Fryer Fun: Making Powdered Donuts At Home

Making powdered donuts in a fryer is a fun and easy way to create a delicious treat. While you can use a simple yeast dough, baking them in the oven is also an option. The key to success is in the preparation and the right ingredients. You'll need a donut pan, or a mini muffin pan for donut holes, and a good thermometer to test the oil temperature. You can finish them with a classic vanilla glaze, or cinnamon and sugar. The donuts are best enjoyed fresh, but you can store them in an airtight container for a day or two.

Prepping the ingredients

The ingredients you will need to make powdered donuts in an air fryer are:

• All-purpose flour
• Powdered sugar
• Cane sugar or granulated sugar
• Instant dry yeast or active dry yeast
• Salt
• Warm milk (not hot, as this will harm the yeast)
• Egg, at room temperature
• Melted butter
• Cinnamon
• Oil spray (coconut or olive oil)

If you are making a glaze for your donuts, you will need:

• Powdered sugar
• Milk
• Melted butter
• Vanilla extract

If you are making baked powdered donuts, you will need:

• Egg
• Sugar (white or a mix of white and brown)
• Milk (whole or 2%)
• Vegetable oil or melted butter
• Vanilla extract
• Almond extract
• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder
• Salt
• Powdered sugar

If you are making homemade donuts in a pan, you will need:

• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder
• Salt
• Buttermilk
• Granulated sugar
• Melted butter
• Vegetable oil
• Powdered sugar (optional)

Now that you have gathered your ingredients, you are ready to start making your delicious powdered donuts!

Making the dough

Gather Your Ingredients

For this recipe, you'll need the following:

• All-purpose flour
• Granulated sugar
• Powdered sugar (optional)
• Cane sugar or brown sugar (optional)
• Baking powder or yeast
• Salt
• Milk (whole milk, almond milk, or buttermilk)
• Egg
• Butter (unsalted)
• Vegetable oil or melted butter
• Vanilla extract (optional)
• Almond extract (optional)

Mixing the Dough

In a large mixing bowl, combine your dry ingredients: flour, granulated sugar, powdered sugar (if using), baking powder or yeast, and salt. Whisk them together until they are well combined and evenly distributed.

In a separate bowl, mix together your wet ingredients: milk, egg, vegetable oil or melted butter, and any extracts you are using. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and fully combined.

Combining and Kneading

Now, slowly add your dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. You can use a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment or mix by hand with a wooden spoon. Mix until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms. If it feels too sticky, add a little more flour. If it's too dry, add a bit more warm milk.

First Rise

Cover your bowl of dough with a lid or plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free place for about an hour, or until it has doubled in size. You can also transfer the dough to a bread maker or multicooker and use the bread rise setting for 30-40 minutes. The dough is ready if you can make an indentation with your finger, and it remains.

Shaping the Donuts

On a lightly floured surface, roll out your dough to about 1/2 inch thick. Use a donut cutter, biscuit cutters, or round cookie cutters to cut out your donut shapes. You can also use a drinking glass or wide-mouth canning ring for the outside and a shot glass for the center. Place the cut-out donuts on a large rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper and lightly dusted with flour.

Second Rise

Cover the donuts loosely and let them rise again in a warm, draft-free place for another 20-30 minutes, or until they have doubled in size. This second rise is crucial for light and airy donuts.

Now you're ready to fry your donuts! Follow the remaining steps in the recipe to cook and glaze your delicious powdered donuts. Enjoy!

Shaping the donuts

Start by lightly flouring your work surface to prevent the dough from sticking. Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough to your desired thickness. Most recipes recommend a thickness of around 1/2 inch, but you can go for a slightly thicker or thinner dough, depending on your preference.

Now it's time to cut out the donuts! You can use a donut cutter if you have one, or simply use two circular cookie cutters or rings of different sizes. The larger circle should be around 3 to 4 inches in diameter, while the smaller one is for the center and should be about 1 inch in diameter. Cut out as many donuts as possible from the rolled-out dough, placing them on a prepared baking sheet or tray.

If you don't have a cookie cutter or ring, get creative! Look around your kitchen for alternatives. You can use a wide drinking glass for the outer circle and a shot glass or the wide end of a pastry tip for the inner circle.

