Vegan Donuts

There are two types of donuts: yeast donuts and cake donuts.

Yeast donuts are light, airy, and melt in your mouth. Think of warm Krispy Kreme donuts.

Cake donuts are basically cake batter shaped like donuts and baked in the oven.

This blog post shows you how to make the real deal: yeast donuts.

The recipe is relatively easy and made with very simple ingredients, but it does require you to make a dough, and it takes a couple of hours from start to finish.

If you need a simpler recipe that you can make in 30 minutes, try our cake donuts or chocolate glaze donuts instead.

Quantities are in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.

Flour

We recommend all-purpose flour. Substitute cake flour for all-purpose flour.

Milk

We use almond milk, but any milk works. You can substitute soy milk, oat milk, rice milk, or any other milk for almond milk.

Sugar

We use white sugar. Brown sugar works, too.

Vegan butter

Use melted vegan butter or neutral vegetable oil such as avocado, canola, or sunflower.

Yeast

We recommend instant dry yeast or active dry yeast.

We can recommend (not sponsored) Caputo dry yeast, Red Start active dry yeast, Red Star saf instant, and Dr. Oetker instant yeast.

Important: Avoid using rapid-rise instant yeast, as it is not good for preparations requiring second proofing. If the packet says rapid rise, it is not good.

Aromas

We add vanilla extract. For more aroma, try grated lemon or orange zest.

Glaze

You can dip the vegan donuts in cinnamon and sugar or glaze them with icing sugar mixed with a dash of plant milk.

US cups + grams measurements in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.

1. Make the Yudane

Add the flour measured for Yudane to a heat-proof bowl. Bring the milk to a boil and pour it over the flour.

Mix well with a spatula until you get a thick gel. Let the gel cool down in the fridge for 15 minutes.

Tip: Yudane, water roux, or tangzhong is a simple mixture of hot liquid and flour. This technique is a quick and effective way to add moisture, chew, and softness to a dough. It also helps the donuts keep moist for longer and it is especially effective in recipes without eggs and dairy.

2. Make the dough

Add the milk measured for the dough to a small container and warm it up for 10 seconds in the microwave until lukewarm.

Add the instant yeast and stir until dissolved.

Pour the milk-yeast mixture into a larger mixing bowl and add sugar, melted vegan butter, vanilla extract, and salt.

Stir until combined, add the flour and the yudane, and keep mixing until the liquids are absorbed.

Tip: If the yeast doesn’t dissolve, discard it and start with new yeast.

Transfer the mixture to a lightly floured worktop and knead with your hands for about 5 minutes. 

Try to add as little flour as possible while kneading the dough. The dough should not stick to your hands, but it should still be soft and not dry.

Now, shape it into a ball and transfer it to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a plate and put it to proof in a warm place for about 1.5 hours or until it doubles in volume.

Tip: If you prefer, you can use a stand mixer to make the dough, adding the ingredients in the same order.
Tip: We recommend putting the dough in a turned-off oven with the light on to create the perfect proofing temperature.

3. Shape the dough

Turn the bowl with the dough upside down and let the dough fall onto a clean worktop.

Lightly stretch the dough with your hands, then fold it from left to center, then right to center, then top to center, then bottom to center.

With the help of a rolling pin, roll out the dough to a thickness of about 1/2 inch or 1 cm.

Cut the dough into discs with a 3-inch or 8-cm pastry cutter. Then, make a hole in the center of the discs with a 1-inch or 2.5-cm cutter.

Transfer the donuts onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper.

If you want, you can do the same for the donut holes.

Put the leftover dough scraps back together, flatten them, and make more donuts until you run out of dough. You should get at least 12 donuts and 12 donut holes.

Cover with a cloth and let proof a second time for 30 minutes in a warm place before deep-frying or baking them.

How to cook vegan donuts in the oven?

Preheat the oven to 350°F or 180°C.

Brush the donuts with non-dairy milk and bake them in the middle rack of the oven, one tray at a time, for about 10 to 12 minutes, until lightly golden on top.

You can optionally dip them in plant milk and coat them with cinnamon sugar (which is sugar plus a teaspoon of cinnamon).

How to deep-fry vegan donuts?

Add the frying oil to a medium pot with medium-tall edges. Fill the pot with oil up to half its height.

Heat the oil to 340°F (170°C). Fry 2 to 3 donuts at a time.

Gently lower the donuts into the oil. Fry for about 40 seconds, then turn them around and fry for 40 more seconds. They should be golden brown on both sides.

When you take them out, let the oil drip, then transfer them onto a cooling rack or baking tray lined with kitchen paper. 

While the donuts are still warm, you can dip them in cinnamon sugar or glaze them.

To make a simple sugar glaze, stir powdered sugar with hot milk until you get a smooth white cream.

Dip the donuts in the glaze while both are still warm. Let it set on a cooling rack.