August 22, 2020
Ring Doughnuts!
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Easy homemade ring doughnuts, topped with all your favourite things!!
Ring doughnuts!
I love doughnuts, I always have, and I always will… and these are my new favourite thing to make at home!
I have my salted caramel cinnamon doughnuts on my blog already, but otherwise, my other doughnut recipes are baked doughnuts. The thing is, I love my baked doughnut recipes, but the texture is always more cakey compared to a classic doughnut, as it is cake!
These ones though?! They are classic, fried, ring doughnuts, and I LOVE them! Honestly, the best texture, they’re surprisingly easy to make, and it’s amazing! I will say from here though, they do take a bit of time.
Dough
So! This recipe basically combines my salted caramel cinnamon doughnuts and my cinnamon roll recipe – the dough is a happy marriage of them both. I decided to change the dough recipe to make it easier to work with – and it’s amazing!
This dough is richer than the cinnamon roll recipe, but that is what you want – it rises quickly (Especially in the summer months), and it is easy to work with! Sometimes doughnut dough can be more sticky, so this is the best combination.
I use strong white bread flour in these, but you can use plain flour if you want – it does just make it a bit more cakey again though. I prefer the bread texture, but that’s up to you! The sweetness in the dough comes from the sugar, and the richness comes from the egg, milk and butter.
Kneading the dough
Working with dough like this is much easier if you have a stand mixer with a dough hook, as you can just let it do it’s thing – turn it on, knead the dough, and then let it rise! However, if you don’t have a stand mixer, you can make it still – you just need to work that dough with your arms.
Generally kneading dough without a dough hook takes a bit longer, but generally I find it quite therapeutic. By the end, the dough is soft, springy and lovely. Try not to add too much flour to the surface if you knead by hand, as that will add into the dough mix!
Prove
You leave the dough to rise until doubled in size – and this can vary in time. For example, hottest day of the year, it could take about 30-60 minutes! In the winter though, this could take 2-3 hours! Trust in the process though.
Roll and cut
Once risen, you roll the dough out to about 2cm thick. I then use a 9cm cutter, and a 4cm cutter to get my shapes, and make sure to re-roll as you go to get more! Top tip though – use the small cutouts from the middle of the doughnuts to make mini doughnut bites! They take about 30-40 seconds each side to fry.
Fry
Let the doughnuts rise again on a lined and floured tray for about 30 minutes until they have doubled in size – and then you need to fry. It’s easiest to start the heating of the oil towards the end of the proving process!
It’s scary to heat the oil, but for the best doughnuts you need to fry them! You can try other methods if you have an air fryer for example – but these are particularly designed for the classic frying method. Don’t worry, I know 2L of oil sounds a lot, but they don’t soak it all in!
Cool and decorate
Once fried, you let the doughnuts cool – if the doughnuts are too hot when you try to decorate them, the decoration will just melt! I let mine cool fully, but it doesn’t take too long at all.
Then, you can decorate them how you want! I’ve given three different examples below – but it’s just a guide – the good thing is that you can decorate them however you fancy! I find it easiest to put the icing or melted chocolate in a bowl just bigger than the doughnut, and then dunk them in.
Turn them over, sprinkle on the sprinkles before it sets, and then enjoy!! I LOVE this recipe, and if you have any recipe questions then let me know in the comments! I hope you love the recipe! x
Ring Doughnuts!
Ingredients
Dough
- 450 g strong white bread flour
- 50 g caster sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 14 g dried active yeast **
- 75 g unsalted butter (cold)
- 200 ml full-fat milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 medium eggs
- 2 L sunflower oil (for frying!)
Topping Ideas...
Freeze Dried Raspberry
- 400 g icing sugar
- 2-3 tbsp water
- Freeze dried raspberries
Sprinkles
- 400 g icing sugar
- 2-3 tbsp water
- 150+ g sprinkles
Chocolate
- 400 g melted chocolate
- Chocolate Curls
Instructions
The Dough
- Sift the flour into a large bowl, and add the caster sugar, yeast and salt and mix together.
