Have you pulled your car off the road when you saw the Krispy Kreme Hot Donut sign? I have. Thanks to Jenny Field, I can share with you her copycat Krispy Kreme donut recipe.
These tender, fluffy glazed donuts are a real treat for breakfast or an afternoon snack.
As a girl born and raised only about an hour and a half from the Krispy Kreme headquarters in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, I have been eating “Hot Doughnuts Now” since I can remember. For me, there is nothing quite like the smoosh when you bite into a fresh Krispy Kreme Glazed Doughnut.
The way the glaze is almost invisible until you bite into it and it shatters into thin flakes of sweetness? Now that is the stuff of dreams.
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I made a couple of different versions of this recipe before settling on the recipe below. The all-purpose flour gives just the right balance of tenderness and chewiness.
As usual, I patterned this recipe on the ingredient list from the Krispy Kreme website. The doughnuts don’t contain butter, so I used oil to stay as true to the original as possible.
I won’t tell, though, if you decide to use some melted butter for some or all of the oil called for in the recipe.
The measurements are pretty precise, so I urge you to buy and use a kitchen scale. I have also provided approximate cup measurements, although they will not yield truly consistent results.
You will need a stand mixer to make this dough as it is very soft and sticky and requires a long kneading time.
The Krispy Kreme donut glaze recipe is really easy to make. It’s buttery and can be used on fritters, danish, and many other pastries.
Tools that will make this recipe easier for you:
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Coffee to Enjoy with Donuts
Be sure to check out more of my easy breakfast recipes and the best fast food copycat recipes.
Krispy Kreme Glazed Donuts
Ingredients
Doughnuts ingredients
- 11.5 ounces all purpose flour about 2 3/4 cups – King Arthur Recommended
- 1 ounce neutral vegetable oil about 3 tablespoons
- 4 oz whole milk 1/2 cup
- 4 oz filtered water 1/2 cup
- 1.3 oz granulated sugar (about 3 tablespoons)
- 2 egg yolks
- .6 oz malted milk powder 2 tablespoons (Carnation makes one that is available at most stores) If you can’t find malted milk powder, use nonfat dried powdered milk instead
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (or about 3⁄4 teaspoons of table salt)
- Enough shortening or vegetable oil to fill a large pan by about 3 inches
For the Glaze
- 2 ounces unsalted butter 1/2 stick
- 2 tablespoons neutral vegetable oil
- 12 ounces confectioners sugar about 3 cups
- pinch of salt
- 2 1/2 to 3 ounces very hot filtered water
Instructions
- For the Dough Combine all dough ingredients in the bowl of your stand mixer. Use the dough hook attachment and mix on low for about a minute or so until the flour is almost all incorporated. You may have to scrape down the sides of the bowl a time or two. Once the dough is more or less together, knead on medium speed until the dough clears the sides of the pan. You will think it never will, and then all of a sudden, it does. This will take between 12-15 minutes.
- The dough will be very soft and supple. Scrape the dough into a ball in the bottom of the mixer bowl, spray with pan spray and cover. Let rise in a warm spot until double, about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. (To make a warm place for my dough to rise, bring a mug of water to a boil in the microwave. Then move the mug to one side and place the covered bowl of dough in the other side. Close the door quickly to let the dough proof.)
- While the dough is proofing, cut some squares of parchment about 4” x 4”. You’ll need 16 or so. Spray each square with a bit of pan spray. Lay them out on two cookie sheets or half sheet pans. Liberally flour a work surface with all-purpose flour and, when the dough has doubled, scrape it out onto the floured surface.
