Ultra-light donuts

Ultra-light donuts is a medium French recipe that serves 8. 200 calories per serving. Recipe by Oum Arwa on YouTube.

Prep: 1 hr 50 min | Cook: 10 min | Total: 2 hrs 15 min

Cost: $4.17 total, $0.52 per serving

Ingredients

  • 500 g type 45 flour (all-purpose wheat flour, sifted)
  • 30 g sunflower oil (neutral oil, at room temperature)
  • 30 g butter (good quality butter, softened)
  • 50 g white sugar
  • 1 packet vanilla sugar (or vanilla extract) (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
  • 0,5 teaspoon fine salt
  • 8 g dry yeast (instant yeast)
  • 5 g baking powder
  • 80 g lukewarm water (temperature 35-40°C)
  • 120 g lukewarm milk (temperature 35-40°C)
  • 1 unit egg (at room temperature)
  • 500 ml sunflower oil for frying (heated to 170‑180°C, depth about 2 cm)
  • to taste powdered sugar (to dust the donuts once cooled)

Instructions

  1. Prepare the ingredients

    Measure all dry and liquid ingredients. Sift the flour into the mixer bowl.

    Time: PT5M

  2. Mix the dry ingredients

    Add the flour, salt, white sugar, vanilla sugar, dry yeast and baking powder. Mix on very low speed for 2 minutes.

    Time: PT2M

  3. Incorporate the liquids

    Pour the lukewarm water, lukewarm milk, sunflower oil and the egg. Mix on low speed until the dough begins to form.

    Time: PT3M

  4. Knead the dough

    Add the softened butter. Knead on medium speed for 5‑8 minutes until you obtain a smooth, homogeneous and slightly elastic dough.

    Time: PT10M

  5. First rise

    Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rest in the turned‑off oven, away from drafts, until the dough doubles in volume (about 45 minutes).

    Time: PT45M

  6. Degas and roll out

    On a lightly floured work surface, gently press the dough to release gas. Roll it out to about 1 cm thickness with a rolling pin.

    Time: PT5M

  7. Cut and second rise

    Cut circles with a cutter. Place the donuts on a clean cloth, cover with plastic wrap and let rise 30‑40 minutes until they puff slightly.

    Time: PT35M

  8. Heat the oil

    Pour the frying oil into the pan, heat over medium heat until reaching 170‑180°C (test with a small piece of dough that rises to the surface).

    Time: PT5M

    Temperature: 170-180°C

  9. Fry the donuts

    Gently lower the donuts into the hot oil. Fry 2‑3 minutes each side until a nice golden colour is achieved, then turn once.

    Time: PT5M

    Temperature: 170-180°C

  10. Drain and decorate

    Remove the donuts with a slotted spoon, place them on paper towels. While still warm, dust with powdered sugar or glaze as desired.

    Time: PT5M

Nutrition Facts

Calories
200
Protein
3 g
Carbohydrates
25 g
Fat
9 g
Fiber
1 g

Dietary info: vegetarian, contains dairy, contains eggs, low-calorie, low-fat

Allergens: gluten, milk, egg, lactose, butter

Last updated: April 7, 2026

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Ultra-light donuts

Recipe by Oum Arwa

Soft and ultra-light donuts, perfect for a cake sale or a snack. This simple recipe uses type 45 flour, two leavening agents and a short fry to achieve an airy texture. Ideal for glazing or dusting with powdered sugar.

MediumFrenchServes 8

Shop all ingredients on Amazon in one click • Printable PDF with shopping checklist

Source Video
1h 50m
Prep
10m
Cook
14m
Cleanup
2h 14m
Total

Cost Breakdown

$4.17
Total cost
$0.52
Per serving

Critical Success Points

  • Knead the dough until a smooth texture is achieved
  • First rise until the dough doubles in volume
  • Second rise before frying
  • Heat the oil to 170‑180°C

Safety Warnings

  • The frying oil is very hot; use tongs or a slotted spoon to avoid burns.
  • Never leave the oil unattended.
  • Keep children away from the frying area.

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