the right texture. It’s basically, a battle of waiting.
Seeing as I am posting this recipe in January, it can take longer to bake compared to the summer, due to how the general air temperature is colder. You don’t want to force the doughnuts to rise too quickly though, so stick with it and be patient! Honestly, cheating is the worst thing you can do for dough!
Shape
Once you have got the proving out of the way, shaping it is also a bit of a pain. The middle prove, where you keep it the dough in the fridge overnight to prove and chill slowly, makes it SO much easier to use the dough – I’ve tried other recipes without this, and as doughnut dough is naturally very sticky, it’s near impossible – if you chill the dough, it makes shaping before the final prove much easier!
Sometimes, depending on the dough, it can be a little awkward to shape. I’ve got the knack for it because I have made many a Bread Roll in my time, and you get the weird hand shape for it quickly! But basically, they need to be in a round shape and evenly sized – I weigh each of them to be 65g each, so I know they’re all even in size!
One more rise then you are ready to bake!
Again, leave the doughnuts to rise for a 3-4 hours, and you are ready to bake. This next bit, is quite faffy as there is a lot going on at the same time, but it’s worth the struggle in the end. I mean come on, just look at the pictures. Ooooozey caramel goodness. Anyway! You have to heat the oil to about 180C, and I use a Thermometer to make sure I am at the right temperature!
Cook/Fry
Once the oil is at the right temperature, you have to CAREFULLY transfer the doughnuts into the oil, without squishing them or deflating all the proving you have just spent hours doing. Once in the oil, don’t put too many in at once. Even though the pan is quite large, you want them to have space to bob around and cook without touching each other. I stick to 2-3 per batch of cooking.
As for cooking time, if the oil is at the right temperature, it takes about 2-3 minutes per side, to cook evenly. Stick to cooking one side for all of the ones in the pan, and then flip them all, so you don’t get confused about which one has has what time cooking. It might be best, to just cook one at first on its own so you get the hang of it, then go into making more at once! Basically, if they are browning very quickly, the oil is probably too hot, and they’re going to be raw inside still.
Coat
Once the doughnuts have finished cooking, take them out and stick them on some kitchen towel, to soak up the excess oil. Once the few you have been cooking are out of the pan, toss each one in the sugar to get the classic sugared outside! You can add in Cinnamon to the sugar to get that flavour! Repeat this until all your doughnuts have cooked!
Fill
Once all your doughnuts have cooked, you can now fill them! As you can see from my pictures, I have a habit of over filling them, but it also does make them look delicious so I don’t mind! I fill them by using a Large Disposable Piping Bag, filled with a thick Salted Caramel Sauce, and carefully fill through a hole in the side of the doughnut.
You can make this hole by making a SMALL cut into the pale white bit of the doughnut, and then putting the end of the piping bag in and filling. There isn’t really an exact science to this, but the doughnut will get heavier quickly and then soon over fill! Whilst filling each one, I store the doughnut in a tin with the hole facing upwards, so there is less mess!
You can of course fill with pretty much anything you want, but I was asked for the glorious recipe that I used for the Instagram picture, so stuck with the salted caramel! And it was delicious. You can easily just use a tinned caramel like Carnations as its thick and ready to go, and just add in some salt, or you can make some homemade caramel sauce!
Happy Baking!
So, as I have said, I really hope this has been explained enough in this post so you can get the idea of how to make them! The key points are…. make sure to knead the dough fully so it’s a good dough, prove the dough fully and don’t skip this, make sure to have the oil at the right temperature, and don’t overcrowded the pan, and then also have fun! x
Cinnamon Salted Caramel Doughnuts!
Ingredients
Doughnut Dough
- 75 ml water
- 75 ml whole milk
- 500 g strong white bread flour
- 75 g caster sugar
- 14 g dried active yeast
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 4 medium eggs
- 1 tsp salt
- 125 g unsalted butter (room temp)
Filling/Extras
- 2 litres sunflower oil
- 300 g caster sugar
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- Salted caramel sauce
Instructions
For The Dough
- Add your water, milk, flour, sugar, yeast, eggs, and salt into a bowl, and mix together with a paddle attachment for 5 minutes on a low-medium speed. I used my Kitchenaid!
- Once this has been done, mix in the butter a little at a time (which is why it must be soft/room temperature). I keep the mixer going, and just add in 1tsp of butter roughly at a time.
- Once all the butter is in, keep mixing for another 5-8 minutes until the dough is lovely, smooth and springs back when prodded (like bread dough would). It will be quite sticky!
- Leave the dough to rise for 1-2 hours, or until doubled in size. Cover your bowl with clingfilm or a clean tea-towel!
- Once it has doubled in size, take it out of the bowl, and briefly knead to "knock it back", and add to a new bowl, and cover with cling film. Leave in the fridge overnight to rise slowly!
