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Switch up your usual breakfast with these delicious Homemade Glazed Vanilla Doughnuts. This recipe uses an easy sweet yeast dough that’s fried until golden, then coated in a smooth vanilla glaze. Served warm, they’re everything you want in a classic doughnut: soft, tender, and full of vanilla flavor.
We love all kinds of doughnuts — chocolate, jelly-filled, custard-filled, honey, lemon, and more — but there’s something unbeatable about a classic glazed vanilla doughnut. These remind me of the Fridays my mom and I spent grabbing doughnuts before school. When she suggested we try making them at home, I was thrilled, and the results were even better than I remembered. They’re sweet but not cloying, lightly flavored with vanilla, and stay fresh and soft.
Fried vs Baked Doughnuts – What’s the Difference?
Although both are called doughnuts, baked and fried doughnuts are different preparations. Baked doughnuts (also called cake doughnuts) are made from a cake-like batter and baked in a doughnut pan. Fried doughnuts are made from an enriched yeast dough that’s kneaded, allowed to rise, rolled, cut, and fried until light and airy.
Why These Are the Best Glazed Doughnuts
Highlights:
- Made from scratch. These doughnuts are homemade, so they taste fresher and more flavorful than store-bought options.
- Balanced sweetness. The dough and glaze are sweet enough to satisfy cravings without overpowering the vanilla flavor.
- Light, fluffy texture. The yeast-enriched dough produces a tender, airy crumb in every bite.
- Nostalgic comfort. They bring back the classic doughnut-shop flavor, but even better when made at home.
Best Ingredients to Use & Why
For the Doughnuts:
- All-Purpose Flour — Provides the right amount of protein for structure without being too heavy.
- Instant Yeast — Convenient and reliable; it mixes directly with dry ingredients. It’s ideal for enriched doughs.
- Baking Powder — Adds additional lift for a lighter texture.
- Granulated Sugar — Sweetens the dough without masking the vanilla.
- Kosher Salt — Enhances flavor and helps control the dough’s rise.
- Whole Milk — Adds richness and encourages browning thanks to higher fat content.
- Large Eggs — Contribute structure, moisture, and richness.
- Vanilla Extract — The primary flavor, used sparingly so it’s bright but not overpowering.
- Unsalted Butter — Adds tenderness and a clean, buttery flavor.
For the Glaze:
- Powdered Sugar — Creates a smooth, glossy icing that sets nicely.
- Whole Milk — Thins the powdered sugar into a silky glaze and adds a touch of richness.
- Vanilla Extract — The main flavoring for the glaze, enhancing the doughnut’s vanilla profile.
A Note on Yeast
This recipe uses instant yeast, which mixes directly with dry ingredients and does not require prior rehydration like active dry yeast. If you only have active dry yeast, you can use it instead — just proof it first in warm water according to the package instructions.
How to Make Glazed Doughnuts (In 5 Simple Steps)
Step 1: Prepare the dough
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, yeast, baking powder, sugar, and salt. With the mixer running, add the milk, eggs, vanilla, and butter. Mix on low for 1–2 minutes until combined. Switch to the dough hook and knead on medium for 8–10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Step 2: Proof and roll
Place the dough in a lightly oiled, covered container and let it rise for about 1 hour, or until roughly doubled. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, sprinkle the top with a little flour, and roll to about 1/2 inch thickness. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes to relax the gluten.
Step 3: Cut and fry
Cut doughnuts with a doughnut cutter and place them about 3–4 inches apart on parchment-lined pans lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Cover and let rise 15 minutes. While they rise, heat about 2 inches of vegetable oil in a large pot to 350°F (177°C). Fry doughnuts in small batches (2–3 at a time) for 1–2 minutes per side, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
Step 4: Make the glaze
Whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth and lump-free. Adjust the milk a teaspoon at a time to reach a dip-able consistency.
Step 5: Dip doughnuts
Dip each warm doughnut into the glaze, coating one side, then the other. Place glazed doughnuts on a wire rack to let excess glaze drip off and set.
This Dough Is Best for Frying
This dough was developed specifically for frying and yields a light, tender doughnut when cooked in oil. If you prefer baked doughnuts, try a recipe designed for baking — baked doughnuts use a different batter and will give different results.
FAQs
Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature. Cold ingredients can prevent butter from incorporating smoothly.
If the dough feels rough, it likely needs more kneading. If your mixer struggles, finish kneading by hand until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Rising can be affected by room temperature, the yeast’s freshness, or the dough’s enriched ingredients (sugar, eggs, milk) which slow fermentation. Try a warm spot for proofing or check that your yeast is active.
That usually means the oil was too hot. Use a reliable thermometer and maintain the oil at 350°F (177°C) for even cooking.
Yes. Cut rounds with a 3–4 inch cutter and fry as directed. After frying and cooling slightly, fill with jam, custard, or cream using a piping bag.
This recipe performs best when fried in oil. Air frying will produce a different texture that’s closer to baked bread than a traditional fried doughnut.
If you make these Homemade Glazed Vanilla Doughnuts, please leave a comment below — we love hearing from you. Tag us on social media with #BakersTable. Happy baking!
x, Caylie
Homemade Glazed Vanilla Doughnuts
Ingredients
Doughnuts
- 4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon instant yeast
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ⅛ cup granulated sugar
- 1¼ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1¼ cups whole milk
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup unsalted butter (softened)
- vegetable oil for frying
Glaze
- 4 cups confectioners sugar (sifted)
- ¾ cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Doughnuts
- In a stand mixer bowl, combine flour, yeast, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
- With the mixer running, add the milk, eggs, vanilla, and butter.
- Mix on low speed 1–2 minutes until combined.
- Switch to the dough hook and knead on medium 8–10 minutes until smooth.
- Place dough in a lightly oiled, covered container and allow to rise 1 hour.
- Turn dough out onto a floured surface, sprinkle with flour, and roll to ½ inch thick. Cover and rest 10 minutes.
- Cut doughnuts and place on parchment-lined pans lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Cover and let rise 15 minutes.
- While dough is rising, heat 2 inches of oil to 350°F (177°C). Fry doughnuts in small batches 1–2 minutes per side until golden. Drain on paper towels.
Glaze
- Combine confectioners sugar, milk, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth.
- Adjust consistency with small amounts of milk if needed so the glaze coats the doughnuts.
To Finish
- Dip cooked doughnuts into the glaze, coating both sides as desired.
- Place on a wire rack set over a pan to catch drips and allow glaze to set.
Notes + Tips
Once glazed and set, store doughnuts in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Reheat briefly in the microwave to revive freshness. You can also freeze doughnuts in a freezer-safe container or bag.
Tips for success:
- Use room-temperature ingredients so the butter blends in easily.
- Don’t skip the resting phase after rolling — it relaxes the dough and makes cutting cleaner.
- You can re-roll scraps, but avoid adding extra flour; these pieces may be less tender.
- Use a thermometer to keep oil at a steady 350°F (177°C).
- If your glaze has bubbles, the doughnuts may dry with small surface bubbles; whisk gently to minimize air.
- To glaze, dip the doughnut into the bowl and flip it with a fork or your fingers, then set on a rack to dry.
Tools You May Need
- Stand mixer with dough hook
- Dough rising container or bowl
- Doughnut cutter (or biscuit cutter)
- Large stock pot or deep pot for frying
- Oil thermometer
- Wire cooling rack and baking sheet
– Still Hungry? –
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Apple Bourbon Coffee Cake
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Quick & Easy Pumpkin Butter French Toast Bake
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Cinnamon Apple Butter Puff Pastry Tarts