These chocolate glazed donuts are a fun homemade recreation of a classic donut shop treat. The pillowy, soft yeast raised donuts are fried to golden brown perfection. Coated in a rich chocolate ganache glaze, each bite of these glazed donuts is decadently delicious!
How to Make Yeast Raised Donuts
These pillowy soft donuts are yeast based and are fried rather than baked. Here is what you will need to make recipe:
Key Ingredients
- Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
- Unbleached Bread Flour
- Active or Instant Dry Yeast
- Granulated Sugar
- Salt
- Egg
- Whole Milk
- Unsalted Butter
What is the Difference Between Active and Instant Yeast?
The main difference between active and instant yeast lies in the fact that active yeast must be activated before use while instant yeast does not require activation before use. Both active and instant yeast comes in dry form commonly stored at room temperature as opposed to fresh yeast which is refrigerated.
How to Tell If Yeast is Good to Use?
The first step to tell if yeast is good to use is to check the expiration date and, more importantly, to activate it. To activate yeast:
- Heat – the liquid (water or milk) yeast will be activated in should be heated/warmed up to a temperature that averages between 100-110F(38-43C). You want to be careful to not overheat the liquid as this will kill the yeast. Always read the back of the yeast package to verify the correct temperature to heat up the liquid for yeast activation.
- Mix – a small amount of sweetener, for example, sugar should be whisked into the warmed liquid with the yeast for activation. Adding a sweetener to the warmed liquid mixture will fasten up the activation process as the yeast feeds on the sweetener to create energy. Yeast can most certainly be activated without the addition of sweeteners but activation will be slightly longer.
- Rest – yeast mixture should be left to activate at room temperature for 8-10 minutes. If the resulting mixture looks frothy and bubbly in appearance with a fermented aroma, then yeast is good to use. However, if the mixture does not take on a frothy, bubbly appearance, yeast is not good to use.
Can Donut Dough be Made in Advance?
Yeast raised donut recipe may be made in advance. In fact, I like to make dough the day before and finish the preparation of donuts the next day. To make dough in advance, follow recipe instructions up to the end of first rise. At this point, deflated dough may be refrigerated overnight (8-12 hours) for next-day use.
Yeast-raised dough that has been cut into donuts may be placed on a large baking sheet and frozen until solid. At this point, frozen donuts layered between sheets of parchment or wax paper and stored in an airtight container will last upto 1-3 months in the freezer. When ready to use, allow shaped donuts to thaw at room temperature until no longer frozen and appear slightly puffed before frying per instructions in the recipe card.
How to Make Chocolate Glaze for Donuts
I absolutely love this chocolate glaze recipe as it only requires 2 ingredients and is a breeze to make. You literally just need to pour heated cream over chocolate and allow mixture to sit untouched for 1 minute before whisking in the cream into melted chocolate. Once cooled to room temperature, glaze is ready to be used. It is truly that easy and explains why it is my go recipe for making chocolate ganache not just for glazes but for other desserts as well.
Another added bonus to this chocolate ganache recipe is that leftovers stored in an airtight, preferably glass container will last up to 3-4 weeks in the fridge. Leftover chocolate ganache may be heated in the microwave on high in 30 second intervals until desired consistency is reached. Just take cake to stir ganache in between heating to avoid the base of chocolate from burning.
Glazed Donuts Assembly
- Dip room temperature donuts into cooled chocolate glaze.
- Transfer dipped donuts to a cooling rack.
- Decorate chocolate dipped donuts with toppings of choice (i.e. sprinkles, chopped nuts, or dried fruits like shredded coconut) To decorate donuts with gold leaf accents like did, here is a good video reference to use as a guide.
How to Store Glazed Donuts
- Chocolate glazed donuts are best eaten the day it is prepared. Leftover donuts stored in an airtight container will last 1-2 days in the fridge. To serve warm, simply warm up in the microwave or toaster/conventional oven until heated through.