- The next day, shape into ball shapes. I weigh the dough, and then split evenly so I know that the doughnuts will take the same time to cook. Mine were 65g each!
- Roll the doughnuts lightly between your hands, or on the surface, to get a round shape.
- Put the doughnuts quite spread apart onto a lined and floured tray, and leave to rise again for an 3-4 hours - the dough will be cold so it might take longer to rise!
- Once risen, pour your oil into a large pan, and heat to about 180C (this can be a bit of trial and error, if you don't have a thermometer)
- Carefully lower your doughnuts into the oil, without burning yourself, and fry each one each side for about 2-3 minutes. Handle the doughnuts as little as possible! (I usually have each doughnut on it's own small bit of parchment and tip it in and remove the paper)
- If your doughnuts are browning extremely quickly and burning, the oil is probably too hot. Lower it slightly and try again!
- Carefully turn each doughnut over and fry again on the other side (and you should get the classic white ring in the middle!
- Once fried, remove carefully and toss each doughnut in caster sugar mixed with the cinnamon (easier to do this in a large bowl)
- Once the doughnuts have been cooked through, and tossed in the sugar, fill your doughnuts by adding a salted caramel sauce (I use Carnations Caramel with 1tsp sea salt added in) to a piping bag, snipping off the end, and inserting into the side of the doughnut.
- Store with the hole upwards, so it doesn't get too messy!
Notes
- I have tried to explain this as best as I can - read through all the above text first if this is your first time making them!
- They usually last 2 days after making!
- I used dried active yeast, but if you can get fresh yeast (usually you can ask bakeries for it, and it should be free), and it is better!
- You can fill with pretty much anything you want!
- I use Carnations caramel tin mixed with 1tsp sea salt for my caramel sauce - it's a good thickness!
- The cinnamon is optional, but gives a WONDERFUL flavour!
- Inspired by a BBC GoodFood Recipe!
Find my other recipes on my Recipes Page!
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J x
© Jane’s Patisserie. All images & content are copyright protected. Do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words and credit me, or link back to this post for the recipe.
Can I cook these in my air fryer tower and can I use raspberry jam for the filling ?
Hi Jane,
This recipe looks great and is going really well so far. I’m just about to proof for the third time for 3-4 hours. Just wanted to check is this proof in the fridge or not?
Thanks a lot
Hiya! No it’s not needed to be proved in the fridge unless specified. Hope this helps, enjoy! x
Hi Jane, I tried this recipe and it was brilliant – thank you! Just wondering if it’s easy to change it to a chocolate doughnut by removing some flour and replacing with cocoa powder? Thank you 🙂
Hiya!Yes of course you can, this should be absolutely fine. Hope this helps, Team Jane x
Can I use this recipe to make ring doughnuts?
Is the dough supposed to be sticky after both proving.
If so do we use any extra flour when shaping the doughnut balls.
It is naturally stickier, but you need to use as little flour as possible when shaping! x
Hi Jane
Would just like to ask the brand and name of the yeast you used please ?
Furthermore you did say the dough balls can be frozen unfilled, in this case would you bring it out to thaw or from frozen straight to frying them ???
Thanks
Hey! I switch between brands – it is whatever I have in the cupboard! I would thaw them xx
Hi Jane, love this recipe, tried it twice now! Just wondering, when I first finish the doughnuts they’re light, fluffy and delicious but they don’t seem to last more than half a day in a tin before going hard and feeling a bit stale (and the sugar seems to dissolve), am I doing something wrong? Thanks!
Hey! Nope doughnuts just don’t last very long unfortunately!xx
Hi Jane! Just to confirm… you use the paddle attachment and not the dough hook on the kitchenaid to make the dough? Your blog is amazing and I can’t wait for the book to come out!! 😁😁
Hello! Yes that’s correct. Awh thank you very much, I can’t wait for you all to get it!x
In the middle of making these, when I roll them into shape and leave them a few hours again, do I cover them in cling film or leave them uncovered.
Thank you
Hey! Cover them in lightly oiled clingfilm xx
Hi Jane, how long would you class overnight in hours, trying to work out timings around my work shifts and my little girl is proving difficult. It would make a lot of sense if the dough could be left in the fridge longer or they could be pre cut then left in the fridge to rise? Is this a possibility?
Thanks so much, all your recipes are fantastic!
Can you use an air-fryer to cook the doughnuts?
Yes you can!
Delicious!
Hi Jane these look amazing just wondering can
They be frozen ! Thanks
They can be frozen unfilled! x
These are amazing!! Never made doughnuts before and these turned out perfectly. Great recipe!!
Can I use gluten free bread flour please
Hello,
I was wondering if I could half this recipe to make half the amount of doughnuts? Or would the timings for proving ect go wonky and if not work.
You can do, but yes it would maybe change the proving time – as the timings aren’t set anyway as there are so many variables just stick to the same rules of it doubling in sizing!
