Easy classic buttermilk doughnuts that you can fry up at home. Garnish the warm doughnuts with your choice of sweet butter glaze, cinnamon sugar, or powdered sugar.
There is something so magical about homemade donuts. Fresh fried sweet dough paired with a cup of coffee is so delicious and comforting.
We buy buttermilk with the intention of making buttermilk pancakes, buttermilk waffles, maybe some buttermilk biscuits. But for the ultimate special breakfast, grab the large pot and make some buttermilk donuts!
Buttermilk adds a hint of tang and sweet flavor to baked goods. It’s a unique taste profile that makes buttermilk so popular in both sweet and savory recipes.
These buttermilk doughnuts are soft and fluffy on the inside. The combination of buttermilk and baking soda creates a pillowy dough that fries up beautifully!
These quick, easy, no-yeast donut recipe is sure to become a family favorite.
Ingredients
For best results, measure ingredients by weight using a kitchen scale. Otherwise, if you prefer volume measurements, properly measure flour using the spoon and level method.
These donuts use baking staple ingredients: all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, eggs, and butter. In addition, you will need the following:
- Buttermilk: Grocery stores and supermarkets typically sell cultured buttermilk. It’s low-fat milk mixed with live cultures. Any kind of buttermilk (low-fat to full-fat) will work in this recipe.
- Baking Soda: Baking soda is mixed with buttermilk to help leaven the dough to create a light, fluffy texture. Baking soda also aids in taming the acidity of buttermilk.
- Ground Nutmeg: Nutmeg adds the iconic warm, slightly nutty flavor that is synonymous with buttermilk donuts.
- Fry Oil: Vegetable oil and shortening are the two most popular fry oils to use at home. Each have their pros and cons.
Note: Aim to use real buttermilk. However, in a pinch, you can make your own buttermilk by combining 1 cup milk with 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice or distilled white vinegar.
Recipe Variations
There are several ways to customize these buttermilk donuts to your liking.
First, decide on size and shape. The image above feature donut rings cut with this 3 1/2-inch doughnut cutter. Alternatively, you have use a 3.5-inch round cookie cutter paired with a 1-inch round cutter for the center. Choose to stamp out donut rings, donut holes, or donut squares (like Doughnut Plant)!
Second, choose the garnish or coating of your choice. This recipe includes three coating variations: powdered sugar (also known as confectioners’ sugar), cinnamon sugar, or sweet butter glaze. Of course, you may also keep the donuts plain!
Step-by-Step Instructions
Expert Tips for Working with Sticky Dough
- The dough will be rather tacky and sticky. Work on a generously floured surface and make sure to flour your cutter often to prevent sticking.
- Gather any scrape dough, knead together, and roll out again to punch out additional rounds.
- Brush off excess flour from the dough before dropping into the hot oil.
FRYING 101: Deep Fried Food Safety
- Maintain proper oil temperature: Keep the fryer oil between 350-365 degrees F. Oil may reach well over 400 degrees. DON’T let it get that hot!
- Oil is highly flammable. Do not let the oil get in direct contact with burner flames. Home kitchen should be equipped with a fire extinguisher. If a fire does flare up, DO NOT USE WATER to put out the fire. WATER will cause the oil to splatter and spread. Cover the pot with a lid or a large metal baking sheet.
- Carefully add foods to hot oil. DO NOT DROP food into hot oil. This will cause the hot oil to splatter and you may get burned. Instead, use a slotted spoon or stainless steel spider to gently submerge the food into the oil.
Serving Suggestions
As with most fried foods, these buttermilk donuts are best served the same day they are fried. Serve these warm, within a few hours of frying.
Never refrigerator and freeze fried donuts. If you really want to save leftover donuts for later, keep in a covered box at room temperature overnight.
