Oh My Food Recipes

  • Homepage
  • Shop
  • About me
  • Recipes
  • Recipes by Category
  • Subscribe Now
  • Contact Me
  • Disclosure
  • Privacy Policy
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Homepage
  • Shop
  • About me
  • Recipes
  • Recipes by Category
  • Subscribe Now
  • Contact Me
  • Disclosure
  • Privacy Policy
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Desserts » Homemade Sugar Donuts

    Homemade Sugar Donuts

    Modified: Jul 26, 2023 Published: Apr 25, 2021 by Tracy O. This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission.

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

    Soft and fluffy homemade sugar donuts from scratch are hard to resist! This fresh homemade sugar donut recipe is great to go with a cold glass of milk, soy milk, strawberry banana smoothie or warm hot chocolate and pumpkin spice hot chocolate. Let's learn how to make fluffy and soft homemade sugar donuts from scratch with step by step photos and a video!

    Love sweets? Check out these fresh strawberry pie, chocolate strawberries, hot chocolate balls, almond jello, taro boba drink, mango sticky rice and strawberry muffins recipes.

    homemade sugar donuts with a hole one of them has a bite on the donut

    What are sugar donuts?

    When we mentioned donuts a lot of people immediately thought it’s American food. Doughnuts are a popular sweet snack throughout the world. America has varieties of doughnuts such as glazed, powdered sugar and fillings. 

    Sugar donuts are classic and traditional doughnuts. Most Asian countries sell them in bakery stores. In Chinese, sugar donuts also calls saa jung (沙翁), it’s a type of sugar donuts. They are basically the same thing. But, some like to make the doughnuts without a hole in the middle. Basically, sugar donuts are deep fried bread covered with sugar. 

    Unique tangzhong sugar donut recipe:

    This homemade sugar donut recipe is unique because it is not like other recipes, the donuts are soft and fluffy because tangzhong is used. 

    Tangzhong is a method that originated in Japan and is commonly used in Asian bread making. "Tangzhong" refers to a specific technique used in making the dough and resulting in a softer and more tender texture.

    What is tangzhong?

    Tangzhong (湯種) is a Chinese words for water roux. It is a flour paste. And, the flour is cooked in water or milk. This method is used to improve the texture of bread and make it soft and fluffy. 

    tangzhong water roux in the glass container

    You will love this homemade sugar donuts:

    You will love this homemade sugar donut because it is fluffy, soft, fresh and delicious. Making donuts from scratch allows you to control the ingredients and ensure the freshness. The aroma of freshly fried donuts is hard to resist, especially coating them with granulated  sugar which adds a delightful sweetness and slight crunch to the fluffy and tender interior.

    What are the ingredients for sugar donuts? 

    The ingredients are egg, butter, sugar, salt, yeast, water, flour and tangzhong (water roux). Personally, I prefer to use bread flour. However, if you don't have bread flour, using all purpose flour will work too. It is because of this homemade sugar donut recipe, I used the tangzhong method (water roux) which makes the dough soft and fluffy. 

    homemade sugar donuts ingredients

    Does it matter what oil I use for frying donuts?

    Yes, the choice of oil for frying donuts can have an impact on their flavor, texture and overall quality. Different oils have different smoke points and flavors. Some oils with high smoke points suitable for frying donuts include vegetable oil, canola oil and peanut oil.

    It's important to use oil with a high smoke point to prevent the oil from breaking down and releasing unpleasant flavors and odors. Avoid using oils with strong flavors, for example olive oil. They can significantly impact the taste of the donuts and may not be suitable for frying at high temperatures.

    Cooking tips for how to make homemade sugar donuts from scratch:

    • In order to make fluffy and soft donuts, tangzhong (water roux) is very important. 
    • Make the tangzhong (water roux) first and let it cool down before adding to the flour mixture. If it is hot, it will denature the yeast. 
    • Use soft butter,  it doesn't need to be melted. Just leave the butter out from the fridge for an hour before using it. 
    • Personally, I prefer to use bread flour because it has a much better texture. However, if you don’t have bread flour, using all purpose flour will work too. It is because in this sugar donut recipe, I use the tangzhong method. 
    • Increase the mixer speed to medium high and let it run for 8-10 minutes. If the dough is too sticky, let it run a little bit long. 
    • To speed up dough rising time. Normally, I preheat the oven 200F, then turn off the oven. Put the dough into the oven and cover with a wet cloth for 30 minutes. 
    • Divide the dough into 12 pieces and roll the dough into a ball shaped. Flatten the dough and use a small circle cutter to cut out the middle part. 
    • The cut out dough, you can deep fry them or roll into a ball and make another doughnut. 
    • When you deep fry the dough, oil temperature and time are crucial factors. Turn on a small fire and heat up oil for 360-375 F and deep fry doughnuts for around 1 minute each side. 

