Easy Donut Recipe: Homemade Glazed Doughnuts to Make

You guys, if you’ve been searching for an easy donut recipe that skips the typical effort of a homemade donut — no yeast mixture, no second rise, no dough hook attachment, no waiting around forever — then you have absolutely landed in the right place! 🎉 You’ve heard of canned biscuits donuts, right? (like these) Well, that’s basically what I did here. Except I actually made the biscuit dough myself using Bisquick baking mix. I usually have the baking mix on hand more often than I do canned biscuits, and so I was curious if frying up “my own” freshly made dough would yield the same fluffy, buttery homemade doughnuts that canned biscuit dough makes.

Why This Easy Donut Recipe Beats a Trip to the Local Bakery

Honestly? I used to think that making fluffy donuts at home required, like, a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment, bread flour, instant yeast, warm milk at exactly the right temperature, and basically a culinary degree. Spoiler: it does not. This homemade donut recipe uses basic ingredients you probably already have sitting in your pantry right now. We’re talking all-purpose flour (aka Bisquick, which already has it mixed in!), vegetable oil or canola oil for frying, powdered sugar for the glaze, and vanilla extract. That’s basically it! No bowl of an electric mixer required, no dough rise to manage, no rolling pin workout. If you’ve ever been intimidated by perfect yeast doughnuts or an old-fashioned cake donut from scratch, let this be your gateway recipe. Be still my heart — it’s SO good. 😍

Bisquick vs. Other Donut Methods

Turns out, they’re just as good as the canned biscuit version! And maybe even a little better since you can use a cookie cutter to make fun shapes with your biscuit dough before frying (like these cute Valentine’s Day Hearts 💕). Now, I know some of you are die-hard yeast donuts fans — and listen, I get it. Perfect yeast doughnuts with that airy texture and a classic vanilla glaze? Dreamy. But yeast donuts require donut dough that goes through a full dough rise, sometimes twice, on a lightly floured surface, in a warm place. That’s a commitment! This easy doughnut recipe skips all of that. Think of it as somewhere between a baked donut recipe and a Krispy Kreme situation, but faster and made in your own kitchen. And if you love baked versions, check out my best ever baked donuts and my cinnamon sugar baked pumpkin donuts too!

Special Equipment You May Need

Can we talk about special equipment for a sec? The good news is this easy recipe keeps it minimal. You don’t need a donut pan, a piping bag, or a stand mixer. Here’s what actually helps: a doughnut cutter (or a round cookie cutter plus a small bottle cap for the center hole!), a slotted spoon or tongs for flipping, a wire rack set over a baking sheet lined with paper towels, and a small bowl for your glaze. That’s it! When I mix my donut batter — which is really more of a soft dough situation — I just use a wooden spoon and a large mixing bowl. I’m not going to pretend I dragged out the stand mixer for this one. 😂 You’ll also want a separate large bowl if you’re doing a cinnamon sugar coating or tossing the doughnut holes. Speaking of which — aka donut holes — don’t you dare throw away those little centers. Fry them up too! They are bite-sized donuts of pure joy.

How to Fry Donuts Without a Disaster

Speaking of frying — let’s talk about that for a minute, because I know this is where a lot of you guys get nervous! I’ve noticed so many readers shy away from frying homemade donuts because they think it’s going to be difficult or really messy. But the truth is: it doesn’t have to be either! The oil temperature is genuinely the most important thing here. Use a neutral oil with a high smoke point — canola oil or vegetable oil are my go-tos; please skip the olive oil on this one! — and keep a close eye on the temperature of the oil. Hot oil that’s too cool means greasy donuts. Too hot means burnt outsides and raw insides. No thank you. Here are my key tips for frying success:

• Use a 2-quart saucepan with about 3 cups of oil. Fry about 2 donuts at a time. The handle makes carrying to the wire rack super easy, and the oil level stays low enough to prevent splatter.
• Heat the oil on medium for about 5 minutes, then do the water drop test — if cold water drops make the hot oil bubble and spat, you’re ready. Adjust heat up just a notch if needed.
• Use tongs to flip the donuts and remove them from the pan. A fork or spoon will make things messy, and you’ll probably burn yourself. (Ask me how I know. 😬)
• Remove the pot from the stove between batches to manage the oil temperature and keep things from getting too hot and scorching.
• If the donuts don’t float to the top immediately after you place doughnuts in the hot oil, it isn’t hot enough yet — they’ll absorb too much oil before they start to fry properly.
• Layer foil AND paper towels under the wire rack. Paper towels absorb oil drips; foil keeps your glaze from seeping onto the counter.

Topping and Glazing Your Homemade Donuts

Okay, now for the BEST part — toppings! 🙌 Once your donuts are golden brown and draining on the wire rack, the world is your oyster. The classic vanilla glaze is always my go-to: just powdered sugar, a splash of warm milk, and vanilla extract whisked together in a small bowl. Dip while warm and let it set — that slightly crackly, dreamy finish is everything. Want a chocolate glaze? Melt some chocolate chips with a little melted butter and dip away! You can also go the cinnamon sugar route — just toss the warm donuts in a mix of cinnamon sugar and they’ll come out with the most gorgeous sugar-coated exterior. Feeling fancy? Try coconut flakes pressed into the glaze before it sets! Honestly, these homemade donuts are so customizable that even Dunkin’ Donuts would be a little jealous. 😄 For even more fun topping ideas, I love what we did with these Halloween donuts — so creative! And if you’re a cinnamon lover in general, you have to check out these 17 cinnamon recipes because wow.

Tips for the Perfect Homemade Doughnut Every Time

A few final notes for making the perfect homemade doughnut with this easy doughnut recipe! First — don’t add too much flour when mixing your wet ingredients and dry ingredients together. Too much flour makes a stiff dough instead of that soft dough we’re going for, and the sides of the bowl should look mostly clean when you’re done mixing. Use a lightly floured surface and a rolling pin to roll to about half an inch thick — any thinner and they won’t puff up with that fluffy donut texture we love. Let your ingredients come to room temperature before you start (especially if your kitchen runs cold). And store any leftovers in an airtight container — though honestly, these fluffy doughnuts rarely make it to the next day in my house! If you want to explore more delicious recipes in the donut universe, my donut holes recipe is a must-make, and these banana chocolate chip donuts with Biscoff glaze are absolutely ah-mazing. Now go make this homemade donuts recipe and enjoy every single golden, glazy, delicious bite! 🍩