- Flour the top of the dough as well and knead it a few times to incorporate the flour and to press out as many of the large gas bubbles as you can. Shape the dough into a smooth ball, cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Add a bit more flour to your work surface and the top of the dough and roll out into a rough rectangle about 1⁄2” thick. Use a 3” doughnut cutter (or a large and small round cutter) to cut approximately 12 doughnuts from the first roll. Place each doughnut on one of the squares of parchment. Reroll the remainder of the dough, but know these second rolls won’t be quite as light as the first rolls. You should be able to cut another 4 doughnuts from the re-rolled dough. Discard the rest or fry the scraps as-is. Cover the doughnuts with plastic wrap or a couple of lint-free towels. Let them rest for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, heat the oil to 360F. This will take about 10 minutes or so. Once the oil is at temperature, start frying. Pick up one of the parchment squares and, holding it low over the oil, carefully tip the doughnut into the oil, letting it slide off the parchment. Be careful! Fry 2-3 doughnuts at a time, flipping them once the first side is deep golden brown and the oil is barely bubbling. Doughnuts cook fast–maybe a minute a side, so don’t walk away. Remove each fully cooked doughnut to a rack to cool. Cook all the “first rolls” first, because the second rolls will need a bit extra time to rise. Allow to cool completely.
- Dip each doughnut into the glaze (method follows) and then flip so the glaze completely cover the doughnut. Stick a wooden skewer or chopstick into the hole in the doughnut and hold up over the bowl of glaze to drain well. You want all but the thinnest layer of glaze to remain. Allow doughnuts to sit at room temperature until the glaze has set. Carefully turn the doughnuts over to allow any drips on the bottoms of the doughnuts to set up as well.
- These are best served as soon as the glaze has set up. Serve them at room temperature or barely heat them in the microwave. Wrap any leftovers and leave at room temperature. Heat to serve the next day. These things are seriously delicious and ridiculously addictive. I don’t think you’ll have any left after the first day, let alone the second!
- To Make the Glaze In a microwave-safe medium bowl, heat the oil and butter on power level 2-3 until the butter has mostly melted. Add the confectioners’ sugar and whisk to combine as evenly as possible. Add 2 1/2 ounces of hot water (1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon) and whisk well. The glaze should be pretty thin but not watery. If you think it’s a bit thick, add more water, a teaspoon or so at a time, until you like the texture. You will most likely have a lot of leftover glaze, but you need this much to be able to dip and flip them. After glazing all the doughnuts, you can use the leftover glaze for another purpose or just discard it.
- NOTES: If you want to fry the doughnut holes, fry them first or they will overproof since they are so small. The doughnuts should float in the oil as soon as you drop them in. If they sink or float low in the oil, remove the oil from the heat and let the doughnuts proof an additional 10-15 minutes. A well-proofed doughnut will bob in the oil like a boat, not sink like a submarine. Your doughnuts should be deep golden brown on each side and have a pale strip around their centers. (See photos) That lets you know they are light and fluffy
Tara
My dough seems really runny and isn’t coming together into the initial ball after 15 minutes. Should I add more flour?
Stephanie
Yes, you should add just enough flour until the dough comes together.
adela Uribe
Confuse what is 11.5 ounce all purpose flour and 2 3/4 cup of king arthur thanks so how much flour thanks
Stephanie
You either need to weigh the flour, or use a measuring cup.
Valerie Roberts
I made these today. The were the lightest fluffiest doughnuts I’ve ever made. While the texture wasn’t exactly like KK, the flavor was there. I followed the recipe exactly and I’m very pleased with them.
Lauri Abrams
Hello, we have a restaurant here in Phx.,AZ called “TOKOYO EXPRESS”. There are only 2 locations. They make the best teriyaki chicken. The sauce is incredible. I have sinced moved from the valley, and have attempted to recreate this sauce with no luck.
Have you any idea, maybe, on how to connect with them for the recipe? I have personally askedfor it years agowhen visiting, but to no avail.
scom0any
Stephanie Manley
Thank you for leaving a comment. So how I work is I go to the restaurant, try the dish, and then I try to replicate it. I just try to duplicate a recipe, I don’t go and ask for them. Very occasionally a restaurant will give me a recipe. (I think this has happened 3 times in 21 years).
I don’t have travel plans in this area. So I don’t know when I can try this dish and try to duplicate it.
What would I do, just call and ask them, they may tell you they buy a particular sauce. You can try to smooze the waiter, some people are more helpful than others. I often find bartenders if the place has a bar to be helpful. I don’t have a magic network to connect to folks :(. I would do it the same way you would. Good luck!
