Homemade Red Velvet Glazed Donuts are light, fluffy, and flavorful. Cut into heart shapes, fry until golden brown, and coat with a sweet vanilla glaze. They are a perfect indulgence, especially on Valentine’s Day! Keep reading for a step-by-step tutorial and discover how you can make Homemade Red Velvet Glazed Donuts.
Make these for Valentine’s Day, a lazy weekend breakfast in bed, and, really, any time you’re craving donuts!
You’ll be happy to know that you may already have most of these ingredients in your pantry and fridge. How helpful, especially if you’re making these on a whim!
Donut Dough:
- whole milk
- white sugar
- light brown sugar
- yeast
- unsalted butter, melted
- eggs, room temperature
- red food coloring
- flour
- cacao powder (or cocoa powder)
- salt
- canola oil (for frying)
Glaze:
- salted butter
- vanilla
- powdered sugar
- milk or cream
How to Make Red Velvet Glazed Donuts
make the dough
Step 1: Warm the milk to about 105-110 degrees. Yeast is alive, so it will die if the milk is too hot. Use a thermometer if needed to achieve the right temperature. Add the milk to the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attached. Add the white and brown sugar. Mix at low speed until the sugar dissolves.
Step 2: Add the yeast and mix at low speed until incorporated. Turn off the mixer and let sit for about 5 minutes.
Step 3: Meanwhile, melt the unsalted butter. Allow the butter to cool yet not solidify. In a small bowl, lightly whisk the eggs. Add the melted butter to the bowl with the eggs and lightly mix. Add the butter and egg mixture to the bowl of the stand mixer and mix at low speed.
Step 4: Add the red food coloring and lightly mix to incorporate.
Step 5: In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cacao powder, and salt. With the mixer is on low speed, add the flour and cacao mixture. Mix until incorporated.
Step 6: Switch out the paddle attachment for a dough hook. Knead dough for about 5 minutes.
Step 7: Turn off the mixer. Let the dough sit, or rest, in the bowl for about 10 minutes.
Step 8: Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 2 hours or overnight. Chilling the dough will help the butter firm up and is beneficial for the dough to roll out and hold its shape for cutting.
Roll & cut the donuts
Remove the dough from the refrigerator after it has chilled. Roll out onto a lightly floured surface to about ½ inch or ⅓ inch thick.
Use a donut cutter or cookie cutters to make the donuts and holes. (For this recipe, I used a 4-inch heart cookie cutter and a 2-inch heart cookie cutter for the hole.)
Transfer the cut donuts and holes to a lightly greased baking sheet(s). Cover and allow the dough to rise, approximately 1-2 hours (it depends on how warm it is in your house!) The donuts should double in size and be puffy.
MAKE THE GLAZE
Make the glaze prior to frying the donuts.
Melt the salted butter and add to a medium bowl. Add the vanilla and stir.
Add the powdered sugar, a cup at a time, stirring well before each addition. A paste will start to form. Add a dash of salt, if desired.
Add the milk to thin, one tablespoon at a time. The desired consistency should be similar to that of glue. You don’t want too thick of a glaze, though. You should be able to easily coat the donuts once they are fried.
FRY THE DONUTS
Heat a few inches of oil in a cast-iron skillet or fryer until the temperature reaches 350° F to 375° F. Use a thermometer to check the temperature of the oil.
If you have a cast-iron skillet, I highly recommend using it for the donuts!
Gently add the donuts to the oil. Fry about 3-4 donuts at a time, depending on your pan size. Try not to overcrowd the donuts so that they may cook evenly.
Fry the donuts for about 1-1 ½ minute on each side and about 30 seconds on each side for the holes. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a cooling rack.
Tip: Place paper towels underneath the cooling rack to collect any oil.
Repeat with remaining donuts and holes.
GLAZE THE DONUTS
While the donuts are still warm, dip the donuts in glaze and coat on both sides. Transfer to a cooling rack.
Tip: Place a sheet of parchment paper underneath the cooling rack to collect the drips from the glaze.
Makes approximately 18, 4-inch donuts and holes.
eat & enjoy
Without a doubt, these donuts taste the best when fresh. Serve warm or allow to cool.
However, I highly recommend eating them the same day. I don’t foresee that being a problem, though! 😉
Craving donuts? Me too!
Pin the recipe and make these fluffy and practically perfect Homemade Red Velvet Glazed Donuts!
Enjoy!
Red Velvet Glazed Donuts
Ingredients
Donuts
- 1 ⅛ cup whole milk warm, about 105°-110°
- ¼ cup white sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 ¼ tsp instant or active dry yeast (1 package)
- 2 eggs large, lightly beaten
- 10 tbsp unsalted butter (or ½ cup + 2 tbsp), melted
- 1 tsp red food coloring (or gel). as needed to achieve a red tint
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cacao powder (or cocoa powder)
- ½ tsp salt
- canola oil as needed; (for frying)
Glaze
- ½ cup salted butter melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3-4 cups powdered sugar
- 3-6 tbsp milk or as needed, to thin
- dash salt
Instructions
Make the Dough
- Warm the milk to about 105°-110°. Add the milk to the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Add sugars. Use a paddle attachment and mix until sugar is dissolved.
- Add yeast. Mix until incorporated. Let sit, or rest, for 5 minutes.
- In a small bowl, combine lightly beaten eggs and melted butter. Add to the mixing bowl and stir to combine.
- Add the red food coloring or gel, about 1 tsp. Mix.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cacao powder, and salt.
- While mixer is on low speed, add the flour and cacao mixture. Mix until incorporated.
- Switch to a dough hook and knead for about 5 minutes. Turn off the mixer and let the dough sit, or rest, in the bowl for about 10 minutes.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 2 hours or overnight. (Chilling the dough will help the butter firm up and is beneficial for the dough to roll out and hold its shape for cutting.)
Roll & Cut the Donuts
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator after it has chilled. Roll out onto a lightly floured surface to about ½ inch or ⅓ inch thick.
- Use a donut cutter or cookie cutters to make the donuts and holes. (For this recipe, I used a 4-inch heart cookie cutter and a 2-inch heart cookie cutter for the hole.)
- Transfer the cut donuts and holes to a lightly greased baking sheet(s). Cover and allow the dough to rise, approximately 1-2 hours. The donuts should double in size and be puffy.
Make the Glaze
- Melt the salted butter and add to a medium bowl. Add the vanilla and stir.
- Add the powdered sugar, a cup at a time, stirring well before each addition. A paste will start to form.
- Add the milk to thin, one tablespoon at a time. The desired consistency should be similar to that of glue. You don't want too thick of a glaze, though. You should be able to easily coat the donuts once they are fried.
Fry the Donuts
- The donuts should be doubled in size. Heat a few inches of oil in a cast-iron skillet or fryer until the temperature reaches 350° F to 375° F. Use a thermometer to check the temperature of the oil.
- Gently add the donuts to the oil. Fry about 3-4 donuts at a time, depending on your pan size. Try not to overcrowd the donuts so that they may cook evenly. Fry the donuts for about 1-1 ½ minutes on each side and about 30 seconds on each side for the holes. Remove donuts from the oil with a slotted spoon when they are golden brown and transfer to a cooling rack.
- Repeat with remaining donuts and holes.
Glaze the Donuts
- While the donuts are still warm, dip the donuts in glaze and coat on both sides. Transfer to a cooling rack.
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