🍩 Homemade Soft & Fluffy Sugar Doughnuts

Ingredients
For the dough:
3 ½ cups (440 g) all-purpose flour
2 ¼ teaspoons (7 g) active dry yeast
¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
¾ cup (180 ml) warm milk
2 large eggs, room temperature
4 tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter, softened
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For frying:
4–5 cups vegetable oil, as needed
For coating:
½ cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar, optional
👩‍🍳 Instructions
Activate the yeast:
Add the warm milk, yeast, and 1 teaspoon of the sugar to a small bowl. Stir gently and let it sit for 5–10 minutes, until foamy.
Make the dough:
In a large bowl, combine the flour, remaining sugar, and salt. Add the eggs, vanilla, and activated yeast mixture. Mix until a soft dough forms.
Add the butter:
Add the softened butter gradually while kneading. Knead for about 8–10 minutes, until the dough becomes smooth, soft, and slightly elastic.
First rise:
Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let it rise in a warm place for approximately 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 doughnuts using a round cutter, then cut the centers with a smaller cutter.
Second rise:
Place the shaped doughnuts on parchment paper. Cover loosely and let them rise for another 30–45 minutes, until noticeably puffy.
Heat the oil:
Heat vegetable oil in a deep, heavy-bottomed pot to approximately 350°F (175°C). Keep the temperature steady so the doughnuts cook evenly without becoming too dark.
Fry:
Carefully place a few doughnuts into the hot oil. Fry for about 1–2 minutes per side, turning once, until beautifully golden brown.
Drain:
Remove the doughnuts with a slotted spoon and place them on a wire rack or paper towels to remove excess oil.
Coat with sugar:
While they are still slightly warm, dust generously with powdered sugar or gently toss them in a mixture of powdered sugar and granulated sugar.
💡 Helpful Tips
Don’t make the milk too hot, or it can affect the yeast.
Avoid adding too much flour—the dough should remain soft and slightly tacky.
Keep the frying temperature around 350°F/175°C for an even golden color.
Fry in small batches so the oil temperature doesn’t drop too much.
For extra indulgence, fill the finished doughnuts with vanilla pastry cream, chocolate, Nutella, or strawberry jam.