- Rub the butter into the mixture so it resembles bread crumbs.
- Gently heat the milk until warm - but not piping hot. If heating in a pan, you want it to just about start having steam come out of the pan.
- Add the warm milk, vanilla extract, and eggs to the dry ingredients. Mix with a spatula to bring it together.
- Knead the dough together for 7-10 minutes. It will be sticky at first, but it will soon come together. Once kneaded, it will be springy to touch, and not sticky.
- Transfer into a lightly oiled bowl, and cover the top of the bowl with clingfilm. Let it rise for 1-2 hours, or until doubled in size.
- Once the dough has risen, take it out of the bowl, and roll the dough out onto a lightly floured surface until it is 2cm thick.
- Using a 9cm round cutter, cut out some doughnuts. In the middle of each round, use a 4cm cutter and cut out the middle to form a ring.
- Re-roll the dough, and repeat to get all of the doughnuts.
- Add the doughnuts to a lightly floured lined tray, and cover lightly with a lightly oiled piece of clingfilm, and leave to prove again for 1-2 hours, or until doubled in size.
The Frying
- Pour the oil into a large flat saucepan.
- Heat the oil to 170C - test this with a thermometer.
- Carefully lower the doughnuts into the oil with a slotted spoon, two at a time, and fry for 1-2 minutes each side.
- The doughnuts should turn a nice golden colour. If they are browning very quickly, remove the pan from the heat as it’s too hot.
- Once golden, remove carefully from the oil, and place onto some kitchen towel. Then, leave to cool on a tray whilst you do the rest.
Topping Ideas
- Freeze dried raspberry:- In a bowl, mix together the icing sugar and water until you have a thick paste. Dunk the doughnuts into the icing and place onto a tray. Sprinkle with freeze dried raspberries. Leave to set.
- Sprinkle doughnuts:- In a bowl, mix together the icing sugar and water until you have a thick paste. Pour the sprinkles into a separate bowl. Dunk the doughnuts into the icing and then dunk straight into the sprinkles. Turn over, and put onto a tray to set.
- Chocolate:- In a bowl, melt the chocolate until smooth, I do this in a microwave. Dunk the doughnuts into the chocolate, and then place onto a tray. Sprinkle with chocolate curls.
Notes
- **If your yeast needs activating, add it to the warm milk and sit for 5 minutes before using!
- These are best served fresh, but can last for 2 days.
- The dough can be halved if you want to make less!
- You can top the doughnuts with whatever you like - I have just listed three different ideas from my photos!
- If you do not have a thermometer, you can test the temperature of the oil with a piece of fresh bread. It should turn to a golden colour in 20-25 seconds, but not burn.
- You can make the doughnuts smaller (they will take less time to fry), or larger (they will take longer to fry) if you wish.
- If you don't want to ice them, you can coat the doughnuts in cinnamon sugar - use 125g caster sugar and 2tsp ground cinnamon.
ENJOY!
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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.
Hi Jane
Could the donuts be freezed once fried ?
Thank you
Absolutely, for up to 3 months! Hope this helps! x
Hi I’ve bought the hovis fast action bread yeast will that be ok for this recipe
Hi, does this dough need to be ring shaped or can it be cooked as a whole doughnut? Thanks 😊
hi an you make the dough then leave in fridge over night to fry off fresh the next day ???
Hi, I was looking to do a glaze for the doughnuts rather than thick icing on top. What quantity of each ingredient would I need? Thank you x
Hi Jane, could this be made dairy free using almond milk?
Thank you, love your recipes! x
Hiya! Yes it can. Aww thank you so much x
Hi Jane! Which food colourings would you recommend for the icing on top of the doughnuts? I am holding. A gender reveal and would like to make pink arms blue iced doughnuts like these! Thank you! Xx
Hey! This sounds so exciting, I use wilton sugar flaire colour splash or pro gel xx
Can this recipe be halved? And I will keep an eye on the dough until it’s doubled in size as I’m guessing the proofing time could be less?