Barbara C. Hardison
We have a Mexican restaurant in the Memphis area called “Abuelos Mexican Restaurant”. I believe there is one somewhere in Texas also. Their food is awesome. There are a number of things I wish I could copy but most important is their bean dip and their “papas” (potatoes). If you get a chance to try these…….please try to copy them. The bean dip is different from any other that I have tried and I have never had papas as any other mexican restaurant.
Donna Fagan
Stephanie, do you have the recipe for making The Restaurant “Piccadilly” roll’s? They are light and fluffy and good! If not I’ll continue to use my “Rhode’s ” roll I buy, OMG they are the bomb!
Debbie Gillispie
Hello Stephanie,
Can you please figure out the Chick Fillet chicken sandwich recipe?? I have tried everything but still can’t get it just right.
Thank you
Debbie Gillispie
Jenni
I don’t know the whole secret, but brining the chicken in pickle juice certainly helps. Have you tried that, Debbie?
Janet
could you come up with a copycat for the Honeybaked Ham savory sauce
Libba Murphey
Hey, Jenni & Stephanie: (warning, I am one of THOSE people!)
Is this a typo or intentional?
“Author: Jenni Field Recipe Type: Breakfat Prep time: 1 hour, 30 minutes Cook time: 15 minutesServes 8”
Stephanie
Jenni Field is the author. I called the rise time the prep time and the cook time for the frying of the donuts. I am assuming folks will get about 2 donuts a piece from this recipe.
Jenni
It’s a good question, Libba! Depending on how you roll them, you’ll probably get a good 16-17 doughnuts. Most likely 12 from the first roll and a handful more if you choose to roll a second time. Making the dough and rise time is probably going to be about an hour and 30 minutes, plus time to roll and then the second 30-ish minute rise. If you intend to make them for breakfast, make it a late breakfast, or make them the evening before. They honestly are best (just like at Krispy Kreme) the day they’re made. Each doughnut probably fries 2-ish minutes total, and I fried 3 at a time. Hope that helps you with your plan of attack!
Debby Wilks
Looks like a lot of work. I printed the recipe, but will probably keep buying them as long as I can.
Jenni
It is a bit of work for sure. If your Krispy Kreme ever shuts down (I hope it doesn’t!) at least you can make something really really similar! 🙂
Tambra Nicole Kendall
For some reason they shut down our Krispy Kremes a few years ago. They have one in my old hometown an hour away and that’s the closest one.
I’ll have to do this with all-purpose gluten free flour and omit the malted milk powder (which isn’t gluten free).
If I can get really, really close with this recipe I’ll be happy.
Do you think an Air Fryer will work instead of the oil?
Thank you so much for sharing you recipe!
Jenni
Hey, Tambra! First, boo on them for shutting down your KK. But I know they expanded during the boom and then had to contract when the economy took a turn. You can use regular milk powder rather than the malted milk, and you should be fine. I have no experience with an air fryer, so I really can’t say if it would work in one. But I have a friend who is writing an air fryer cookbook. I’ll ask her and let you know.
Cheryll Robinette
i also just got a air fryer recently and was also wondering about the kk donuts. but today for the first time since i got my air fryer i found all kinds of recipes by accident on pinterest & they have some pretty good looking donut recipes on there.
Stephanie
I have not tried making donuts in there. I don’t think they will brown as they would from cooking them in oil. I think you would get something closer to the texture of a cinnamon roll.
Steve Mills
I’d like to get a recipe for cracker Barrell apple dumplings in a single size baking dish with a pastry crust and strussel topping. Do you have one or know where to find one?
Stephanie
Thank you for your suggestion, I will keep it in mind. I’ll have to develop this one.
Suzanne Alford
Can you find the old Toddle house cream waffle recipe and the Dobbs House sour cream waffle recipe. Would love to have these two recipes. We love waffles and these were the best
Stephanie
Looks like those would be very difficult to do, they have been out of business for quite awhile now. For me to duplicate the recipe I need to be able to taste it. I’ll keep my eyes open, as I can’t replicate a recipe without trying it.