🍩 European-Style Sugar Doughnuts — Soft, Fluffy & Golden

Ingredients
3 ½ cups (440 g) all-purpose flour
2 ¼ teaspoons (7 g) active dry yeast
¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup (180 ml) warm whole milk
2 large eggs
4 tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Vegetable oil, for deep frying
½–1 cup granulated sugar, for coating
Instructions
Make the dough:
In a large bowl, combine the warm milk, yeast, and 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Let it sit for 5–10 minutes, until slightly foamy.
Mix everything together:
Add the remaining sugar, eggs, vanilla, salt, and softened butter. Gradually add the flour and mix until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms.
Knead:
Knead the dough for about 8–10 minutes, until smooth and elastic. If it is extremely sticky, add a little flour, but don’t make the dough too stiff.
First rise:
Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1–1½ hours, or until doubled in size.
Shape the doughnuts:
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Roll it out to about ½ inch (1.2 cm) thick. Cut out circles and make a hole in the center. Place the doughnuts on a lightly floured tray.
Second rise:
Cover loosely and let them rest for 30–45 minutes, until noticeably puffy.
Fry:
Heat vegetable oil to 350°F (175°C). Carefully fry the doughnuts in batches for about 1–2 minutes per side, until beautifully golden brown.
Drain:
Remove them with a slotted spoon and place them on a wire rack or paper towels to drain excess oil.
Coat with sugar:
While the doughnuts are still warm, generously roll them in granulated sugar until completely coated.