Hey, yes!xx
I made these for Mother’s Day and they were a hit with my mother and mother inlaw! I have two friends birthdays coming up, which are a couple days apart, I’m wondering can I freeze half of the doughnuts ( already cut out)in the freezer and then thaw them before frying? Im a doughnut novice so not sure about the ins and outs and if this will affect anything, help me please!x
Hi!
can i make the dough and once it’s proved cut into rings and then leave them in the fridge overnight and then fry in the morning?
Yes you can! x
Hi!
can i make the donut shapes and then leave them to rise in the fridge overnight and then fry them in the morning so they are more fresh?
After making them how do you keep them fresh for the next day? thank you! love your recipes!!
Looks delicious. I tried your cinammon mini donuts for Valentines treat boxes last week and they were a sure winner. Can you do a post on this size (bigger) cinammon donuts pls?
the best ever recipe. I’ve never made doughnuts before and my boys 7and4 join in too abd we’ve had so much fun and eat them while still warm ish absolutely delishes 🥰
One of my favourite recipes the doughnuts actually tasted sooo good!
My brother is already asking when I’m going to make more of them!
Hey jane I’m making these today and not too sure if asda easy bake yeast is already active so not sure whether to add it to dry ingredients or the milk thing as h say in the recipe are you able to help? 🙂 x
Made these and they were amazing!! Fluffy and light! Had to add a bit more flour as I was kneading it but otherwise easy to follow 😊
Hey jane
I’m making these today but have the asda easy bake yeast and I’m not sure if that’s already activated and it doesn’t really say much on the pack. So not too sure which method to follow of yours whether to put it in the warm milk or put with dry ingredients x
To be safe you could add it to the warm milk x
I have just made these although i cant keep the shape when picking them up to put in the oil, do you know what i’m doing wrong? They do taste amazing though x
You really do just need to be as careful as you can as they are so delicate before frying – you can try putting each doughnut onto its own separate square of parchment paper and using that x
Hi I’m guessing i can do the dough in a bread maker ? Mine does the mixing and first rise? Shelleyx
I have never used a bread maker just for mixing and proving, but if you have then go for it!
Hi Jane! Could I use a dough hook for the kneading part? x
Yes, when making a dough like this it’s always best to use the dough hook!
Hi, I’ve made the doughnuts and they are delicious ♥️ I’m thinking of buying an Air fryer, would this be ok to fry the doughnuts in?
Thank you for all the lovely recipes x
I haven’t used an air fryer before so personally I don’t know – but I’ve seen people make other doughnuts in air fryers so I would assume it works!
I previously asked if I can do these the night before, when putting in the fridge is it, let it rise on the side and then cut in to rings then put In the fridge or put it in the fridge and cut in to rings in the morning?? Thanks
It depends how much time you have in the morning really – if you want to cook them straight away you would want to do the second prove in the fridge x
Hello! Is it possible to make these the night before and let them rise over night? As I need them for the morning but don’t want to be getting up at like 2 haha! Thanks x
Yes – you just need to do the prove in the fridge so that it slows the process down xx
Hi Jane,
Does it need to be full fat milk? X
In baking I generally always recommend it if you can for best results. x
Can I double this recipe to make more? Or shall I do two batches? Xxx
Yeah definitely!!
Hi Jane,
This recipe was so much fun to make, especially the decoration part! My initial 6 doughnuts that I cut were the perfect shape and fried really well. However, when I was bringing the dough back together to cut more rings they became very irregular in shape and thus didn’t fry in such a nice ring shape. I didn’t want to work the dough too much when reshaping it for fear of knocking all the air out. Do you have any tips for this?
As you have to shape the doughnuts and then leave them to rise again anyway before frying, it’s fine to knead it back together more! xx
Hi, this looks delicious!! I’m just wondering, if you want to make more bite size doughnuts, would you have to dramatically reduce cooking time or temperature or leave it about the same? Thank you!
The temperature would stay the same – but like mentioned on the post, doughnut holes take quite a bit less time so it varies xx
These look amazing!!
Is it possible for you to upload a video making these please? x