Hi Jane
I’m going to try making these soon. My question is after frying do you roll in sugar right out of the fryer or let them cool for a bit before the roll? They look so good.
Thanks.
Jaynie Hannon
I put them onto a tray first as I get them out of the pan of oil, and then roll when still hot!
Can you use semi skimmed milk instead of whole milk? Thanks
Generally I always recommend whole milk in baking if you can help it x
Hi Jane!
I’m dying to try this recipe as I’ve just brought a new deep fat fryer but just wondering what the timings would be if I wanted to do the final proof quicker (to keep it at room temp rather than in the fridge) how long would you suggest leaving this for? Would this work still?
The dough is quite sticky which is why the fridge works as it firms the dough up – without you may struggle! It may be better to follow my ring doughnut recipe and stuff those instead as they are slightly different x
Hi,
I have Allison’s dried active yeast. It says on the back I can add water to active it, so do I need to do this or will your water in the recipe active it it anyway? Thank you!!
You can try using the milk and warm that through, and letting the yeast sit in it for a while, and then add it into the recipe x
I made these yesterday and they turned out perfect!! So light and fluffy and super tasty warm fresh out of the fryer! I can’t wait to try the ring doughnuts you uploaded now!! Xxx
Made these doughnuts last week and cook them in the air fryer, they were so light, just brushed lightly with a little melted butter to make sure the sugar stuck
Hi,
I’m hoping to try these, is there an advantage to leaving the dough to prove over night in the fridge? Does it improve the taste/ texture?
Thanks,
Claire
Hey! Yes so doing an overnight prove in the fridge changes it – you can do the prove at room temp and do it all on the same day, but I prefer these the long method! x
Hi Jane! Do you have any pics of the inside of the doughnut? One of the best parts of Colombia videos in cutting things up and shaping is the inside! 😁
No I don’t.
Hi Jane,
My dough didn’t rise at all after 2 hours … I followed all the instruction and didn’t really no what went wrong. Should I have activate de yeast before ?
Dough not rising can be a number of things – ingredients weighed incorrectly so it causes it to be unable to rise, the yeast (some need activating, some don’t), and the weather in general. For example, a hot summers day it could rise quicker compared to a colder winters day! x
Hi Jane,
Could I use just regular plain/self raising flour instead of bread flour? I’ve used another doughnut recipe that just uses plain flour so wondered if I could do the same with yours. These look great!! Can’t wait to try them!
You can use plain flour, but the texture is often just different!
Hi Jane
I made these doughnuts last week and look/texture wise they were amazing! The only problem though, after the first rise, the dough had a strong alcohol smell which strengthened after the second and third rises. I searched this up online and read that it was normal as it happens because of the yeast and the smell goes away when cooking. However, after I cooked the doughnuts, the smell had gone but the doughnuts did slightly taste of the alcohol smell. Please could you advise on what went wrong? Thank you!
Hiya! This is so strange – it may have been the type of yeast you used, and it over proving? it’s a common smell for something such as sourdough, which can often stay a bit which is why it’s ‘sour’!
I had the exact same smell! Very disconcerting – just frying mine now so I hope it doesn’t hang around…
As mentioned, it can be the yeast, and it is quite common!
I was so excited to try this recipe but my dough was really sticky and I could not get it off the grease proof paper… 🙈 what went wrong? Ha.. I need to have another go. Please Help!
It may have needed a smidge more flour, or had a bit extra moisture in it (this can vary due to different brands of ingredients!) – if your dough is still a little sticky, lightly flour a surface and roll them in it and then put them in, or flour the grease proof paper slightly to help it come off!
Hi Jane.
I made these doughnuts a couple of weeks back. The recipe was really easy to follow and the end result was lush!
Ahh yay! So glad!! x
Hi Jane. I made these doughnuts and filled them with Jam. They tasted better than any shop bought ones. Thank you for helping me overcome my fear of baking with yeast.
(Just thought I’d point out that the recipe says cinnamon in the dough but the method only uses cinnamon in the outside)
Xxx
Hi Jane
Do I need to activate the yeast before adding it into the mix?
Depending on the brand, maybe. I however don’t, I just use it as is in the recipe!
So if I use Allinson’s I can just use it as it is?
Should be dandy!
Hi Jane I have a bread maker attachment. Would you recommend it or sticking to the paddle?
Bread maker/dough hook is best!
Hi Jane! If I wanted to make these into ring doughnuts and shaped them into rings before putting them in the oil would this work?
Yes! Shape them before the final prove!
Hi Jane. Is it possible to over-proof the dough?
Thanks!
It would be – if you left it for hours and hours upon end, it would grow and grow, but it’s quite difficult. It’s best to stick to the time stated.
Ooh these doughnuts look so delicious. Brioche Style Dough is always easier to handle when cold, so great tip. I’ve got a cast iron (Le Creuset) Dutch oven that I think would work really well when frying these. I’ll let you know how I get on.