Glazed Old Fashioned Donuts

Glazed Old Fashioned Donuts

Make Glazed Old Fashioned Donuts at home: crisp edges, pillowy centers, and glossy glaze for a perfect weekend treat.

Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time4 minutes
Total Time34 minutes
Yield12

Ingredients

Instructions

Step 1: Combine the dry ingredients

In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda until evenly distributed. This is the base that gives the donuts their tender crumb—take a moment to fluff the flour with the whisk so you have a light, aerated mix ready to receive the wet ingredients.

Step 2: Cream sugar and fats, then add yolks

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat granulated sugar with the room‑temperature unsalted butter and vegetable shortening on medium‑high until smooth and slightly glossy. Add the three egg yolks and mix just until incorporated; you want a cohesive, satiny mixture without overworking it.

Step 3: Fold in sour cream and vinegar, then the flour mixture

Scrape down the bowl, add the sour cream and the splash of distilled white vinegar, and mix until homogenous. Add the flour mixture in two additions and mix on low until just combined—stop when there are no visible streaks of flour. The dough will be soft, slightly sticky, and heavy enough to hold shape when chilled.

Step 4: Chill the dough

Turn the dough into a lightly greased bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. Cooling firms the dough so it’s easy to roll and cut without spreading in the oil.

Step 5: Roll and cut the donuts

On a well‑floured surface press the chilled dough out to roughly 3/4" (about 2 cm) thickness. Use a donut cutter to stamp out rounds and holes, re‑shaping scraps and repeating until all the dough is used. Transfer the cut donuts onto a parchment‑lined tray and keep them chilled briefly if they’ve softened.

Step 6: Fry until golden and drain

Carefully transfer 2–3 donuts at a time into hot oil (heated to 375°F but not shown here) and fry until deep golden brown, about 2 minutes per side, flipping once. Remove the fried donuts with a slotted tool and place them on a wire cooling rack to drain and cool slightly; they should have crisp, slightly irregular edges, a warm golden surface, and a faint sheen of oil.


Step 7: Make the glaze

In a large bowl whisk the sifted powdered sugar with milk, corn syrup, vanilla and a pinch of salt until silky and pourable. The glaze should be thick enough to coat yet loose enough to show glossy drips—adjust with tiny splashes of milk to reach that perfect, clingy consistency.

Step 8: Glaze and assemble the final plate

Dip each warm donut into the glaze, letting excess drip back into the bowl, then transfer to a wire rack to set briefly. Arrange a few glazed donuts stacked and some overlapping on a shallow matte white ceramic plate so the glossy, slightly drippy surface, tiny sugar flecks and pillowy interior are clearly visible. Serve while still slightly warm for the best contrast of crisp edge and tender crumb.


Notes