15-Minute Homemade Donuts

Published May 3, 2020. Updated November 6, 2020

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Homemade Donuts that taste like what you get at the local bakery, but you can make them at home in 15 minutes! This easy donut recipe is perfect for a quick weekend treat and it’s always sure to satisfy those sweet tooth cravings.

Looking for another tasty dessert? Try my homemade churros next!

Homemade donuts in a serving bowl. Two are bitten into to show texture of interior.

Easy Cake-Style Homemade Donuts

Bite size donuts (AKA Donut Holes) with a lightly crisp and golden brown, sugar coated exterior, and a soft and fluffy, tender interior. Just like an old fashioned cake donut but ready in a flash!

I made this easy donut recipe because who can resist a fresh donut? But how many of us actually want to put in all the typical effort of a homemade donut?

I’ve seen donut holes made with a store-bought biscuit dough but I’m all about the freshly made dough.

It’s a hundred times better and unbelievably easy. No mixer required, no kneading, rolling or cutting. Just a quick stir and shaping and they’re ready for frying!

Homemade Doughnuts Video

Donut holes in a bowl surrounded by flowers.

Topping Ideas

Then you can finish them as you like. I just go the sugar route but you can also cover them with:

  • vanilla donut glaze
  • chocolate icing
  • cinnamon sugar or pumpkin spice sugar
  • powered sugar

Ingredients used to make homemade donut holes

Donut Hole Ingredients

For this recipe you’ll only need 7 basic ingredients which you may already have. You’ll need:

  • All-purpose flour: I like to use unbleached flour but bleached will work fine too.
  • Baking powder: This helps the donuts puff up, don’t skip it.
  • Salt: Just use standard table salt. Nothing special here.
  • Buttermilk: I don’t recommend substitutes here, the milk and vinegar substitute isn’t quite thick enough.
  • Granulated sugar: You’ll add this to both the donut dough and use for rolling.
  • Melted butter: This adds a delicious flavor to the donuts. Stick with real butter.
  • Vegetable oil: Needed for frying.

Image showing steps to making easy homemade donuts dough and frying donuts.

How to Make Donuts From Scratch

  1. Preheat oil in a deep saute pan or pot over medium heat.
  2. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
  3. In a separate bowl or measuring cup, whisk together buttermilk and melted butter.
  4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until just combined.
  5. Gently roll dough into 1/2 tbsp size balls.
  6. Carefully place dough balls into the preheated oil (frying about half of them at a time) and fry until golden brown on both sides.
  7. Use a spider to transfer to paper towels, then let drain and roll in sugar.

Bowl full of fresh donut holes covered in cinnamon sugar.

How to Make Donut Glaze

If you’d like to cover the donuts in classic vanilla glaze* then you could mix (and spoon over):

  • 3/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp milk
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla

*For chocolate glaze just add 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder to the mixture above.

Does it Matter What Oil I Fry the Donuts in?

Yes, you should use a neutral flavored oil with a high smoke point. I recommend using vegetable oil when making these fried donuts.

Tips for the Best Easy Homemade Donuts

  • Use a deep fry thermometer to test oil temperature so donuts cook properly.
  • Don’t try to fry all the donut holes at once, otherwise you’ll lower the temperature of the oil and they won’t fry properly (they’ll start absorbing excess grease).
  • These homemade donut holes taste best rolled in sugar otherwise they aren’t sweet enough.
  • Fried donuts are best eaten the day prepared. The texture changes the next day and they start to dry out.

Close up image of donut holes coated in cinnamon sugar.

More Easy Donut Recipes to Try

 

16 Quick & Easy 30 Minute Recipes! (plus weekly recipe updates)

Homemade donuts in a serving bowl. Two are bitten into to show texture of interior.
4.68 from 108 votes

15-Minute Homemade Donuts

These homemade donuts taste just as good any cake donut you could buy at your local bakery but you can make them at home in just 15 minutes!
Servings: 35 donut holes
Prep13 minutes
Cook2 minutes
Ready in: 15 minutes

Ingredients

For Coating

Instructions

  • Pour about 1/2-inch oil into a large saute pan or pot and heat over medium heat to 355 degrees F. (keeping an eye on it as it is heating). Meanwhile prepare donut dough.
  • In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder and salt. 
  • Separately whisk together buttermilk and melted butter. Pour buttermilk mixture into flour mixture and using a fork, stir in dry ingredients and mix just until combine (be careful no to over-work dough).
  • Roll dough into 1/2 Tbsp balls. Once the oil has reached 355 degrees F, fry about 1/2 the dough balls at a time.
  • Fry until just golden brown on bottom, then flip and cook reverse side until golden brown.
  • Carefully remove with a spider strainer or metal tongs drain onto a paper towel lined baking sheet.
  • Pour 1/3 cup sugar into a dish, roll donuts in sugar. Repeat this process with remaining dough. 

Notes

  • *I usually use 1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp buttermilk since I'm in a drier climate so if needed add a little extra buttermilk to bring dough together.
  • **Cinnamon sugar, powdered sugar or a vanilla glaze are other great options for coating fried donuts.
  • Use a thermometer to take temperature of oil so donuts fry up properly.
  • Don't try to fry all the donut holes at once, otherwise you'll lower the temperature of the oil and they won't fry properly (they'll start absorbing the grease). 
  • These are best eaten within a few hours.
Nutrition Facts
15-Minute Homemade Donuts
Amount Per Serving
Calories 68 Calories from Fat 36
% Daily Value*
Fat 4g6%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Cholesterol 3mg1%
Sodium 30mg1%
Potassium 39mg1%
Carbohydrates 8g3%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 37IU1%
Calcium 17mg2%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition values are estimates only. See full disclaimer here.
  • Recipe originally shared January 31, 2012. Text, recipe and photos have updated May 3, 2020.

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490 Comments

  • D

    What can I substitute buttermilk with or what can I use if I don’t have any buttermilk

    • Jaclyn

      Jaclyn Bell

      Use 1/2 c milk minus 1.5 tsp, mixed with 1.5 tsp plain vinegar. Let it rest 5 minutes before using.

  • Atlas

    I must have done something wrong but the dough crumbled while frying and did not stay together.

    • Jaclyn

      Jaclyn Bell

      I’m sorry to hear this, it maybe just needed to be mixed a bit longer to bind everything together. Next time you may even find it helpful to add 2 Tbsp mixed egg then reduce buttermilk by 1 Tbsp.

  • Patrick McDowell

    Thank u for your receipt
    On how to make donuts in 15 minutes
    Im goong to try and make them tomorrow

  • Vanessa

    This was the best recipe for Doughnuts I’ve ever used! They tasted amazing and were so simple to make! Definitely going to keep making this recipe!

  • Janine

    Yummy bite-sized buttermilk cake donuts. Keys were to assure the oil is correct temp and not scoop more than 1/2 Tbsp. Super simple and great end result. I rolled them in a plate with granulated sugar for the first batch, granddaughter wanted pink crystal sugar for second batch, and daughter wanted pumpkin pie spice/cinnamon/sugar for the 3rd. Worked perfectly with all 3.

    We only had coconut oil available, so had to watch the temp carefully. First few were over-fried instantly with uncooked center. Had to adjust temp of oil to continue and the rest were golden brown.

    We also used lemon and milk to create buttermilk before starting and it turned out well. Was careful not to overmix the wet and dry together and it came together nicely.

  • Natalia

    Made this week, used regular milk. Dipped hot donuts in cinnamon and sugar. Absolutely delicious!