Description
Homemade Cinnamon Sugar Donuts bring weekend breakfast magic straight to your kitchen with minimal effort. Quick dough, fast frying, and a sweet cinnamon coating make these treats a total crowd-pleaser that disappear faster than you can sprinkle sugar.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup warm milk
Leavening and Sweeteners:
- 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
Supporting Ingredients:
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Activate the yeast by whisking 1 cup warm milk with 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast and ¼ cup sugar in a spacious mixing bowl. Allow the mixture to become frothy for 5-7 minutes.
- Incorporate ¼ cup melted butter, 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and ½ teaspoon salt into the yeast mixture, stirring until well blended.
- Gradually fold 4 cups all-purpose flour into the wet ingredients, creating a soft, slightly sticky dough that pulls away from the bowl’s sides.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for 6-8 minutes, developing elasticity and smoothness with gentle, consistent motions.
- Place the dough in a greased bowl, covering it with a clean kitchen towel. Let it rise in a warm, draft-free area for 60-90 minutes until it doubles in volume.
- Deflate the dough by pressing down with your palms, then roll it out to a ½-inch thickness on a floured countertop.
- Use a donut cutter or two different-sized round cutters to shape your donuts, creating a classic ring shape with a center hole.
- Arrange the cut donuts on parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving space between each. Cover and allow a second rise for 25-35 minutes.
- Heat vegetable oil in a deep pot to 350°F, monitoring the temperature with a kitchen thermometer for consistent frying.
- Carefully lower 2-3 donuts at a time into the hot oil, frying each side for 45-60 seconds until they turn a rich golden brown.
- Remove the donuts with a slotted spoon, letting excess oil drip back into the pot before transferring to paper towels.
- Mix ½ cup granulated sugar with 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon in a shallow dish for coating.
- While the donuts are still warm, roll each one in the cinnamon-sugar mixture, ensuring complete and even coverage.
Notes
- Check yeast freshness by ensuring it foams when mixed with warm milk, which confirms it’s active and will help dough rise properly.
- Use a candy thermometer to maintain consistent oil temperature around 350°F, preventing donuts from absorbing too much oil or cooking unevenly.
- Allow dough to rise in a draft-free, warm spot like a slightly warmed oven to help it double in size and develop soft texture.
- For gluten-free adaptation, substitute all-purpose flour with a commercial gluten-free flour blend designed for yeasted recipes, and add xanthan gum for better structure.
- Prep Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 4-6 minutes
- Category: Donuts
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 330 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 43 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg