French Cruller Donuts are the lightest, most airy donuts you will EVER taste. Crispy, golden exterior with a tender interior that practically melts in your mouth.
1cup + 2 Tablespoonsall-purpose flourfluffed, spooned and leveled
1/2cupmilk
1/2 cupwater
1/2cupunsalted butter
4largewhole eggs
2teaspoonsgranulated sugar
1/2teaspoonvanilla extract
Pinchof salt (up to one teaspoon salt)
Vegetable oil or canola oil (for frying)
For the glaze:
2cupspowdered sugar
2Tablespoonshot water or milk
Click between "US Customary" or "Metric" button above to switch between conversions. For precise results, it's recommended to weigh your dry ingredients using a digital scale in grams as measuring in cups can have uncertainties.
Instructions
Before you start
I highly recommend switching to the metric measurements and weighing the dry and wet ingredients for best accuracy. Read through the recipe before starting and measure all your ingredients in advance. Go back and watch my full video tutorial, read my expert tips and extended instructions with photos.
Make the choux pastry
In a medium saucepan, combine butter, water, milk, sugar, vanilla and salt. Heat until butter is melted and mixture is simmering.
1/2 cup milk, 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup unsalted butter, 2 teaspoons granulated sugar, Pinch of salt , 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Add the flour all at once. Stir vigorously with wooden spoon or rubber spatula until the mixture forms into a smooth ball and pulls away from the sides. There should be film sticking on the bottom of the pan. That's when you know it's ready. Remove from the sauce pan into a bowl.
1 cup + 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
Place in the bowl of a stand mixer bowl with the paddle attachment. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes. You may turn on the mixer to mix the dough to release some heat and help it cool down. By the end of the 5 minutes, it should still be warm to the touch. With the mixer on medium speed, beat one large egg at a time until fully combined.
With the mixer on medium speed, beat one egg at a time until fully combined. By the last egg, the dough will become smooth, shiny, sticky and thick.
4 large whole eggs
Prepare the piping bag
Fill the bag about halfway with the choux pastry dough and twist the end so the dough stays contained in the bag and doesn't spill out from the top.
Prepare the parchment paper
Use a black permanent marker and a small cup about 3-inches in diameter, to draw 13 circles on a large sheet of parchment paper. Then place a sheet on top of that.
Use the lines as a guide to pipe a thick circle, leaving about 2-inches in the center, overlapping the ends together. Cut the parchment paper around each donut.
Refrigerate the choux pastry
Lay cling wrap or plastic wrap directly on the surface of the dough and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Piping the donuts and then refrigerating gives the donuts structure when fried.
Heat the oil
Heat oil over medium heat in a large, heavy bottom Dutch oven or pot, about 3-inches deep. Use a thermometer to keep the temperature between 350°F to 355°F. A cast iron or Dutch oven distributes the hot oil temperature more evenly than a typical pot.
Vegetable oil or canola oil
Fry the donuts
Gently place three donuts into the oil at a time, leaving space for them to puff up and move around. The oil should bubble immediately when you place the donuts.
Set a timer
Set a timer for 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove the donuts from the oil using a slotted spoon and place on the wire rack. Repeat until you have no more donuts.
Make the glaze
Combine the simple glaze ingredients together and whisk until smooth. While the donuts are still warm, dip the tops only in glaze and set aside on the rack to drip any excess off.
2 cups powdered sugar, 2 Tablespoons hot water or milk
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