- Un-glazed fried donuts stored in an airtight container will last upto 1-3 months in the freezer. When ready to serve, thaw frozen donuts overnight in the fridge or at room temperature to restore soft texture before glazing and decorating as desired.
Looking for More Scrumptious Eats, Checkout the Links Below:
If you make this recipe, please make sure to let me know by tagging me @nourishedendeavors on Instagram or by leaving a comment in the comment section down below so I can find out how this recipe turned out for you! If you have any questions, ask away! I would love to answer your questions! Happy baking!
PrintChocolate Glazed Donuts
These chocolate glazed donuts are a fun homemade recreation of a classic donut shop treat. The pillowy, soft yeast raised donuts are fried to golden brown perfection. Coated in a rich chocolate ganache glaze, each bite of these glazed donuts is decadently delicious!
- Prep Time: 3 Hours
- Cook Time: 30 Minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 9 Donuts/12-15 Donut Holes 1x
Ingredients
Yeast Raised Donuts
- 1 1/2 Cups (188 g) Unbleached Bread Flour
- 1 Cup (125 g) Unbleached All-Purpose Flour, Plus More As Needed
- 2 1/2 Tablespoons (31 g) Granulated Sugar, Divided
- 2 Teaspoons Active or Instant Dry Yeast
- 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
- 1 Large Egg, Room Temperature
- 3/4 Cup (177 ml) Whole Milk, Warmed to 100-110F (38-43C)
- 1/4 Cup (57 g) Unsalted Butter, Softened
- 4–6 Cups Neutral Flavored Oil i.e. Vegetable Oil
Chocolate Ganache Glaze
- 3 Ounces (85 g) Dark Chocolate Chips, May Use Finely Chopped Chocolate Bar
- 6 Tablespoons (90 ml) Heavy Whipping Cream
Assembly
- Gold Leaves, Optional
Instructions
Yeast Raised Donuts
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the warmed milk, 1/2 tablespoon (6.25 g) sugar and yeast. Whisk ingredients together to combine.
- Cover the bowl with a plate and allow yeast mixture to sit untouch for 8-10 minutes. Yeast mixture is ready to use when it appears frothy and has a fermented aroma.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the flours, remaining sugar and salt. Whisk dry ingredients together to combine.
- In a separate small bowl, add and whisk the egg.
- Fit stand mixer with dough hook. Add the dry ingredients, whisked egg and butter into yeast mixture and mix at low speed until a shaggy dough forms and starts to pull away from the sides of the mixing bowl, about 1-2 minutes.
- Increase mixer speed to medium high and knead dough for 6 minutes. The resulting dough will be soft and tacky to touch.
- If the dough appears too wet and sticky, mix in additional all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon at a time just until the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl. (To avoid ending up with dense doughnuts, I do not recommend adding more than 2-4 additional tablespoons of flour. Dough should be soft and tacky to touch.)
- Use a greased serving spoon to help transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface. Lightly flour the top of dough before shaping into a round ball.
- Lightly grease a large mixing bowl with oil or cooking spray. Transfer shaped dough to greased bowl and cover the bowl with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap.
- Place the bowl in a warm area of the kitchen and allow dough to rise for 60-90 minutes or until it has doubled in size.
- As the dough rests for first rise, cut a large piece of parchment or wax paper into (9) roughly 3×3 inch squares. Line two baking sheets with parchment or wax paper.
- Gently deflate dough by knocking it down with a fist hand. At this point, donut dough may be refrigerated overnight for next day preparation. For same day donut preparation, proceed to the next step.
- Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and dust the top of dough with flour.
- Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a large 1/2-inch thick circle. Use a 3 or 3.5 inch donut cutter to cut out as many donuts as you can. Re-roll scraps and cut out more donuts for a total of 9 donuts. (In the absence of a donut cutter, a 3 inch and 1 inch circle cookie cutter may be used to cut out donuts.)
