Who doesn’t love a donut, am I right?
I mean I guess maybe you could dislike donuts, but I am really going to need you to explain, because I am confused!
I grew up eating Krispy Kreme in a small town where every weekend someone would stand at a stop light selling Krispy Kremes as a band, camp, church, footballs, whatever fundraiser! You could always get boxes of red light intersection donuts. Does anyone else know what I am talking about? It was a thing, and I didn't hate it! My parents were far more willing to buy us a box of donuts if it benefited our high school marching band.
So after going vegan my heart was broken to never again get to pull up to a Krispy Kreme when the HOT sign was lit. I could never again dress my kids up for Krispy Kreme’s Pirate day and get a free donut. I was SAD.
Now don’t lecture me about how they are not good for you. I am perfectly aware. But they are delicious and sometimes it’s ok to eat a bad for you thing. It’s not like I am only eating donuts and hate vegetables.
But no matter what, I could not live in a donut-less world. I would not!
So I set out to make a perfectly glazed vegan yeast donut that would make me no longer miss Krispy Kreme every time I drove by and saw the HOT light shinning and taunting me.
And I did! These donuts are the best vegan yeast donuts I have had. Not to toot my own horn, but it’s the truth. If you don’t believe me, then make a batch and see for yourself! Are there better glazed vegan donuts out there somewhere? Maybe, I have not found them where I live. I am always on the hunt for vegan donuts where we travel. I want all the donuts, all the time. But, seriously there is no need to search the internet high and low for a better recipe if you want to make them on your own. This one is perfect.
You can glaze them, dip them in chocolate, cover them in powdered sugar, dip them in coconut. Whatever your little donut loving heart desires. We have even covered them in vegan maple bacon, and filled them with jelly for Hanukkah.
So, may all you vegan donut dreams come true, now! Mine sure have. And we no longer have to be sad when passing a school fundraiser at an intersection selling boxes of Krispy Kreme. I still might hand them a 5 and pass on the donuts. After all they are just trying to go band camp.
INGREDIENTS:
The Donuts
4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cups aquafaba (we are using and measuring the whipped product, not the liquid, follow link for instructions)
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons melted vegan butter
1/4 cup sugar
2 and 1/4 teaspoon dry active yeast
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons plant based milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
2-3 cups of oil for frying, I use grapeseed but you could use whatever oil you normally fry with
The Glaze
3 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup melted vegan butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup plant based milk, give or take
COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:
Heat milk in microwave for 30 - 45 seconds. You want it warm, but not boiling hot.
Add the warm milk, yeast, and sugar to the bowl of your stand mixer. If you do not have a stand mixer, add the contents to a large bowl. Let sit for 5 minutes to activate the yeast.
After 5 minutes add the aquafaba, and melted butter to the mix. Next add the flour, and salt, and mix for 5 minutes on medium speed if using the stand mixer. If not using a stand mixer, then mix the ingredients together well in a bowl, then transfer to a floured counter top, and kneed the dough by hand for 5 minutes. The consistency of the dough should be soft, but not sticky.
After the dough has been kneaded, place it in a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Pop it in the oven. You are NOT turning the oven on, just leaving it there to rise. If your oven has a dough proof setting you can turn that on. Leave dough to rise for one hour, or until it has doubled in size.
Once the dough has finished rising, transfer to a lightly floured countertop. I like to divide the dough in half and work it in two batches. It makes it easier to roll out. Roll out one half of the dough to about 1/4 inch thick. Using a 3 inch circle biscuit or cookie cutter (or donut cutter if you have one) begin cutting circles. You will need to find something small to cut the center out with. We used the lid to our vanilla extract. Roll back out the scrap dough and continue cutting. Repeat with other half of dough. You should have a total of 2 dozen donuts.
Place donuts on cookies sheets, and let rest for about 15 - 20 minutes. They will become bigger as they rest.
While they are resting, heat 2 - 3 inches of oil in a deep skillet or medium sized pot.
Once oil is hot, begin adding the donuts to the oil, 2 or 3 at a time. Fry the donuts for about one minute on each side. If you don't have enough oil in the pan, and they are hitting the bottom, they will easily burn. So make sure to use enough oil!
Allow donuts to cool on a wire cooling rack, placed on top of a paper-towel-lined cookie sheet.
Once all donuts are done frying, mix all of the ingredients for the glaze. If you find the glaze too thick, you can always thin it with some more milk.
Dip one side of the donut in the glaze and place back on the wire rack to allow the excess glaze to drip off.
It will only take a few minutes for the glaze to set, and for you to be stuffing your face with delicious glazed donut perfection!
Yields two dozen donuts.
