Fluffy Baked Donuts

Ingredients

• 250 ml Whole milk (Heat gently, do not boil)
• 50 g Granulated sugar (Granulated)
• 1 unit Vanilla bean (Scraped seeds (or 1 packet of vanilla sugar))
• 30 g Unsalted butter (Unsalted, cut into small dice)
• 250 g All-purpose flour (Sift)
• 5 g Dry yeast (About 1 packet)
• 5 g Fine salt
• 1 unit Egg (At room temperature)
• 35 ml Very hot water + orange blossom water (30 ml hot water + 5 ml orange blossom water)
• 30 g Powdered sugar (For dusting)

Instructions

1. Infuse the milk

   In a small saucepan, heat the milk with the sugar, the vanilla bean seeds, and the butter until the butter melts and the mixture is warm (not boiling).

   Time: PT5M

2. Prepare the dry ingredients

   In the mixer bowl, sift the flour, add the dry yeast and mix. Reserve the salt to add later.

   Time: PT5M

3. Beat the egg

   In a small bowl, beat the egg with a fork until slightly frothy.

   Time: PT2M

4. Form the dough

   Pour the warm milk over the dry ingredients, add the beaten egg and the salt. Mix on medium speed until a homogeneous dough forms that detaches from the bowl walls.

   Time: PT5M

5. First rise

   Shape the dough into a ball, place it in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for 1 hour or until doubled in size.

   Time: PT1H

6. Shape the donuts

   Deflate the dough, place it on a lightly floured work surface, flatten to about 1.5 cm thickness. Cut circles with a cutter or knife.

   Time: PT10M

7. Second rise

   Place the donuts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, cover again with a clean cloth and let rise 40‑45 minutes at room temperature.

   Time: PT45M

8. Bake

   Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Bake the donuts for 12 minutes until golden.

   Time: PT12M

   Temperature: 180°C

9. Brush and sugar

   Immediately after removing from the oven, brush each donut with the very hot water and orange blossom mixture, then dust with powdered sugar.

   Time: PT5M

10. Cool

    Transfer the donuts to a cooling rack and let cool for a few minutes before serving.

    Time: PT5M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

150

Protein

3 g

Carbohydrates

20 g

Fat

6 g

Fiber

1 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Whole milk: Almond milk, soy milk
• Instead of Granulated sugar: Cane sugar
• Instead of Vanilla bean: Vanilla extract
• Instead of Unsalted butter: Margarine
• Instead of All-purpose flour: Whole wheat flour
• Instead of Dry yeast: Fresh yeast (10 g)
• Instead of Fine salt: Sea salt
• Instead of Egg: Flax egg (2 tbsp water + 1 tbsp ground flaxseed)
• Instead of Very hot water + orange blossom water: Water + orange blossom extract
• Instead of Powdered sugar: Granulated sugar

Equipment Needed

• Saucepan
• Stand mixer bowl or large mixing bowl
• Stand mixer or hand whisk (optional)
• Silicone spatula
• Plastic wrap
• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper
• Round cutter (or knife) (optional)
• Cooling rack
• Kitchen brush

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Infuse the milk
• First rise
• Second rise
• Bake
• Brush and sugar

Chef Tips from the Video

• Using orange blossom gives a pleasantly typical Mediterranean aroma.
• Brush the donuts twice in a row for an ultra‑fluffy interior.
• For a richer version, add lemon zest to the dough.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for 2‑3 days.

Freezer: Wrap individually and freeze for 1 month. Reheat in the oven at 150 °C for 5‑7 minutes.

Room temperature: Consume within 24 hours, otherwise keep refrigerated.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Prepare the dough the day before, let it rise slowly in the refrigerator and shape it the next day before the second rise.
• The donuts can be baked ahead and reheated in the oven to regain fluffiness.