Don't forget about the donut holes! The holes you cut out from the center of each donut can be fried or baked along with the donuts. They make delicious bite-sized treats.

Once you've cut out your donuts, it's important to let the dough rise again. Cover the donuts loosely with greased plastic wrap or a dish towel and let them rise in a warm, draft-free area for about 20 to 30 minutes, or until they've doubled in size. This second rise ensures that your donuts will be light and fluffy.

After the second rise, your donuts are almost ready for the fryer or oven! Give them a final gentle press to flatten them slightly, as they will puff up during cooking. You can also use this opportunity to reshape any donuts that may have lost their shape during the rising process.

Now, carefully transfer your shaped donuts to the air fryer, fryer, or baking pan, depending on your chosen cooking method. Remember not to overcrowd the pan or air fryer, as this can affect even cooking.

And that's it! You've successfully shaped your powdered donuts. Now you can continue with the cooking process, and soon you'll be enjoying delicious, freshly made treats.

Frying the donuts

Preparing the Oil:

• Use a neutral-flavored oil with a high smoke point, such as vegetable oil, for frying the donuts.
• Preheat the oil in a deep saute pan or pot over medium heat. The ideal temperature for frying is around 355°F (177°C).
• Use a deep-fry thermometer to test the oil temperature and ensure the donuts cook properly.
• Prepare the donut dough as per your chosen recipe.
• Gently place the dough balls or cut-out donut shapes into the preheated oil.
• Fry the donuts in batches to avoid overcrowding and maintain the oil temperature. Fry about half of the donuts at a time.
• Fry the donuts until they are golden brown on both sides. This should take around 2 minutes per side, but the exact time may vary depending on your oil temperature and donut size.
• Carefully remove the fried donuts from the oil using a spider strainer or metal tongs.
• Drain the excess oil by placing the fried donuts on paper towels.
• If you are frying donut holes, use a spider to transfer them to paper towels, then let them drain before rolling them in sugar.

Tips for Frying Donuts:

• Don't try to fry all the donuts at once, as this will lower the oil temperature and affect the cooking process.
• Fried donuts are best enjoyed fresh. The texture changes, and they start to dry out if left for too long.
• If you are making glazed donuts, dip them in the glaze while they are still hot for the classic crackly glaze look.

Adding toppings

Timing is Key:

When it comes to adding toppings to your fried donuts, timing is crucial. Donut toppings come in various forms, such as sugar dustings, powders, icings, and glazes. The ideal temperature for applying toppings depends on the type of topping you choose. For sugar dustings, powders, and other finely ground toppings, it is best to add them when the donuts are very warm and giving off steam. The steam from the fried dough helps these toppings adhere to the donut's surface.

On the other hand, for frostings, icings, coatings, and toppings applied with icing (like nuts and sprinkles), it is advisable to wait until the donuts reach room temperature. Applying these toppings to warm donuts can cause them to melt, loosen, or get absorbed into the dough.

Topping Ideas:

Now that you know the timing, here are some mouth-watering topping ideas for your powdered donuts:

• Cinnamon-Sugar: Sprinkle a mixture of cinnamon and sugar on your warm donuts for a classic and comforting flavour.
• Glaze: Dip your donuts in a sweet glaze made with powdered sugar, milk, melted butter, and vanilla. You can also experiment with different glaze flavours, such as maple or chocolate.
• Maple Bacon: Combine sweet and savoury by dipping your donuts in a maple glaze and sprinkling crispy bacon bits on top.
• Cinnamon Sugar Coating: For a more intense cinnamon flavour, combine cinnamon and granulated sugar. Spray the donuts with oil spray before dipping them in this mixture.
• Sprinkles: Add some colour and fun to your donuts by topping them with sprinkles immediately after dipping them in the glaze.
• Chocolate Glaze: Indulge in a chocolate glaze created by renowned chef Alton Brown.

Feel free to mix and match toppings to create unique flavour profiles. You can also experiment with different types of sugars, spices, and extracts to find your perfect combination. Enjoy crafting your delicious powdered donuts!

Frequently asked questions