Krispy Kreme Doughnut Recipe (Copycat) — Light and fluffy donuts topped with a rich glaze will melt in your mouth. Tastes as good as the store-bought Krispy Kremes!
Raise your hand if you have ever waited in line for a Krispy Kreme doughnut. Now, raise two hands if you’ve passed Krispy Kreme and had to make a U-Turn when you see the green neon sign say “HOT NOW”! I have to admit I’ve done both. Don’t feel guilty about it and I even got in trouble for it.
Yes, I was late for work that day, but guess what? My boss didn’t seem upset after I handed him some Krispy Kreme doughnuts.
I had to bribe him.
But wait, can you believe I still got dinged for it! Even after he gobbled down almost half a dozen. Bummer!
There is nothing quite like biting into a warm Krispy Kreme donuts- It melts in your mouth, leaves you wanting more and more. I have to muster every will power in me to stop at two. But to date, it has been an impossible task.
I don’t know what is it about these doughnuts.
Is it the definite crackle from the doughnut?
or the melt in the mouth sensation you get
or just maybe the fact that it is deep-fried.
Your guess is just as good as mine
Whatever it is, nothing tempts me more like a Krispy Kreme doughnut. That is why when I came across this doughnut, I decided to give it a try.
I know what you’re thinking, what is the point of making these at home when the store bought version is cheap and good. I find these curiously satisfying to make at home.
This is going on the menu for Father’s Day Weekend. I know hubby and mini hubby would be thrilled!
Although they may look unprofessional and uneven, they do have an edge compared to the store-bought version.
If you can make a cake you can make these. They’re not that difficult to make. You can even make it without a mixer.
ENJOY!!!!
Watch How To Make It
This recipe was originally posted in November 2013 and has been updated with new photos and, recently, with a video.
Light and fluffy donuts topped with a rich glaze on top that will melt in your mouth. Tastes as good as the store-bought Krispy Kremes!
- 2 packs 1/4 ounce packages yeast or 4-½ teaspoon yeast
- 1/3 cup water 105-115F / 40-46C
- 1 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup (75 grams) butter or shortening , melted
- 5 cups all-purpose flour
- Canola oil for frying
- ½ cup butter melted
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoon vanilla
- 5-7 tablespoons evaporated milk
-
In a standing mixer, combine lukewarm water and yeast. Let it sit until dissolve for about 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile in a microwave safe medium bowl, heat milk for about 2 minutes. Remove and let it cool.
- Add, milk, sugar, salt, eggs, shortening or butter and 2 cups of flour to bowl of yeast.
- Mix for 2 minutes at medium speed. Add the remaining 3 cups of flour and continue mixing dough. Scraping down sides.
- Place dough in a large greased bowl. Cover loosely with a clean clothe and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for about 1 to 2 hours or until doubled.
- Roll dough out on a floured surface to about 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into doughnuts using a donut cutter or cookie cutter about one 1-inch and one 3 or 4-inch .Let stand for about 10 minutes.
-
In a large sauce pan, pour vegetable oil until it is at least 3 inches (or about 5 centimeters) high and place on medium heat until oil is 375 degrees.
- Carefully drop doughnuts into hot oil, only a few at a time. Fry, turning once, for about 3 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on prepared paper towels.
- In a microwave safe bowl melt the butter.
- Remove and stir in powdered sugar and vanilla extract until everything comes together
- Then evaporated milk (or sub water) until you have reached desired consistency
- Dip doughnuts in glaze and let it drip on the rack.
TIPS AND NOTES
- In order for your these doughnuts to be airy, they have to double in size by rising. So be patient with it. It might take more than the recommended hours. It all depends on the temperature inside your kitchen.
- If the dough is too difficult to handle, place in the fridge for about 30 minutes before cutting them out. DO NOT add more flour.
- Key factor here is the oil temperature, too low and they’re going to soak up a tons of oil, so make sure it is warm enough, about 360 degrees. It’s better to add doughnuts to slightly warmer-than-desired oil, the dough usually brings down the oil temperature a few degrees, than to cool oil.
- For best results get a reliable candy/deep-fry thermometer, equipped with a clip – helps stick to a pot. It’s readily available at most grocery stores and chain retailers for around $10.
- When doughnuts are fried, place on a cookie rack so they can drain for a few minutes before placing on paper towel.
- For the glaze, add small amounts of water or milk as you mix until you get the right consistency. This helps prevent lumps and/ or runny glaze
- You can alternatively roll in sugar. Do so immediately after removing from the fryer If you are going to sugar your doughnuts, be sure to roll them in sugar quickly after they’re fryer to ensure the sugar sticks to the doughnuts.
