Classic Yeasted Donuts

This flavorful donut dough comes together within minutes - keeping it simple and reliable with Janie's Mill All-Purpose flour. After you fry the donuts until puffy and golden, add a simple glaze or dip them in spiced sugar and fill them with your choice of jam. This is a great recipe for beginner bakers looking to try a new treat that is sure to disappear fast! 

This recipe is adapted from Mark Bittman's Classic Glazed Donuts originally published by NYT Cooking. 

Yield: about 9 medium sized donuts or 6 large

Total Time: 3 hours 

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons (142 g) whole milk
• 1 1/8 tsp. active dry yeast (about half of one packet)
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick, 55 g) unsalted butter, melted 
• 2 Tablespoons (25 g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/4 cup (270 g) Janie's Mill All-Purpose Flour
• 2 quarts neutral oil for frying the donuts
• powdered sugar and milk for glazing the donuts

Instructions

1. Heat the milk until it is slightly warm to the touch. Combine it with the yeast, stir lightly, and let sit until the mixture is foamy, about 5 minutes.
2. In a large bowl or a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, stir the egg, butter, sugar and salt into the yeast mixture. Add the flour and slowly mix until combined, then mix in the rest of the flour until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl or becomes smooth and elastic. Add more flour, about 2 tablespoons at a time, if the dough is too wet. Grease a large bowl with a little oil. Transfer the dough to the bowl, and cover. Let rise at room temperature until it doubles in size, about 1 hour. Or, transfer the dough directly to the fridge and let rise overnight for up to 24 hours before proceeding. 
3. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface, and roll it to ½-inch thickness. Cut out the donuts with a 3-inch cookie cutter or drinking glass, using a shot glass to cut out the donut holes. Reserve the donut holes. If you’re making filled donuts, don’t cut out the middle. Knead any scraps together, being careful not to overwork, and let rest for a few minutes before repeating the process. 
4. Cut out 5-inch parchment paper squares for each individual donut to rest on. Brush each square lightly with oil so that you can easily and safely transfer each donut from the parchment to the oil. As you cut the donuts, place one on each square on a baking sheet. Cover with a kitchen towel, and let rise in a warm place until they are slightly puffed up and delicate, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. If you refrigerated the dough overnight, the dough may take up to 30 minutes more to rise. 
5. About 15 minutes before the donuts are done rising, put the oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, and heat it to 375F. Meanwhile, line cooling racks, baking sheets or plates with paper towels.
6. Carefully add the donuts to the oil, a few at a time. When the bottoms are deep golden, after 45 seconds to a minute, use a slotted spoon to flip and cook until they’re deep golden all over. Transfer the donuts to the prepared plates or racks, and repeat with the rest of the dough, adjusting the heat as needed to keep the oil at 375F. Glaze or fill with your choice of jam and serve as soon as possible!