I know this because one time when I was little I asked my mom how far a mile was and she said, “oh, about down to Taco Bell.” I still think of it every time I need to visualize a mile. So once a week, Mom and Dad have made it their date night to take a leisurely (1 mile) walk down to Taco Bell, where they…yes, you guessed it. Pour all their change on the counter and count out $4.99 for a Crunchwrap Supreme to share. Halfway through separating out their nickels and dimes, the young cashier gently says to them, “Do you guys want the senior discount…?” They died laughing. My parents are not poor, just forever frugal-minded. And what else is there to do on a late summer evening?? What they REALLY should do is walk another half mile further to Sam’s Donuts on Main Street (maybe you guys should make this your Saturday morning ritual, mom and dad??) I would be happy to spend ALL my loose change on those donuts, they are the fluffiest puffiest in all the land. Let me tell you why. I learned all about it a few years ago when I read an article about Ted Ngoy, the Cambodian donut king of California. I learned his rags to riches, (back to rags, back to riches!) story. (it’s nuts guys.) I learned why the best donuts always come in pink boxes. And I finally understood why every donut I’ve ever had while on vacation tasted like cardboard when compared to the impossibly fluffy, raised to the sky, perfectly glaze-crackled morsels of delight I grew up with.
Instead of making one giant batch in the morning, he had his employees make small batches throughout the day (I don’t know if you have ever had a day-old donut, but they are garbage.) He would let each shop he bought keep their recipes (customers don’t like change), but would insist on upgrading to the finest ingredients. Bad flour makes a bad donut.
Ted’s shops were successful because he insisted on quality, and had connections to incoming refugee families with aunties, cousins, and uncles: a built-in network of very hard working people excited about the chance to own their own business. Pretty much every donut shop in CA for decades used this business plan.
Krispy Kreme is a different story. Their donuts are actually fried on site at each location. But they still are overly-greasy and lacking flavor in my opinion, and cannot hold a candle to a classic California donut.
Dunkin tried to break into the California market back in the 80s/90s and failed miserably. They eventually closed every single location because they couldn’t compete with Ted’s shops. Customers are not stupid. Why would you buy a frozen baked donut when someone down the road fried a fresh one 20 minutes ago? (Dunkin recently started opening CA stores again in the last 10 years; there are dozens now. This is how I tried my first Dunkin Donut ever earlier this year, and I almost spit it out, no joke.)
I’m sure there are lots of other stand-alone shops across the country that are amazing, because they have the same standard as Ted’s: baked throughout the day, with extremely high quality ingredients. But not many have been able to franchise the way Ted did, without losing quality, Dunkin case in point. (Krispy Kreme is the closest imo, and Top Pot in Seattle is close too.)
So, to sum up, if you live in California, you don’t need today’s recipe. Walk yourself down to the local shop and get yourself a dozen. Maybe pay in loose change like my parents 😂
BUT. If you live in a place where you only have chain donut shops, homemade donuts are ABSOLUTELY worth every ounce of effort.
The final donut is literally heaven. The difference between a good donut and a bad donut has to do with quality ingredients and the recipe, of course, but it also has a lot to do with freshness. Making them at home means you are getting the freshest fried dough of your life! So good.
This recipe uses milk for richness, and bread flour to give it that special chew (and to add structure to the dough.)
In addition to yeast, we are adding a little baking soda and baking powder to the dough to make it rise and puff EVEN MORE. I’m telling you, when I say fluffy puffy I am not messing around.
Then we dunk the whole thing in a simple glaze with a special ingredient (granulated sugar, oddly enough; we’re making a simple syrup first) that helps the glaze stick to the doughnut.
You will neverrrrr go back, guys.