    FAQs:

    What kind of flour do you use?


    I prefer to use bread flour because it has a much better texture. However, if you don’t have bread flour, using all purpose flour will work too. It is because in this homemade sugar donut from scratch recipe, I use tangzhong method which helps with soft and fluffy texture.

    Can donuts stay out overnight?

    Yes, fresh homemade from scratch donuts can be left at room temperature for a couple of days. Place the doughnuts in airtight containers or you can put doughnuts inside storage bags. However, I highly recommend consuming them the same day if possible because this is homemade sugar donuts. Fresh made has the best taste!

    Instructions for how to make homemade sugar donuts from scratch:

    flour water mixture in the pot over the stove

    How to make tangzhong:

    1. Put ¼ cup of flour (bread flour or all purpose flour) into the pot. Pour ¾ cup of water. Mix it very well.
    tangzhong water roux thickened in the pot with a blue spatula

    2. Turn on medium small fire. Keep stirring until the mixture becomes thickened. Then, put it aside and let it cool off.

    milk in the mixer

    Making the dough:

    3. Pour ½ cup of milk (warm or at room temperature) into the Bosch mixer.

    yeast egg and butter mixture into the Bosch mixer

    4. Next, add 4 tablespoons of sugar, 3 tablespoons of butter (softened), 1 large egg and 2 teaspoons of active dry yeast into the Bosch mixer.

    yeast mixture in the bosch mixer

    5. Turn on the Bosch mixer to # 1 the lowest setting. Let it mix a little bit and wait for 5 minutes.

    flour and salt in the silver bowl

    6. In the meanwhile, put 2.5 cups of flour (bread flour or all purpose flour) into the bowl and add ½ teaspoon of salt. Mix it well.

    mixing flour mixture in the Bosch mixer

    7. After that, turn on the Bosch mixer to #1 the lowest setting. Slowly add the flour mixture from step 6 into the yeast mixture. Let it mix a little bit. Then, add the warm tangzhong from step 2. ( Remember the tangzhong needs to be cooled off. Not too hot, just a little warm.)

    mixing dough into the Bosch mixer

    8. After, change the Bosch mixer speed to #3 the medium high speed setting. Let the mixer run for 8-10 minutes.

    dough in the silver bowl

    Dough rising:

    9. Put the dough into a bowl and cover with a wet cloth. Let it rise for 45 minutes to an hour at room temperature. (To speed up the rising time. Normally, I preheat the oven to 200F. Then, turn off the oven and put the dough in for 30 minutes.)

    dough rising in the bowl

    10.  The dough rises to double its size.

    dough roughly divide into 12 pieces

    11. Roughly divide the dough into 12 pieces.

    dough roll into balls on the tray

    12. Roll the dough into a ball shape.

    flatten the dough

    Shaping the dough:

    13. Take a ball shaped dough, use your palm to press the dough.

    circle cutter in the middle of the flatten doughnut dough from scratch

    14. Use a small circle cutter, put in the middle of the flatten dough and cut the middle part out. Repeat steps 13 and 14 for the rest of the dough.

    doughnuts dough hole from scratch on the tray

    15. Cover the doughnut dough with wet cloth. Let it rise for 30 minutes at room temperature. (To speed up the rising time. Normally, I preheat the oven to 200F. Then, turn off the oven and put the dough in for 15 minutes.)

    doughnut dough hole from scratch rising on the tray

    16. While waiting for doughnut dough to rise, pour 2 cups of vegetable oil into the wok. Turn on a small fire, heat up the oil temperature around 360-375F. You can use a thermometer or wooden chopsticks to test the temperature. When you put the wooden chopsticks into the oil, if there are little bubbles around the chopsticks. It's a sign to show that the oil is hot enough.

    deep fry donut hole in the wok for sugar donut

    Deep fry the dough:

    17. Slowly put the dough into the oil and deep fry for around 1 minute. Then, flip the other side and deep fry for around 1 minute.

    deep fried donuts hole on the plate for homemade sugar donuts

    18. Repeat step 17 until all the dough is deep fried.

    fluffy soft homemade sugar donut dusting sugar on the plate

    Dusting sugar:

    19. Lastly, put ¼ cup of sugar on a plate. Then, put the deep fried doughnuts on the plate. Cover and dust the doughnuts with sugar.

    homemade fluffy and soft sugar donuts with holes in the middle from scratch

    Enjoy this fluffy and soft homemade sugar donuts from scratch recipe! Also, check out these sweet caramel popcorn, mango popsicles, red bean ice drink, Hawaiian shave ice, lychee slush and honeydew popsicle recipes.

    You May Also Like These Dessert Recipes:

    • TARO & TAPIOCA PEARL DESSERT
    • TOFU PUDDING DESSERT
    • GINGER MILK CURD
    • WHITE RABBIT CANDY ICE CREAM

    Subscribe Oh My Food Recipes to get our new recipes delivered straight to your inbox! Follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all the latest updates.

    homemade sugar donuts with a bite one the donut

    Homemade Sugar Donuts

    Soft and fluffy homemade sugar donuts are hard to resist! Fresh homemade sugar donut recipe is great to go with a glass of milk or soy milk. Wanna know how to make fluffy and soft doughnuts? 
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Bread, Dessert, Snack
    Cuisine: American, Asian
    Prep Time: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Servings: 12
    Calories: 257kcal
    Author: Tracy O.

    Video

    Ingredients

    Tangzhong 湯種 (water roux):

    • ¼ cup Flour (Bread flour or all purpose flour)
    • ¾ cup Water

    Dough:

    • ½ cup Milk
    • 4 tablespoons Sugar
    • 3 tablespoons Butter (Softened)
    • 1 Egg (Large)
    • 2 teaspoons Active dry yeast
    • 2.5 cups Flour (Bread flour or all purpose flour)
    • ½ teaspoon Salt

    Other:

    • 2 cups Vegetable oil (For deep fry the doughnuts)
    • ¼ cup Sugar (For dusting the doughnuts)
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Put ¼ cup of flour (bread flour or all purpose flour) into the pot. Pour ¾ cup of water. Mix it very well.
    • Turn on medium small fire. Keep stirring until the mixture becomes thickened. Then, put it aside and let it cool off.
    • Pour ½ cup of milk (warm or room temperature) into the Bosch mixer.
    • Next, add 4 tablespoons of sugar, 3 tablespoons of butter (softened), 1 large egg and 2 teaspoons of active dry yeast into the Bosch mixer.
    • Turn on the Bosch mixer to # 1 the lowest setting. Let it mix a little bit and wait for 5 minutes.
    • In the meanwhile, put 2.5 cups of flour (bread flour or all purpose flour) into the bowl and add ½ teaspoon of salt. Mix it well.
    • After that, turn on the mixer to #1 the lowest setting. Slowly add the flour mixture from step 6 into the yeast mixture. Let it mix a little bit. Then, add the warm tangzhong from step 2. ( Remember the tangzhong needs to be cooled off. Not too hot, just a little warm.)
    • After, change the Bosch mixer speed to #3 the medium high speed setting. Let the mixer run for 8-10 minutes.
    • Put the dough into a bowl and cover with a wet cloth. Let it rise for 45 minutes to an hour at room temperature. (To speed up the rising time. Normally, I preheat the oven to 200F. Then, turn off the oven and put the dough in for 30 minutes.)
    • The dough rises to double its size.
    • Roughly divide the dough into 12 pieces.
    • Roll the dough into a ball shape.
    • Take a ball shaped dough, use your palm to press the dough.
    • Use a small circle cutter, put in the middle of the flatten dough and cut the middle part out. Repeat steps 13 and 14 for the rest of the dough.
    • Cover the doughnut dough with wet cloth. Let it rise for 30 minutes at room temperature. (To speed up the rising time. Normally, I preheat the oven to 200F. Then, turn off the oven and put the dough in for 15 minutes.)
    • While waiting for doughnut dough to rise, pour 2 cups of vegetable oil into the wok. Turn on a small fire, heat up the oil temperature around 360-375F. You can use a thermometer or wooden chopsticks to test the temperature. When you put the wooden chopsticks into the oil, if there are little bubbles around the chopsticks. It's a sign to show that the oil is hot enough.
    • Slowly put the dough into the oil and deep fry for around 1 minute. Then, flip the other side and deep fry for around 1 minute.
    • Repeat step 17 until all the dough is deep fried.
    • Lastly, put ¼ cup of sugar on a plate. Then, put the deep fried doughnuts on the plate. Cover and dust the doughnuts with sugar.

