Cinnamon Sugar Brioche Donuts
Soft and fluffy brioche donuts coated in sweet cinnamon sugar for the perfect bakery-style treat. These homemade donuts are rich, buttery, and melt in your mouth!
Ingredients
Dough:
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- ½ cup warm whole milk
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened
- Vegetable oil for frying
Cinnamon Sugar Coating:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Start by activating your yeast – warm the milk until it’s just warm to the touch. Stir in a pinch of the sugar and the yeast. Let it sit for about 5-10 minutes until it gets foamy and smells like bread. If it doesn’t foam up, your yeast might be dead and you’ll need to start over.
- While the yeast is doing its thing, mix your flour, remaining sugar, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Once the yeast mixture is ready, add it to the bowl along with your room temperature eggs. Using the dough hook, mix on low speed until everything starts coming together – about 2-3 minutes.
- Now comes the butter – this is where patience pays off. With the mixer running on medium-low, add the softened butter about a tablespoon at a time. Wait until each piece is fully incorporated before adding the next. This’ll take about 5-6 minutes.
- Once all the butter is in, turn the speed up to medium and knead for about 8-10 minutes. Grab a small piece and stretch it gently; you should be able to stretch it thin enough to see light through it without it breaking.
- Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rise until doubled – about 1½ hours in a warm spot. The dough should feel puffy and spring back slowly when you poke it.
- Punch down the dough and turn it onto a lightly floured surface. Roll it out to about ½-inch thickness. Using a 3-inch round cutter and a 1-inch cutter for the holes, cut out your donuts. Place them on parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving some space between each.
- Cover the donuts loosely with plastic wrap and let them rise again until they’re puffy and nearly doubled, about 30-45 minutes. They should look light and airy, and when you gently poke one, the indentation should slowly fill back in.
- While they’re rising, heat your oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven to 350°F. Use a thermometer here – temperature control is crucial. Too cool and they’ll be greasy, too hot and they’ll burn outside while staying raw inside.
- Mix your cinnamon and sugar in a shallow bowl and set aside.
- When the oil is ready, carefully lower 2-3 donuts into the oil. They should float to the surface almost immediately. Fry for about 1½-2 minutes per side, or until they’re a deep golden brown. Use a slotted spoon to flip them – you’ll see a pale line around the middle when it’s time to turn.
- Remove the donuts with a slotted spoon and let them drain on paper towels for about 30 seconds – just long enough for the excess oil to drip off but while they’re still hot enough for the sugar to stick.
- Toss the warm donuts in the cinnamon sugar mixture until well coated. The sugar should stick easily to the hot surface. Place on a wire rack to cool completely.