Related Classic Donut Recipes
Buttermilk Doughnuts
Ingredients
Dough:
- ¾ cup granulated sugar, (150 g)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 large egg yolk
- ¾ cup low-fat buttermilk, (170 g)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, (57 g) melted
- ½ teaspoon baking soda, (3 g)
- 3½ cups all-purpose flour, (455 g)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder, (8 g)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, (3 g)
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- vegetable shortening or vegetable oil, for frying
Cinnamon Sugar:
- 1 cup granulated sugar, (200 g)
- 1 ½ Tablespoons ground cinnamon
Confectioners' Sugar:
- 2 cups confectioners' sugar, (226 g)
Sweet Butter Glaze:
- 3 cups confectioners' sugar, (350 g)
- 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, (85 g), melted
- 1 teaspoon light corn syrup, (6 g)
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- pinch kosher salt
- 6 Tablespoon hot water
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together sugar, eggs, and egg yolk until well combined.
- In a large measuring cup, whisk together buttermilk, melted butter, and baking soda. Let sit for 3-5 minutes to activate baking soda. Mixture will slightly rise. Pour activated mixture into mixing bowl with sugar-egg mixture. Beat together until well incorporated.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Add to mixing bowl. Mix on low speed until thorough there are no longer any dry streaks of flour. Scrape down sides of bowl as needed to ensure thorough mixing.
- Transfer sticky dough to a medium bowl. Cover and chill in the fridge for at least an hour, up to 24 hours.
- Attach candy thermometer to a large heavy bottomed pot (cast-iron or Dutch oven, preferred). Fill pot about 3-inches deep with fry oil or shortening. Set over low-medium heat to 375°F. Prepare dough while oil heats.
- Transfer dough to a floured work surface. Dough will be rather sticky. Lightly flour the top of dough and pat or roll dough to a thickness slightly less than ½-inch. Using a floured 3 1/2-inch doughnut cutter (or round cookie cutters), stamp out doughnuts. Transfer doughnuts and doughnut holes to baking sheet. Gather scrape dough, knead together, and re-roll to stamp out more doughnuts.
- Brush off any excess flour from the cut doughnuts. Carefully place about 3-4 doughnuts at a time into hot oil. Do not overcrowd the pot. Cook for 1 minute on each side, until golden in color. Cook doughnut holes for about 45 seconds on each side. Drain cooked doughnuts on wire rack or paper towel lined baking sheet. Keep an eye on candy thermometer and adjust head accordingly to maintain a constant cooking temperature.
- While doughnuts are still warm, toss in your choice of cinnamon sugar, powdered sugar, or sweet butter glaze. Enjoy immediately.
Cinnamon Sugar
- In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar and cinnamon until well combined.
Powdered Sugar
- Place unsifted confectioners' sugar in a medium bowl.
Sweet Butter Glaze
- Place confectioners' sugar in a medium bowl. Add in melted butter, corn syrup, vanilla, salt, and hot water. Stir until smooth.
Notes
- Use a candy thermometer to maintain proper cooking temperature.
- Use this 3 1/2-inch doughnut cutter, or a 3 1/2-inch round cookie cutter paired with a 1-inch round cookie cutter.
- Frying in shortening with result with a crispier doughnut. Cooked doughnut will also feel less greasy than oil fried doughnuts.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
With this se recipe how can it be baked in oven.
I wonder the same thing. Can these donuts be baked? Unfortunately my PCP says no more fried foods.
My Trigylicerides are too high. These sound like re@lly good doughnuts, like we ate in the pre Dunkin’/
Krispy Kreme Era made the US donut snobs. Your lthoughts please. MA from Boston, MA Happy Holidays.(my Email is all lower case)
Love donuts! One of my biggest weaknesses plus they taste so much better fried. Am I right? And I hear you on the working out part. The price you pay to satiate your sweet tooth!
I don’t know about the doughnuts in Seattle, but looks like you are on top of making some awesome contenders! Shortening all the way:) Cannot beat the texture.
Oooh, these donuts look incredible! I’m such a fan of fried ring donuts, so this is right up my street. I love that you served donuts at your wedding too!
Thanks so much! I’m a BIG donut fan :)