Donuts

A donut is a fried (or occasionally baked) dough ring or disc, and the category splits into two fundamentally different doughs: yeast-raised donuts, which are light and airy from proofed dough, and cake donuts, which use baking powder for a denser, tighter crumb that holds up better to glazes and toppings. Old-fashioned donuts are a cake-donut variant with a craggy, cracked surface from being fried at a slightly lower temperature. All three are typically fried in oil around 350-375°F for one to two minutes per side.

Varieties

Yeast-raised donuts (glazed rings, filled Berliners, Boston cream) use a proofed, leavened dough and fry up light and airy. Cake donuts use chemical leavening instead of yeast, giving a denser, more cake-like crumb that's common in donut holes and drive-through chains. Old-fashioned donuts are a cake donut fried slightly cooler so the batter cracks on the surface, creating a crisp, craggy texture. Beignets and fritters are related fried doughs but aren't technically donuts since they skip the ring or disc shape.

Buying tips

Choose donuts that feel light for their size rather than dense or greasy to the touch; excess oiliness usually means they were fried at too low a temperature. At a bakery counter, ask what came out of the fryer most recently, since donuts sitting under a heat lamp for hours lose their texture fast.

Substitutes

• Beignets or fritters — 1:1

  Close in texture to yeast-raised donuts since both are fried dough, though beignets are unglazed and square rather than ringed.

• Muffins or quick bread, for bread pudding or French toast bake recipes — 1:1 by weight

  Works as a stand-in when a recipe uses stale donuts as the bread base; muffins have a similar crumb density once dried out.

• Croissants, for bread pudding — 1:1 by weight

  Richer and flakier than donuts, but the buttery layers soak up custard just as well in baked desserts.

• Store-bought biscuit dough, fried and rolled in sugar — 1:1

  A fast homemade approximation when no donuts or donut mix are available; fry rounds of biscuit dough 1-2 minutes per side.

Storage

Fresh donuts are best eaten within a few hours of frying. Store leftovers at room temperature in a paper bag or loosely covered container for up to 2 days; sealing them in plastic while still warm traps steam and turns them soggy. For longer storage, freeze in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 2 months, and thaw at room temperature before reheating in a 300°F oven for 3-5 minutes.

How to use

Beyond eating them plain, day-old donuts work well cubed into bread pudding, torn up for a French toast casserole, or split and grilled for an ice cream sandwich base. Glazed donuts also stand in for cake layers in donut-tower desserts, and old-fashioned donuts hold together best for dipping in coffee since their denser crumb doesn't disintegrate as quickly.

What it pairs with

Yeast-raised glazed donuts pair well with black coffee or cold brew, since the bitterness cuts the sugar. Cake donuts, especially chocolate or spiced varieties, work well with milk or a lightly sweetened latte. Old-fashioned donuts are traditionally dunked directly into coffee.

Nutrition

A standard glazed yeast donut runs roughly 250-300 calories and 12-15 grams of fat, largely from the frying oil and glaze sugar; cake donuts with icing or filling can run higher, closer to 350-450 calories, due to their denser dough absorbing more oil during frying.

FAQ

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