Tweaked Raised Doughnut Recipe

Lately I’ve been working with a bakery here in Kentucky on their yeast doughnuts. With so few doughnut shops in the world making doughnuts from scratch, it’s a privilege to help a startup operation do it the new-old-fashioned way.

The whole process had made me realize that I really needed to streamline my own recipe, since it’s a little too fussy, with one or two unnecessary steps. Basically I reduced the egg white and yeast a bit, then eliminated the chilling step since it only draws an already long process out. I was surprised that when I made some for the Pastry clan this morning (Labor Day doughnuts are a tradition here) they were even lighter and eggy-er than my original version. Try them here.

13 thoughts on “Tweaked Raised Doughnut Recipe”

  1. Looks like the ingredient list has disappeared? Don’t see it in this post or the last one. A shame- I’d like to make these!

  2. Your original doughnut posts were what first drew me to your site! I’ll have to try them again now 🙂

  3. Joe,

    What about if you are not using instant yeast? How long should the sponge be kept for fermenting before refrigeration?

    1. Hey Theresa!

      You’re using a starter to make raised doughnuts? Why not? Nice idea, actually. If you’re using a starter you don’t need to let it ferment at room temperature so long as it’s well-fed and active. I still would recommend making the actual dough with commercial yeast — i.e. “spiking” it — so you get the lightness people expect in a raised version.

      Thanks for the great comment…very though-provoking!

      – Joe

  4. Hi such wonderfully delious light donuts, i am sooooooooo glad I stumbled upon your reciepe my family loved them.. Thing is I love baking and I have come into a small fund and would like to open up a donut shop, can you point me in the direction of whrer to get large batch recipe or how to up the recipe to make up to a 100 donuts. any advise you might have as to equipment and supplies would be welcome you have such vast knowledge , THKS

    1. Hi Lola!

      I made doughnuts professionally myself, and I can say they can be quite tricky to master since they’re so sensitive to temperature. But go for it if you have the bug!

      For gear, I’d go used as much as possible. Belshaw pretty much has a lock on the industry, but you can sometimes find pieces of equipment used. If you live anywhere near Chicago go to Baden Baden kitchen equipment as they specialize in used bakery and doughnut gear.

      Regarding the recipes, both of my recipes are used commercially in various spots around the globe…you can scale them up or down as needed. No changes necessary except for the amount of nutmeg, which should by increased by only about a third every time you double the recipe.

      Get in touch with any more questions as I know this topic quite well!

      – Joe

  5. hi Joe – please email me at everyday grace@me.com – we are opening a shop and would love to see how much a consultation visit would be ?
    thank you so much JOe

  6. Hi joe, where is recipe 2? Also how long do these doughnuts last in box at room temperature? (Before they become stale)

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