Recipe adapted here
In a standing mixer, combine lukewarm water and yeast. Let it sit until dissolve for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile in a microwave safe medium bowl, heat milk for about 2 minutes. Remove and let it cool.
Add, milk, sugar, salt, eggs, shortening or butter and 2 cups of flour to bowl of yeast. Mix for 2 minutes at medium speed. Add the remaining 3 cups of flour and continue mixing dough. Scraping down sides.
Place dough in a large greased bowl. Cover loosely with a clean clothe and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for about 1 to 2 hours or until doubled. Roll dough out on a floured surface to about 1/4 inch thickness.
Cut into doughnuts using a donut cutter or cookie cutter about one 1-inch and one 3 or 4-inch. Let stand for about 10 minutes.
In a large, sauce pan pour vegetable oil, until it is at least 3 inches (or about 5 centimeters) high and place on medium heat until oil is 375 degrees. Carefully drop doughnuts into hot oil, only a few at a time. Fry, turning once, for about 3 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on prepared paper towels.
Donut Glaze: In a microwave safe bowl, melt the butter. Remove and stir in powdered sugar and vanilla extract until everything comes together. Then evaporated milk (or sub water) until you have reached desired consistency. Dip doughnuts in glaze and let it drip on the rack.
Hi. You don’t say that it has to be melted butter and I put it direct from the cup. My dough is dry and I don’t know if they’ll be ok or it’s damage
These look so amazing! Question…if I want to cut the recipe in half (because I know if I make that many donuts I will eat them all and I can’t do that to myself LOL), how would I do it? Do I just halve everything in the recipe, even the water and the butter and all of that?
Hi Sara,
I hear you ! Yes just cut everything in half and follow the instructions
First. I’d like to say I love your mandazi recipe! I made it so many times! I am craving for soft, pillowy donuts and came across your donut recipe. I followed the recipe but unfortunately it’s too sticky! I have tried adding flour (several heaped tablespoons already) but it’s still very sticky. I am afraid to add more flour as it may harden the donut. What might have gone wrong?
I used the handheld mixer amd turned out the dough became very lousy and thin.
what do i do now?
Mix by hand and add a little flour to make it manageable
hi, quick question: I’m a lil embarrassed to admit I don’t own a stand mixer lol do u knw if it can be done with handheld mixer or the outcome?
Hi Tijuri, Don’t be embarrassed. We are all learning here. Use your hands instead. Handheld mixer would not do the job made for dough mixing . At least the ones I use.
Hope this helps.
Agreed. Use hands. Worked at an amish bakery back in the day. Thats what we did. Gloved of course.
Hello, nevermind I saw that we can sub with water. I look forward to making recipe.
AMAZING! Simply PERFECT donuts!
Having lived in the Us and now living in Argentina, ive NEVER in 11 years found a donut like the krispy crram i used to have.
Thank you for the flashback!!
Do we hv to use evaporated milk? Can we replace it with something
These turned out every bit as good as the almighty Krispy Kreme’s themselves- my first time making them at home and they were a major success!! Added more vanilla to glaze and they were sweet perfection- will forever be a staple in our diets now!!
WooHoo!!! So happy to hear this.
Hi, I was wondering if I can it would be fine to not cut holes in the donuts and instead just shape them and after frying fill them with desired filling?
Hello Zeenat,
Yes that would work out just fine . Happy cooking !!!
thanx for amaaazing recipe can i use oil instead of butter
It’s best to use butter, oil doesn’t have as much flavor as butter – you would be comprising the taste.
Hi…I was wondering do you used unsalted butter or salted butter and also what type of yeast do you use….
Hi Rachel. I used unsalted butter, that way I could control the amount of salt that goes into the recipe. And I also used rapid rise yeast. Do let me know how it turns out for you. Happy Cooking!
Hi Imma
I just wanna let you know that these are magic.
I brought them to a pot-luck style dinner and everyone wanted to know who had made them … and I had so many people ask for the recipe afterwards.
I make these all the time now, and all my friends think im some kind of wizard … i dont tell em how easy they are to make!
thanks so much … this recipe has made me far more popular than i would otherwise be 😉
Woohoo! Congrats, girl! So happy how this recipe turned out for you. They are indeed easy to make.
hi can i know what type of egg did u use? A or B?
Can I make the dough ahead and keep in the refrigerator? Would I do that after the proof or before?
Yes you can. You would do that after the proof.
I want to try out , but have instant yeast , how do I go on about it . And does the measurements change as well?
Hi Ruth,
It’s same instructions , same measurements.
Thanks,these are my best doughnuts yet.
Hi, these doughnuts look super good …. i was wondering if they can be made with gluten free flour.
Sorry , I’ve only tried this with regular (all purpose)) flour .So I can’t say for sure .