Soft and Fluffy Baked Donuts: A Healthier Homemade Treat

Ingredients

• ⅓ cup lukewarm water

• 50 g (1.75 oz) fresh yeast

• 1 teaspoon sugar

• 1½ cups milk

• 70 g (2.5 oz) butter or butter-flavored margarine

• ¼ cup sugar

• 2 eggs, lightly beaten

• 4½ cups flour

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 2 teaspoons nutmeg

For Serving:

• 50 g (2 oz) melted butter

• Cinnamon sugar mixture

• Powdered sugar

Instructions

Prepare the Dough

In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm water with 1 teaspoon of sugar. Cover with a towel and leave in a warm place for about 10 minutes, until the mixture becomes foamy and expands.

In a saucepan, melt the butter together with the milk, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and allow the mixture to cool until lukewarm.

In a large bowl, combine the eggs, sugar, and nutmeg. Add the activated yeast mixture and mix on low speed.

Gradually add the lukewarm milk mixture. (Be careful not to add it while it's too hot.)

Slowly add 2 cups of the flour and mix until the dough becomes smooth. The dough will be very sticky, so it is best not to handle it with your hands at this stage.

Cover the bowl with a towel and let the dough rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

At this point, you can choose between making round baked donuts in a muffin tin or classic doughnut rings.

For Round Baked Donuts

Generously flour your work surface.

Grease a muffin tin well with melted butter.

Transfer a portion of the dough onto the floured surface and coat it lightly with flour on all sides. Shape it into a ball approximately the size of a ping-pong ball.

Repeat with the remaining dough and place each ball into a muffin cup.

Cover the pan with a clean towel and let rise for an additional 30–40 minutes.

For Doughnut Rings

Transfer part of the dough to a generously floured work surface.

Flatten the dough with your hands to a thickness of just over 1 cm (about ½ inch).

Cut out large circles using a glass or cookie cutter, then cut a smaller circle in the center of each to create the classic doughnut shape.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and brush it with melted butter.

Place the doughnuts on the prepared baking sheet, cover with a clean towel, and let rise for another 30–40 minutes.

Baking Instructions (For Both Versions)

During the second rise, preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).

Bake the donuts for 10–20 minutes, watching carefully. Remove them as soon as they turn lightly golden.

Immediately brush the hot donuts with melted butter and sprinkle generously with a cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Allow them to cool slightly, then dust with powdered sugar while still warm.

If desired, fill the donuts after baking with jam, chocolate spread, vanilla cream, dulce de leche, or any filling you like.