These are the best donuts made with fresh milled flour! They are soft and rich in flavor! This dough will make amazing donuts whether they’re the OG glazed, cream or Bavarian filled, or donut holes!
This recipe is the same as my brioche bread recipe, but I thought it would be easier to make it’s own recipe and include the glaze recipe. Plus, it’s just that good!
It uses both the autolyse and tangzhong method. Don’t let that deter you! The Tangzhong step only takes a couple of minutes and the autolyse step is a great time to clean up your work space. I promise, it’s worth it!
What You Need To Make The Best Donuts With Fresh Milled Flour
Fresh Milled Hard White Wheat Flour
Whole Milk– This will still work with a lower fat milk or non-dairy milk, but for the best results use whole fat milk.
Instant Yeast– I use SAF Instant Yeast
Sugar
Salt
Eggs
Butter– You can use salted or unsalted. Totally up to you.
Powdered Sugar– For the glaze
Different Ways To Enjoy These Donuts
- Glazed
- Dip in chocolate and add sprinkles
- Donut Holes
- Fill with your favorite cream or jelly
- Cinnamon & Sugar
What Is The Autolyse Method?
The autolyse method is resting your dough mixture for 20-60 minutes BEFORE adding the yeast and salt. This will help ensure that your flour is fully hydrated and make your dough more stretchy, resulting in a softer loaf of bread. If you want to read more on the Autolyse Method read this article.
What Is The Tangzhong Method?
The tangzhong method is an Asian technique that is known to create soft, squishy bread. This method of pre-cooking a small amount of flour, milk, and water pre-gelatinizes the starches in the flour, resulting in more moisture in the dough.
This is great! It gives the fluffy, soft texture that we’re used to in store-bought bread. If you want to read more about the tangzhong method, check out this article by King Arthur.
Pictured above is the process of the tangzhong method in action. It changes fairly quickly in about 2-3 minutes.
Making Your Donuts
Beginning with the Tangzhong ingredients: Combine the flour, milk, and water into a small saucepan and whisk over medium heat to make sure there are no clumps. Stir constantly until thickened.2-3 minutes. I like to use a spatula after whisking so it doesn’t stick to the edges. It will look like a thick roux similar to thick pudding.
Next, in your mixing bowl add the Tangzhong mixture, milk, sugar, flour, eggs, and softened butter. Remember, DON’T ADD the yeast or salt at this step. Mix until thoroughly combined. We’re not fully kneading in this step. Cover and let this mixture Autolyse for 20-60 minutes. I just did 20 minutes for the pictures seen in this recipe.
After you’ve autolysed, add in your yeast and salt. Knead in your mixer for 6-8 minutes or until windowpane is reached. This will vary depending on your mixer.
Form the dough into a ball, put it in a greased bowl, cover and rise for about an hour or until doubled in size. This will vary by the temperature in your home.
Once it’s doubled in size, oil your hands and punch the dough down. Roll out dough on an oiled surface to 1/2-3/4in thick. Cut donuts (I used the 3 1/4in. cutter) and set aside covered to rise until slightly puffed and delicate, about 45 minutes. *If you don’t have biscuit or donut cutters, you can use a wide mouth canning lid ring to cut donuts!
You can pop the center hole out with your finger if you don’t have a donut cutter. I used the removable center from my Norpro Donut/Biscuit/Cookie Cutter for my donut holes.
*Note your dough thickness and cutter diameter will affect how many donuts you get in a batch.
About 15 minutes before your donuts are done rising add your frying oil to a pan or deep fryer and heat to 350 degrees F.
Fry your donuts for about 40 seconds per side. This may vary a little bit if you’re doing it on the stovetop so definitely watch the color, too.
Remove the donuts using a slotted spoon and cool on a wire rack. When warm, but cool enough to handle dip in glaze or other toppings or fill and enjoy!
Can I Bake These Donuts Instead of Frying?
Yes! If you want to bake your donuts you can bake them at 350 degrees F for 10-15 minutes (this will vary with ovens). You can brush with an egg wash, butter, or bake them plain. For the pictures below I didn’t add any egg wash, but they would be more golden.
**Please also, note that it does change the texture some, but you still end up with a delicious donut!
Baked donuts are a little more denser than if you were to fry them. Frying gives them the light, airy texture, while baking is a little more dense and cakey, but not as cakey as actual cake donuts if that makes sense.