- Remove the smaller cutout from the center of donuts. These may be discarded or reserved to make donut holes. Additionally, any remaining scraps of dough may be rolled into a log and cut into 1-inch pieces to make donut holes.
- Individually transfer donut cutouts onto parchment paper squares and place evenly spaced out on prepared baking sheets. Donut holes may be transferred directly onto parchment lined baking sheets.
- Loosely cover baking sheets with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel. Place baking sheets in a warm area of the kitchen to allow donuts to undergo a second rise for 30 minutes. After the second rise, donuts will appear slightly puffed and delicate to touch.
- About 15 minutes into the second rise, line a cooling rack with two layers of paper towels. Place the cooling rack near the side of the stove where doughnuts will be fried.
- Attach a candy/fry thermometer to a deep bottom medium sized pot. Fill the pot with 4-6 cups of oil and heat oil under medium heat to 325-350F (163-177C). Carefully monitor oil. You do not want the temperature to go above 350F(177C).
- In batches of one to two, use parchment squares to carefully place slightly risen, puffed donut dough top side down into oil. Use kitchen tongs to peel parchment paper off the back of dough.
- Fry donuts 1 1/2 – 2 minutes per side. Donut will be a rich golden-brown color when ready.
- Using a slotted/spider spoon, transfer fried donuts to the prepared cooling rack and continue the frying process until all the donuts are fried. If making donut holes, fry them in batches of 5-6 for 30 seconds per side or until holes are a rich golden brown color.
- Donuts need to be cooled completely before dipping in glaze.
Chocolate Ganache Glaze
- Place chocolate chips into a small mixing bowl. If using a chocolate bar, it should be finely chopped to help facilitate easy melting of chocolate.
- In a small saucepan under medium heat, add and heat up cream until visible stream starts to come off the surface and small bubbles are forming along the rim of cream. Remove from heat before cream comes to a full boil. Alternatively, cream may be heated in the microwave on high in 30 second intervals to hot but not boiled.
- Pour heated cream over chocolate chips and allow mixture to sit untouched for 1 minute.
- Starting in the center and moving outward, whisk cream into melted chocolate until all of the cream has been incorporated into the chocolate and you have a smooth, shiny chocolate ganache.
- If pieces of unmelted chocolate remain in ganache, simply pop in the microwave and heat on high in 30 second intervals until all the chocolate is melted. Take cake to stir chocolate in between intervals to prevent the base of chocolate from burning.
- Allow chocolate ganache to cool until no longer hot to touch before using.
Assembly
- Individually dip room temperature donuts into cooled chocolate ganache glaze.
- Transfer dipped donuts to a cooling rack and decorate with gold leaf pieces or with toppings of choice i.e. sprinkles. Here is a video reference on how to add gold leaves to desserts.
Notes
- Chocolate glazed donuts are best eaten the day it is prepared. Leftover donuts stored in an airtight container will last 1-2 days in the fridge. To serve warm, simply warm up in the microwave or toaster/conventional oven until heated through.
- Un-glazed fried donuts stored in an airtight container will last upto 1-3 months in the freezer. When ready to serve, thaw frozen donuts overnight in the fridge or at room temperature to restore soft texture before glazing and decorating as desired.
- To make dough in advance, follow recipe instructions up to the end of first rise. At this point, deflated dough may be refrigerated overnight (8-12 hours) for next day use.
- Yeast raised dough that has been cut into donuts may be placed on a large baking sheet and frozen until solid. Frozen donuts layered between sheets of parchment or wax paper and stored in an airtight container will last upto 1-3 months in the freezer. When ready to use, allow shaped donuts to thaw at room temperature until no longer frozen and appear slightly puffed before frying per instructions in the recipe card.
- I highly recommend using a candy/oil thermometer to help maintain oil within the 325-350F (163-177C) temperature range. I find that this temperature range best allows for properly cooked donuts that are not under or overcooked.
- I used pieces of gold leaves to decorate donuts but other great topping options includes sprinkles, chopped nuts or dried fruit.
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