How to make donuts without a donut cutter
I wanted to show you that you can also roll this dough out and cut them the traditional way, if you have a donut cutter. I bought this cutter just for this post and thought it would be so much better but I actually MUCH prefer shaping the donuts with my hands! I found that hand-shaping allowed them to rise easier on the outside edge of the donut. Every donut I made with the cutter sloped down on the edges, the hand shaped ones looked more “plump”: In both the pictures above, I used a donut cutter on the donuts on the left. I hand shaped the donuts on the right. Do you see what I mean? These are both great, tasty donuts that rose well. But the cut donuts slope down on the edges. The hand shaped ones are more rounded. This is a tiny detail, either method works great! If you hand shape, you won’t have donut holes. You can just grab a couple smaller balls of dough and shape them into a ball yourself, if you love donut holes. (Who doesn’t?)
How to make glaze for donuts
Fry the donuts
Ignore my taco sign (leftover from this summer’s Taco nights) and constant open drawers (it’s a curse) Fry station: Heated oil, cooling rack on top of paper bag or paper towels, thermometer to check temp, a slotted spoon to remove donuts (A spider strainer is even better, and I actually have one and have no idea why I didn’t use it 🤦♀️) and all the risen donuts nearby. I even have the glaze there ready to go. Look at these beauts! All ready for the fryer!
Glazing the donuts
Just look at this beauty queen. And THAT’S IT!! Who are you going to share your donuts with??? But I think I might be a grouchy grouch. Live your best life. Here are some ideas, you could even make a donut bar and let people choose their own toppings for a party! I am all about donut parties!
sprinkles! crushed or whole pieces of cereal, like Fruit Loops or Cocoa Puffs. (This is a thing people do, so I’m listing it here, but I honestly have no respect for them.) crushed cookies, like Oreos or Nutter Butters (Again. no respect. I will judge you.) chopped nuts, pretzels, or bacon for a salty twist. This could be good, especially on a Maple Bar. finely chopped fresh fruit (must be added RIGHT before eating or it will make the donut soggy!) crushed freeze-dried fruit – I definitely approve of this one mini chocolate chips or M&Ms (girl. no.) shredded sweetened coconut (I can get behind this one.)
Of course donuts pair perfectly with milk, tea or coffee Baked Bacon » Ready in about 10 minutes, and the perfect savory balance to all that sweet Make Ahead Scrambled Eggs » so creamy and tender and easy to have waiting while you finish the donuts Cheesy Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole with Ham » make it the night before, pop it in the oven that morning Best Breakfast Casserole Recipe with Sausage »also make ahead, and perfect for all your sausage lovers Chili Rellenos Casserole » trust me when I say you will LOVE how flavorful this is! Cheesy Ham and Broccoli Frittata »easy to make, super fast, and full of cheesy deliciousness Fresh Rainbow Fruit Skewers from The Recipe Critic
SKIP the fridge! The cold circulated air will dry them out in no time. Instead, you have a few options:
First option: place them in an airtight container. This keeps the donuts themselves fresh and moist, but can make the glaze soggy the longer they sit. Second option: keep them in a loosely closed paper bag. This maintains the crispness of the glaze, but they will dry out faster than those in an airtight container. It’s up to you which way you want to go!
Either way, the donuts will be good sitting on the counter for about 2 days. The best way to eat leftover donuts is to rewarm them. Place leftovers on a sheet pan and stick them in a 300 degree oven for about 5-10 minutes. Don’t overdo it or the glaze will melt off! Lay out your donuts on a sheet pan and flash freeze them for 20-30 minutes. Then, layer them in a freezer ziplock bag with wax or parchment paper in between so they don’t stick together. Seal the bag well and the donuts should last a good 2-3 months in the freezer. To defrost, simply leave the bag out on the counter overnight and they’ll be ready to eat in the morning. If you’re thawing several, I would warm them for 5-10 minutes in a 300 degree oven. If you want only 1-2 donuts at a time, you can remove just those donuts from the bag, return it to the freezer, and then put the donut(s) in the microwave for 10 seconds at a time till perfectly soft and warm again! Don’t forget to check out the sister posts to this one, Bavarian Cream Donuts and the filling, Pastry Cream! And we thought it couldn’t get any better.