For The Origianal Glaze
- 2 cups powdered sugar (260g)
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
Whisk together the glaze ingredients and when your donuts are cool enough to handle dip to coat in the glaze and put on a cooling rack to let the glaze harden.
For Chocolate Glaze
- 2 cups powdered sugar ( 260g)
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder (40g)
- 5-6 tbsp. milk
- 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Whisk together powdered sugar and cocoa powder in a bowl. Adding in 5 tbsp. of milk, followed by vanilla extract. If needed add the last tablespoon of milk. (glaze should fall from the whisk in thick ribbons and run back together in the bowl)
Dip warm (cool enough to handle) donuts into the glaze and let set up.
SHOP THIS POST
Biscuit Cutters or Norpro Donut/Biscuit/Cookie Cutter with Removable Center
My top 2 places to order wheat berries are Azure Standard or Country Life Natural Foods. If it’s your 1st order through Country Life use code: freshmilledmama for 10% off!
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The Best Donuts With Fresh Milled Flour (Yeast Donuts | Brioche)
Ingredients
For Tangzhong
- 18 grams fresh milled hard white wheat flour (2 tbsp.)
- 60 grams milk (1/4 cup)
- 30 grams water (2 tbsp.)
Dough
- 180 grams milk (3/4 cup)
- 2 1/2 tbsp sugar
- 425 grams fresh milled hard white wheat flour
- 2 eggs
- 36 grams butter softened, (3 tbsp.)
- 9.3 grams instant yeast (1 tbsp.) (I use SAF brand)
- 1 1/2 tsp Salt
Glaze
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Make Tangzhong
- Combine all ingredients for tangzhong into a small saucepan and whisk over medium heat to make sure there are no clumps.
- Stir constantly until thickened.2-3 minutes. I like to use a spatula after whisking so it doesn't stick to the edges. It will look like a thick roux similar to thick pudding.
Make Dough
- In your mixing bowl add the Tangzhong mixture, milk, sugar, flour, eggs, and softened butter. Remember, DON'T ADD the yeast or salt at this step. Mix until thoroughly combined. We're not fully kneading in this step. Cover and let this mixture Autolyse for 20-60 minutes.
- After you've autolysed, add in your yeast and salt. Knead in your mixer for 6-8 minutes or until windowpane is reached. This will vary depending on your mixer.
- Form the dough into a ball, put it in a greased bowl, cover and rise for about an hour or until doubled in size. This will vary by the temperature in your home.
- Once it’s doubled in size, oil your hands and punch the dough down. Roll out dough on an oiled surface to 1/2-3/4in thick. Cut donuts (I used the 3 1/4in. cutter) and set aside covered to rise until slightly puffed and delicate, about 45 minutes.*Note your dough thickness and cutter diameter will affect how many donuts you get in a batch.
- About 15 minutes before your donuts are done rising add your frying oil to a pan or deep fryer and heat to 350 degrees F and make the glaze. If baking your donuts pre-heat your oven.
- Fry your donuts for about 40 seconds per side. This may vary a little bit if you're doing it on the stovetop so definitely watch the color, too. I hovered around medium heat on my propane stovetop. (If frying donuts that you are going to fill fry for 1-2 minutes each side to ensure they are done in the middle.)If baking, bake at 350℉ for 10-15 minutes (oven times will vary). You can brush with an egg wash, butter, or bake them plain.
- Remove the donuts using a slotted spoon and cool on a wire rack. When warm, but cool enough to handle dip in glaze or other toppings or fill and enjoy!
If you try this recipe and love it, I would love if you gave it 5 stars! Thank you! Tag me on Instagram @freshmilledmama and please leave a review below on the blog!
MORE FRESH MILLED FLOUR RECIPES:
The best donuts I’ve ever had! My friends and family all say so. Thank you Fresh Milled Mama!
So glad to hear! <3 You're welcome!
Do you think an air fryer would make them closer to fried than oven baked? Just wondered. I haven’t fried anything in years!
I haven’t used an airfryer so I really am not sure how much they would change. It is worth trying. I did bake these and they still turned out good, but frying them is the best option.
Have you ever left dough in fridge overnight to proof?
I personally haven’t tried that.
Hello! What kind of oil did you use?
I used palm shortening to fry these. You can use any oil you prefer that is suitable for deep frying.