These cinnamon sugar doughnuts are fried, but the dough can be made and chilled overnight! These doughnuts are incredibly fluffy and coated in melted butter, and cinnamon sugar. If you are looking for a perfect fried doughnut for brunch that is also easy to make. Then, you will love these!
How To Make The Dough
This dough can be made with both a stand mixer or by hand. Here are the instructions for the stand mixer.
- Heat butter and milk- The butter needs to be melted, but slightly cooled. I let it cool for 4 minutes. If it is too hot it can kill the yeast. Same with the milk. The milk needs to be warm at 110F. Use a thermometer to determine if it is too hot or too cold.
- Mix wet ingredients- Now, mix the sugar, salt, yeast, vanilla, egg, butter, and milk. Use a whisk to mix it all together.
- Pour in flour- Pour the flour in all at once. Then, use a dough hook with the stand mixer.
- Mix the flour- Mix in the flour until a dough forms.
- Knead the dough- Knead the dough for 5 minutes to get it light and fluffy. This dough needs to be tacky. Which means feel a little wet but not stick to your fingers. If it is sticky, add in 1/8 cup of flour at a time and mix. Continue until it is no longer sticky.
- Let rise for 1 hour- Let it rise for 1 hour for the yeast to start growing. Then, cover with plastic wrap and stick in the fridge overnight. Then, you can roll it in the morning.
Making The Dough By Hand
Making the dough by hand is easy to do! First, mix in all the wet ingredients and then pour in the flour. Use a rubber spatula to fold it together until a dough forms.
Next, place the dough on a lightly floured surface. Knead by hand for 10 minutes to form the gluten.
Then, follow up the rest of the instructions.
Rolling Out The Dough
Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface. Since it is cold, it take a few minutes. Roll out the dough about 1/4 inch thick.
Then, use a doughnut cutter to cut doughnuts out of the dough. You can also use a 3 1/2 inch biscuit cutter with a much smaller one for the center hole.
Save the center of the doughnuts for doughnut holes. Place all of these doughnuts on a cutting board and wrap in cling wrap. Then, let it rise for 2 hours. Since the dough is cold, it needs extra time to rise and warm up.
Frying The Doughnuts
About 20 minutes before the doughnuts are done rising, start heating the oil. Place the oil in a large pot. The pot needs to have high sides to hold all the oil.
Use a thermometer that clips to the side of the pot to judge how hot the oil is. The oil needs to be 350F before frying the doughnuts. I had the heat on medium. Watch the heat, if it gets too cold or too hot, then it won’t cook the doughnuts right. It is okay if it is 10 degrees both ways, but watch if it goes more than that.
Place the doughnuts in the hot oil and cook about 1 minute per side. Watch until the sides becomes lightly golden and then flip the doughnuts.
Once the doughnuts are done cooking, place on a cooling rack with paper towels to soak up the oil.
Topping The Doughnuts
As soon as you are done cooking all the doughnuts, heat the butter until it is melted.
Place the butter in 1 bowl and the cinnamon sugar in another bowl. Dip both sides of the cinnamon sugar doughnut in the butter and place in the cinnamon sugar bowl. Rub both sides of the doughnut in the sugar.
Storing The Doughnuts
Unfortunately, the doughnuts don’t do as well after a few hours. They are best fresh! When they sit, the doughnut becomes more chewy. If you would like to store these cinnamon sugar doughnuts, cover them loosely in foil. They will only last that way for 1 day.
Other Breakfast Recipes To Try
Make sure to tag me on Instagram @stephaniesweettreats and leave me review below if you made these doughnuts, I hope you loved it! To get more ideas follow me on Pinterest.
Cinnamon Sugar Doughnuts
Ingredients
Dough
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/4 cup White granulated sugar
- 2 1/4 tsp Fast rise yeast a whole packet
- 1/2 tsp Pure vanilla extract
- 4 TBSP Unsalted butter melted
- 1 cup Milk warmed to 110°F
- 1 Large egg room temperature and slightly beaten
- 3 3/4 cup All-purpose flour
- 6 cups Oil canola or vegetable for frying
Topping
- 1/2 cup Unsalted butter melted
- 1 cup White granulated sugar
- 2 tsp Ground cinnamon
Instructions
Dough
- In a large bowl, sift flour and set aside. Heat butter in the microwave until melted. Let sit for 4 minutes to slightly cool. Heat milk in the microwave for 1 minute until 110°F. Too hot or too cold milk can either kill or slow the yeast.
- Use a stand mixer, and mix salt, sugar, yeast, vanilla, beaten egg, milk, and butter together. Switch to a dough hook and add in all of the flour.
- Mix on low until a dough forms. Switch to medium and let it knead the dough for 5 minutes. Halfway through check to see how sticky the dough is. It should be tacky and not sticking to your fingers. Add 1/8 cup of flour at a time until it is no longer sticky.
- Place dough ball into a large mixing bowl sprayed with nonstick spray. Cover with cling wrap and let it rise for 1 hour. Transfer to the fridge and let chill overnight.
- Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface until it is 1/8-1/4 inch thick. Use a doughnut cutter (about 3 1/2 inch diameter biscuit cutter) and cut out doughnuts. You can re roll the dough once to get more doughnuts. Save the centers of the doughnuts for doughnut holes.
- Place the doughnuts on a cutting board or a sprayed cookie sheet. Wrap in cling wrap. Let rise for 2 hours.
- Heat oil in a deep pot over medium. Heat until oil is 350°F. Use a thermometer to watch the temperature the whole time. It should be right at 350°F.
- Fry 2 doughnuts at a time. Cook them 1 minute per side. Heat until each side is lightly golden. I used a metal spatula to flip them. Once done. Try to drip off as much oil as you can. Place on a cooling rack lined with paper towel to soak up the oil. Let the oil get back to 350°F before frying the next batch.
Topping
- Let the doughnuts cool slightly. Prepare one bowl with melted butter and another bowl with sugar and cinnamon. Dip each doughnut and doughnut holes in melted butter and coat in cinnamon sugar. Place back on cooling rack. These are best enjoyed fresh!
Kavya Pinto
Hi Stephanie,
I want to try this recipe. Can I use dry yeast for this? You have mentioned fast rise yeast. Not sure what’s the difference.
Thank you
Stephanie Rutherford
Yes you can use the dry yeast! At my grocery store they have an active/fast rise yeast that I used. Use the whole packet.