Perfect vegan doughnuts are attainable! After perfecting regular doughnuts, the recipe can now be made vegan! No one will believe they’re truly egg free and dairy free (this is an original recipe)!
I don’t know how much you know about my site and recipes, but my top performing post is my perfect yeast doughnuts recipe. (We’ll see how long it lasts since my custard peach pie recipe has been coming on strong for 6 months, now.)
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I cannot tell you how many times the photo above has been stolen online. In fact, I flew to Scotland a few years ago and discovered that someone was using it on a sandwich board to promote their business (without as much as asking my permission)! I was livid; mostly because he was very rude and didn’t even apologize.
Anyway, the reason I’m telling you this is because this doughnut recipe is popular for a reason: the doughnuts turn out perfectly! I’ve had rave reviews from all over the world (you can read the comments here). It’s not my recipe, but one I adapted from a bread baking book, so I’m not the one to take credit for the recipe.
I also can’t take credit for “veganizing” the recipe because it was comments left from two of my readers, Jen and Nicole, telling me they’d made my perfect yeast donuts in vegan form and they were amazed at the results. Thank you, ladies!
Unfortunately, you’ll find other similar recipes published online and often there is NO CREDIT to where the recipe came from. Unless the person is a pastry chef, do you really think they came up with a vegan doughnut recipe off the top of their head? This happens much too often nowadays; always ask yourself when you see a recipe online: where is the credit to the source of the recipe, even if it’s an inspiration.
Another reader named Laura told me her children were allergic to eggs and dairy, so I’ve had it in the back of my mind to try and make the vegan version for quite some time.
I’ve made the perfect vegan doughnuts twice now and they are incredible. My dad raved about them saying he thinks they’re even better than the original! If you knew my dad, you’d realize that this means the doughnuts are crazy good! I also would never share a vegan recipe if it meant that the flavor/taste was compromised by having to substitute ingredients.
So here is the recipe for the perfect vegan doughnuts, with a printable recipe below. If you make them, please let me know what you think!
Perfect Vegan Doughnuts
Adapted from this recipe for Perfect Yeast Doughnuts.
FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW
Step by Step Directions
The measurements are critical in this recipe, so a scale is necessary. (This is why there are no cup measurements-please do not ask for them.) The ONLY way to obtain the correct amount of flour is by weighing it.
Make the dough in a bread machine (or by hand).
Knead the dough when doubled, roll out and cut doughnuts.
This is the link to the doughnut cutter in the photo below.
Place on paper sheets on tray.
Allow to rise.
Heat oil and begin frying the vegan doughnuts. Remove and place on paper towel.
Fill, coat, dip or dust doughnuts.
Eat the Vegan Doughnuts!
Aaaand another doughnut recipe! Mini Italian pumpkin and orange doughnuts.
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I’m not vegan, but have plenty of vegan recipes for you to peruse. All tried, tested and true (most have been passed down within my family) – just click here VEGAN RECIPES.
(Sorry for the inordinate number of doughnut photos, but it was so hard to narrow down which ones to use!)
Perfect Vegan Doughnuts Made with Yeast (Vegan Donut Recipe)
Perfect vegan doughnuts are super light and fluffy! No one will ever know they're vegan.
Ingredients
- 6 Tbsp aquafaba (chickpea water)
- 2 tsp ground flaxseed
- 6 Tbsp (90 ml) water
- 5 oz coconut milk (150 ml) at room temperature
- 2 oz (57 g) coconut oil, melted
- 16 oz (454 g) all-purpose or bread flour
- 2 oz (57 g) sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp (5 g) regular or quick-rise yeast (one and a half teaspoons)
- oil for frying (I use sunflower or grape seed oil or a combination)
- powdered sugar and regular sugar, coconut, etc. for coating the doughnuts
- jam or any other vegan filling, if desired
Instructions
Make the doughnut dough
- Mix the aquafaba with the ground flaxseed in a small bowl.
FOR BREAD MACHINE
- Place the aquafaba mixture, water, coconut milk, and melted coconut oil in the bread machine pan or stand mixer bowl, then add the dry ingredients, except for the yeast. Make a small indentation in the dry ingredients, then add the yeast. Set the bread machine on the ‘dough’ setting. Remove when dough has doubled in size.
FOR STAND MIXER WITH DOUGH HOOK, OR BY HAND:
- Place the dry ingredients in a bowl. Put 6 tbsp of lukewarm water in a cup and sprinkle the yeast on top, set aside for about 5 minutes, until the yeast begins to react (you can add a pinch of sugar to help it). Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, then pour in the yeast mixture, coconut milk, aquafaba mixture, and coconut oil. If using a stand mixer, run with the dough hook until a dough forms then continue for about 5 minutes. By hand, knead for about 10 minutes. Cover and set aside until at least doubled in size.
Roll out the dough and cut
- Once the dough has risen, place it on a floured surface and knead lightly. Divide it in half, keeping half the dough covered, so it doesn’t form a skin.With a rolling pin, roll out half of the dough to about 1/2″ thickness. (Do not rest the dough.)
- Cut with a round, sharp doughnut cutter (about 3″ diameter). Or else use a sharp cookie cutter, then make the holes with a smaller cookie cutter (about 1″ diameter), saving the holes. I recommend this cutter.
- For jelly filled doughnuts: roll each piece of dough into a smooth ball, and place on parchment or waxed paper pieces and place on a cookie sheet; place in the oven with the other doughnuts and holes.
Let the cut doughnuts rise
- Place each doughnut on a piece of parchment paper, then place on a cookie sheet. