Best Classic Jelly Doughnuts Recipes

JELLY DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. In a large bowl, combine milk, butter, 1/3 cup sugar, egg yolks, salt, yeast mixture and 3 cups flour; beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (do not knead)., Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes., Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead about 10 times. Divide dough in half. , Roll each portion to 1/4-in. thickness; cut with a floured 2-1/2-in. round cutter. Place about 1/2 teaspoon jelly in the center of half of the circles; brush edges with egg white. Top with remaining circles; press edges to seal tightly. , Place on greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes., In an electric skillet or deep-fat fryer, heat oil to 375°. Fry doughnuts, a few at a time, 1-2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Roll warm doughnuts in remaining sugar.

JELLY DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• Make the doughnuts: Add the first 6 doughnut ingredients to a large bowl and stir to combine.
• Add the flour and salt and stir (or mix with your hands) until the dough comes together (it will still be wet and sticky).
• On a well-floured surface, knead and shape the dough into a thick disk; transfer it to a bowl that's greased with oil or cooking spray and let it rest in a warm, draft-free area for 1 hour.
• On a well-floured surface, flatten the dough and roll it out into a 1/4-inch-thick disk. Use a 2-inch round cookie cutter to cut out as many circles of dough as you can. Transfer the circles to a 10-by-15-inch baking sheet that's lined with parchment paper and greased with oil. Collect the dough trimmings and form them into another ball; roll it into another 1/4-inch-thick disk, cut out more doughnuts, and transfer them to the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough.
• Let the dough circles rest in a warm, draft-free area for 1/2 hour. Then heat about 1 inch of oil in a high-sided skillet over medium-high heat until very hot but not smoking (365 to 375 degrees F).
• Working in batches, fry the doughnuts until they're golden brown on one side, then flip them and finish frying, about 3 minutes total. Transfer the doughnuts to a paper towel to drain.
• Fill and finish: Transfer some of the Concord Grape Jelly to a pastry bag or to a zip-top bag with a small hole cut from one corner. When the doughnuts have cooled completely, use a small knife to gently burrow from the side of the doughnut to the center. Insert the tip of the bag into the opening and pipe in as much filling as possible. Repeat with the remaining doughnuts and filling. Dust the doughnuts generously with powdered sugar, and sprinkle each with a small pinch of coarse salt.
• Combine the grapes, sugar, and water in a nonreactive pot. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat and cook, stirring often, until the grapes have broken down, 6 to 8 minutes. Place the cardamom pods and citrus-zest-strips in a piece of cheesecloth and secure it with twine; add the cheesecloth bundle to the grape mixture. Cool to room temperature and transfer the pot to the refrigerator overnight. Meanwhile, place 4 to 6 spoons (regular dinner is fine) in the freezer (you'll use them to test the jelly at the end).
• Press the chilled grape mixture through a coarse mesh strainer. Discard the seeds. Return the strained grape mixture to a clean nonreactive pot, along with the lemon juice. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat and cook until it begins to look shiny, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Test the jelly: Take one of the spoons from the freezer and place about 1/2 teaspoon of the grape mixture on it. Return the spoon to the freezer for 3 to 4 minutes. (Meanwhile, turn the heat to low and cover the pot so the mixture does not reduce further than necessary.) Remove the sample from the freezer and try spreading it; if it's not thick enough, uncover the pot, turn the heat back up to medium, and cook the grape mixture for another 5 minutes before testing a second sample using another frozen spoon. Continue this testing process until the jelly spreads smoothly. Let the jelly cool, then store it in the refrigerator.

JELLY DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• Bring milk to a simmer in a 1-quart heavy saucepan, then remove from heat and stir in granulated sugar and salt. Cool milk to lukewarm (about 90°F).
• While milk is cooling, dissolve yeast in warm water in a small bowl, stirring until creamy, then let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. (If yeast doesn't foam, discard and start over with fresh yeast.)
• Pour milk mixture into a large bowl and stir in 2 1/2 cups flour, 2 tablespoons oil, eggs, and yeast mixture with a wooden spoon to make a very soft dough. Spread 1 cup flour on work surface and put dough on top, scraping it from bowl with a rubber spatula. Knead dough, incorporating all of flour from work surface and adding just enough additional flour (if necessary) to keep dough from sticking, until smooth and elastic, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer dough to another large bowl and sprinkle lightly with additional flour, then cover bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let dough rise in a warm draft-free place until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Turn out dough onto a floured surface and roll out with a floured rolling pin until 1/2 inch thick. Cutout rounds with 2-inch cutter. Stretch 1 round to 2 1/2 inches and put 1 teaspoon jam in center, then stretch another round to 2 1/2 inches and use it to cover jam, pinching edges of rounds firmly together. (Pinching will stretch doughnuts to about 3 inches in diameter.) Make more jelly doughnuts in same manner.
• Cut through filled doughnuts with floured 21/2-inch cutter, rotating cutter several times to help seal edges. Transfer rounds to a floured kitchen towel, then reroll scraps (only once) and make more jelly doughnuts in same manner. (If dough shrinks after rerolling, let stand 10 minutes.) Cover doughnuts with another kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place 30 minutes.
• While doughnuts rise, heat 3 inches oil (about 10 cups) in a deep 4-quart pot until it registers 375°F on thermometer. Fry doughnuts 2 at a time, turning occasionally, until puffed and golden brown, about 2 minutes per batch. (Doughnuts will bob in oil; hold them half submerged with a slotted spoon to brown evenly.) Transfer as cooked to paper towels to drain. Serve warm, dusted with confectioners sugar.

JELLY DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• Heat the milk until it is warm but not hot, about 90 degrees. In a large bowl, combine it with the yeast. Stir lightly, and let sit until the mixture is foamy, about 5 minutes.
• Using an electric mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, beat the eggs, butter, sugar and salt into the yeast mixture. Add half of the flour (2 cups plus 2 tablespoons), and mix until combined, then mix in the rest of the flour until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Add more flour, about 2 tablespoons at a time, if the dough is too wet. If you're using an electric mixer, the dough will probably become too thick to beat; when it does, transfer it to a floured surface, and gently knead it until smooth. Grease a large bowl with a little oil. Transfer the dough to the bowl, and cover. Let rise at room temperature until it doubles in size, about 1 hour.
• Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface, and roll it to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut out the doughnuts with a doughnut cutter, concentric cookie cutters or a drinking glass and a shot glass (the larger one should be about 3 inches in diameter), flouring the cutters as you go. Reserve the doughnut holes. If you're making filled doughnuts, don't cut out the middle. Knead any scraps together, being careful not to overwork, and let rest for a few minutes before repeating the process.
• Put the doughnuts on two floured baking sheets so that there is plenty of room between each one. Cover with a kitchen towel, and let rise in a warm place until they are slightly puffed up and delicate, about 45 minutes. If your kitchen isn't warm, heat the oven to 200 at the beginning of this step, then turn off the heat, put the baking sheets in the oven and leave the door ajar.
• About 15 minutes before the doughnuts are done rising, put the oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, and heat it to 375. Meanwhile, line cooling racks, baking sheets or plates with paper towels.
• Carefully add the doughnuts to the oil, a few at a time. If they're too delicate to pick up with your fingers (they may be this way only if you rose them in the oven), use a metal spatula to pick them up and slide them into the oil. It's O.K. if they deflate a bit; they'll puff back up as they fry. When the bottoms are deep golden, after 45 seconds to a minute, use a slotted spoon to flip; cook until they're deep golden all over. Doughnut holes cook faster. Transfer the doughnuts to the prepared plates or racks, and repeat with the rest of the dough, adjusting the heat as needed to keep the oil at 375. Glaze or fill as follows, and serve as soon as possible.
• When the doughnuts are cool enough to handle but still warm, roll them around in a shallow bowl of granulated sugar to coat. Fill with your favorite jelly.

JELLY DONUTS

Steps:

• Whisk together flours. Combine water and milk in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough-hook attachment, then sprinkle yeast over top. Stir in 1 cup flour mixture. Cover with plastic wrap; let stand in a warm place until bubbling and doubled in volume, about 1 hour. Add egg and yolk, granulated sugar, salt, and remaining flour mixture. Beat on medium speed 3 minutes. Continue beating while adding butter, a few pieces at a time, beating to combine after each addition. When all butter has been added, keep beating until a shiny, sticky dough forms around hook, about 4 minutes more. Scrape down sides of bowl.
• Cover dough with plastic wrap. Let stand in a warm place until almost doubled in volume, about 1 hour. Refrigerate at least 8 hours and up to 24.
• Cut out 9 three-inch squares of parchment. Spray a baking sheet with oil; arrange parchment squares in a single layer. Spray parchment. Transfer dough to a lightly floured baking sheet; pat out 1/2 inch thick. Using a floured 2 3/4-inch round cutter, cut out about 9 rounds. Transfer to parchment squares. Drape with oil-sprayed plastic wrap and let stand in a warm spot until slightly more than doubled in bulk and very soft, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, pour oil into a large, deep, heavy pot, such as a Dutch oven, until it reaches 2 inches up side, leaving about 2 1/2 inches headroom. Clip a deep- fry thermometer to pot and heat oil over medium to 350 degrees to 360 degrees. Working in batches of 3 so as not to crowd pot, carefully use parchment to transfer donuts to hot oil and cook, flipping a few times, until puffed and golden brown all over, 2 to 3 minutes total for donuts (1 1/2 to 2 minutes for holes), maintaining oil temperature between 350 degrees and 360 degrees at all times. Transfer donuts to a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet; let cool completely.
• Fill a pastry bag fitted with a coupler and a Bismarck piping tip (such as Ateco #231) with jelly. Fill each donut with about 2 teaspoons jelly (it should puff slightly in center). Dust with confectioners' sugar.

JELLY DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• In a bread machine pan add the milk, water, beaten egg, melted butter, sugar, bread flour, salt, nutmeg, and yeast in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Set machine to the sweet dough cycle (see Editor's Note for using your stand mixer).
• Once the dough cycle is completed, turn the dough out onto a floured board and let it rest for 10 minutes.
• Roll the dough out to a 1/4-inch thickness. With a floured cookie cutter, cut into 2 1/2-inch rounds.
• Place 1/2 teaspoon jam or jelly in center of half of the rounds. Moisten edges with cold water; top with the remaining rounds, pinching edges together firmly. Place the sealed doughnuts on an greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise until doubled in a warm place, about 45 minutes.
• Heat oil in deep fryer to 375 degrees F (175 degrees C). Fry one layer of doughnuts at a time. Turn doughnuts as they rise to the surface until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from oil, being careful not to poke doughnuts. Drain onto paper towels and toss with sugar, if desired.

CLASSIC GLAZED DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• Heat the milk until it is warm but not hot, about 90 degrees. In a large bowl, combine it with the yeast. Stir lightly, and let sit until the mixture is foamy, about 5 minutes.
• Using an electric mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, beat the eggs, butter, sugar and salt into the yeast mixture. Add half of the flour (2 cups plus 2 tablespoons), and mix until combined, then mix in the rest of the flour until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Add more flour, about 2 tablespoons at a time, if the dough is too wet. If you're using an electric mixer, the dough will probably become too thick to beat; when it does, transfer it to a floured surface, and gently knead it until smooth. Grease a large bowl with a little oil. Transfer the dough to the bowl, and cover. Let rise at room temperature until it doubles in size, about 1 hour.
• Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface, and roll it to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut out the doughnuts with a doughnut cutter, concentric cookie cutters or a drinking glass and a shot glass (the larger one should be about 3 inches in diameter), flouring the cutters as you go. Reserve the doughnut holes. If you're making filled doughnuts, don't cut out the middle. Knead any scraps together, being careful not to overwork, and let rest for a few minutes before repeating the process.
• Put the doughnuts on two floured baking sheets so that there is plenty of room between each one. Cover with a kitchen towel, and let rise in a warm place until they are slightly puffed up and delicate, about 45 minutes. If your kitchen isn't warm, heat the oven to 200 at the beginning of this step, then turn off the heat, put the baking sheets in the oven and leave the door ajar.
• About 15 minutes before the doughnuts are done rising, put the oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, and heat it to 375. Meanwhile, line cooling racks, baking sheets or plates with paper towels.
• Carefully add the doughnuts to the oil, a few at a time. If they're too delicate to pick up with your fingers (they may be this way only if you rose them in the oven), use a metal spatula to pick them up and slide them into the oil. It's O.K. if they deflate a bit; they'll puff back up as they fry. When the bottoms are deep golden, after 45 seconds to a minute, use a slotted spoon to flip; cook until they're deep golden all over. Doughnut holes cook faster. Transfer the doughnuts to the prepared plates or racks, and repeat with the rest of the dough, adjusting the heat as needed to keep the oil at 375. Glaze or fill as follows, and serve as soon as possible.
• Whisk together 2 cups powdered sugar, 1/4 cup milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla until smooth. When the doughnuts are cool enough to handle, dip into the glaze; if you like, flip them so the tops they're completely covered. Put on racks to let the glaze harden.

HANUKKAH SUFGANIYOT (JELLY DOUGHNUTS)

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine yeast, warm water, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Set aside until foamy, about 10 minutes.
• Place flour in a large bowl. Make a well in the center; add eggs, yeast mixture, 1/4 cup sugar, butter, nutmeg, and salt. Using a wooden spoon, stir until a sticky dough forms. On a well-floured work surface, knead until dough is smooth, soft, and bounces back when poked with a finger, about 8 minutes (add more flour, if necessary). Place in an oiled bowl; cover with plastic wrap. Set in a warm place to rise until doubled, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• On a lightly floured work surface, roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Using a 2 1/2-inch-round cutter or drinking glass, cut 20 rounds. Cover with plastic wrap; let rise 15 minutes.
• In medium saucepan over medium heat, heat oil until a deep-frying thermometer registers 370 degrees. Using a slotted spoon, carefully slip 4 rounds into oil. Fry until golden, about 40 seconds. Turn doughnuts over; fry until golden on other side, another 40 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet. Roll in sugar while warm. Fry all dough, and roll in sugar.
• Fill a pastry bag fitted with a #4 tip with jam. Using a wooden skewer or toothpick, make a hole in the side of each doughnut. Fit the pastry tip into a hole, pipe about 2 teaspoons jam into doughnut. Repeat with remaining doughnuts.

CLASSIC GLAZED DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of the yeast with 3/4 cup of the warm milk and stir to dissolve the yeast. Add 3/4 cup of the flour and stir to create a smooth paste. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the flour mixture rest in a warm place for 30 minutes.
• Once 30 minutes have passed, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the remaining 1 teaspoon yeast with the remaining 1/4 cup milk (the milk will be room temperature at this point). Add the rested flour mixture along with the vanilla and egg yolks and mix on low until the ingredients are incorporated and the dough is smooth, about 30 seconds. Turn off the mixer and add 1 cup of flour, along with the sugar and salt. Mix on medium until the dough starts to come together, about 30 seconds. Add the butter and mix on medium until it's incorporated, about 30 seconds.
• Remove the paddle attachment from the mixer, and switch to the dough hook. Start adding the remaining flour, 1/4 cup at a time (turning the mixer off for each addition) and knead the dough on medium until it completely pulls away from the side of the bowl and is smooth and not too sticky, about 1 minute. The dough will be very soft and moist but not so sticky that you can't roll it out. (For this step, you may only need to use as little as 1/4 cup flour, so there may be flour leftover.) Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rest in a warm place for 30 minutes.
• Once 30 minutes have passed, gently press down on the dough to remove any gas bubbles then chill, covered, for at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours.
• When ready to roll out the dough, line a baking sheet with a lightly floured non-terry towel. Lightly flour a work surface and roll out the dough to a 1/2-inch thickness. Using doughnut or cookie cutters, cut out 3-inch-diameter rounds with 1-inch-diameter holes. (For filled doughnuts, don't cut out the holes.) Arrange the doughnuts on the prepared baking sheet, leaving at least 1 inch between doughnuts. Cover the doughnuts loosely with plastic wrap and let them proof in a warm place until almost doubled in size, 30 to 40 minutes. Check to see if the doughnuts are ready every 5 to 10 minutes. To test, use a fingertip to lightly touch one of the doughnuts. If the dough springs back immediately, it needs more time; if it springs back slowly, it's ready; and if the dough doesn't spring back at all, it's over-proofed. You can punch down and reroll over-proofed dough once.
• While the doughnuts are proofing, line a baking sheet with 2 layers of paper towels and place a wire rack on top of the towels. In a heavy-bottomed large pot or deep fryer, heat at least 2 inches of oil until a deep-fry thermometer registers 360°F. Working in batches, use a slotted metal spoon or spatula to carefully place the doughnuts in the hot oil. Fry, flipping once, until light golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer as done to the wire rack and return the oil to 360°F between batches. Let the doughnuts cool slightly before glazing with the Basic Sugar Glaze or Chocolate Glaze .