    Notes

    Cooking tips for how to make homemade sugar donuts:

    • In order to make fluffy and soft donuts, tangzhong (water roux) is very important. 
    • Make the tangzhong (water roux) first and let it cool down before adding to the flour mixture. If it is hot, it will denature the yeast. 
    • Use soft butter,  it doesn't need to be melted. Just leave the butter out from the fridge for an hour before using it. 
    • Personally, I prefer to use bread flour because it has a much better texture. However, if you don’t have bread flour, using all purpose flour will work too. It is because in this sugar donut recipe, I use the tangzhong method. 
    • Increase the mixer speed to medium high and let it run for 8-10 minutes. If the dough is too sticky, let it run a little bit long. 
    • To speed up dough rising time. Normally, I preheat the oven 200F, then turn off the oven. Put the dough into the oven and cover with a wet cloth for 30 minutes. 
    • Divide the dough into 12 pieces and roll the dough into a ball shaped. Flatten the dough and use a small circle cutter to cut out the middle part. 
    • The cut out dough, you can deep fry them or roll into a ball and make another doughnut. 
    • When you deep fry the dough, oil temperature and time are crucial factors. Turn on a small fire and heat up oil for 360-375 F and deep fry doughnuts for around 1 minute each side. 
    •  

    Nutrition

    Calories: 257kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 134mg | Potassium: 69mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 124IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @OhMyFoodRecipes or tag #OhMyFoodRecipes!

    More Dessert Recipes

    • Coconut mango sticky rice dessert on a white plate
      Mango Sticky Rice
    • sesame balls with custard filling cut open
      Sesame Balls
    • snow skin mooncake with custard filling cut open half
      Snow Skin Mooncake
    • Cookie Monster ice cream in the waffle bowl
      Cookie Monster Ice Cream
    5 from 4 votes (4 ratings without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Tracy O.
    About Me

    Welcome to Oh My Food Recipes! Discover delightful meal inspiration in the world of specialty Asian cuisines. Our tried-and-true recipes come with step-by-step photo and video tutorials, making your cooking journey enjoyable and rewarding... Read more!

    Seasonal

    • fresh strawberry pie glaze with jello with checked towel
      Fresh Strawberry Pie

    • stir fry garlic yu choy sum on the white long plate
      Yu Choy Recipe

    • Chinese sticky rice dumpling zongzi
      Zongzi

    • drizzling syrup on top of the kansui zong or sweet zongzi or alkaline rice dumpling
      Sweet Zongzi

    • strawberry and white chocolate chip muffin open up
      Strawberry and White Chocolate Muffins

    • Hawaiian shave ice in the bowl
      Hawaiian Shave Ice

    MY FAVORITES

    • braised beef radish ho fun noodle soup in the bowl with sliver chopsticks
      Braised Beef Ho Fun Noodle Soup

    • beef pho noodle soup in the bowl with a spoon
      Pho Beef Noodle Soup

    • Chinese pan fried dumplings one bit open
      Chinese Pan Fried Dumplings

    • Chinese black sesame soup dessert on a spoon dripping into the bowl horizontal
      Black Sesame Soup

    • japchae Korean glass noodle on a black plate close up
      Japchae Korean Glass Noodles

    • pineapple buns close up front
      Pineapple Bun

    • Japanese tonkatsu deep fried pork cutlets
      Japanese Tonkatsu

    • Teriyaki sauce pouring from a glass bottle into a small container
      Homemade Teriyaki Sauce

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Disclosure & Privacy Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    Copyright © 2025 Oh My Food Recipes

    AMAZON ASSOCIATES DISCLOSURE

    Oh My Food Recipes is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.