Fried Doughnuts

Name: Fried Doughnuts
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 10
Ingredients: Type 0 flour strong (W 360) 2 ½ cups; Whole milk at room temperature ½ cup; Butter 2 tbsp; Sugar 3 tbsp; Brewer's yeast (or 1 teaspoon of fresh yeast) ½ tsp; Eggs 1; Fine salt 1 pinch; Peanut seed oil to taste; Coffee 1.5 oz; Powdered sugar 1 ¼ cup; Chopped hazelnuts to taste

it br es de

Vegetarian

Difficulty: Average
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 10 min
Makes: 10 pieces
Cost: Low
Note + rising times (about 6 h)

PRESENTATION

Recipe by
Stephanie Cabibbo

Fried doughnuts, you know, always bring a sweet kind of joy, especially when you try them the Southern Italian way. Down in Naples and the surrounding region, people get really, really excited about making homemade doughnuts from scratch. The dough? Worked by hand the old-fashioned way. And no fancy equipment needed—just a little time and some good energy. Seriously good. The real secret is in the dough: it has to rise until it’s super tender and fluffy, giving you that perfect bite. In Italy, this doughnut is pretty close to what they call graffe, a favorite for Carnevale. Folks love them either plain or rolled in sugar, so you end up with these golden circles that are soft in the middle and just the right amount of crispy on the outside. Sometimes, they go wild with toppings like coffee glaze or hazelnut sprinkles, which add a real Italian twist to the fried doughnuts everyone knows.

But it's not just about the taste—making a batch of these easy doughnut recipe favorites feels like a celebration. Italian families often let the dough rise for a couple of hours while chatting or listening to music. And then, they watch as each ring puffs up in the hot oil, turning golden and moist in no time. The smell? Fills the kitchen and gets everyone grabbing for a warm doughnut, especially right after they get tossed in sugar. Some folks in Southern Italy say the trick is all about keeping the oil at the right temp so the doughnuts cook evenly and don’t get greasy. For sure. Whether you keep it simple with just sugar or go for something fancier, the best homemade doughnuts are all about playing with flavors. A little cinnamon sugar, a drizzle of coffee glaze, maybe some chopped nuts—there are so many ways to make them your own. This isn’t just a classic doughnut recipe; it’s a fun way to make memories, experiment with tasty toppings, and bring a bit of Italian happiness into your kitchen. Imagine sharing these with friends while enjoying a warm cup of espresso—it's the kind of treat that makes everyday moments feel special. Pretty simple, right?

INGREDIENTS

Type 0 flour 2 ½ cups (300 g) - strong (W 360)

Whole milk ½ cup (130 g) - at room temperature

Butter 2 tbsp (30 g)

Sugar 3 tbsp (40 g)

Brewer's yeast ½ tsp (3 g) - (or 1 teaspoon of fresh yeast)

Eggs 1

Fine salt 1 pinch

for frying: Peanut seed oil to taste

for the coffee glaze: Coffee 1.5 oz (40 ml); Powdered sugar 1 ¼ cup (150 g)

for decorating: Chopped hazelnuts to taste

Preparation

How to prepare Fried Doughnuts

To prepare the fried doughnuts, start with the dough. Pour the room temperature milk into a small bowl, add the yeast 1 and the sugar 2. Stir until they are well dissolved 3.

In a large bowl, pour the flour and butter 4, add the egg 5 and start kneading with your hands. While kneading, gradually pour in the milk in which you dissolved the yeast 6.

Continue working until you get a homogeneous mixture 7, then move to a floured work surface, add a pinch of salt 9 and knead the dough for about 10 minutes 8.

You will need to get a smooth and elastic dough 10. Grease a bowl with a little oil and place your dough inside, then cover with plastic wrap 11 and let it rise at room temperature until doubled 12. This will take about 4-5 hours.

After this time, place the dough back on a work surface and cut it into two logs 13. From each log, cut 5 equal pieces 14, making 10 in total. Take each portion and shape it into a ball between your hands 15.

Cut 10 squares of parchment paper. Grease your hands with a little oil and press each ball on one of the parchment squares 16, aiming for a disk about 3-4 inches in diameter. Using the base of a wooden spoon, create a hole in the center 17 and gently enlarge it with your hands 18.

Proceed like this with all the dough. Let the doughnuts rise for another hour without covering them 19. Pour 3 fingers of oil into a high-sided pan and bring it to a temperature of 338°F. At this point, place the doughnuts in the oil (a few at a time so as not to lower the temperature) along with the parchment paper 20, which will detach after less than a minute. Gradually remove the parchment sheets using tongs 21.

Brown the doughnuts on both sides 22. It will take 5-6 minutes in total. If they brown too quickly, lower the heat. Transfer the doughnuts to paper towels 23. Prepare the glaze by placing the powdered sugar in a bowl and gradually adding the coffee (not all at once as it may not all be needed), stirring with a fork 34.

You should obtain a dense and lump-free glaze 34. Dip the top of the doughnuts into the glaze 26, then turn them over on a cutting board and immediately sprinkle with hazelnut crumbs 27. In just a few minutes, the glaze will dry, and you'll be ready to enjoy your doughnuts!

Storage

To enjoy them at their best, we recommend consuming the fried doughnuts within a few hours of preparation. You can freeze the raw doughnuts and fry them after thawing.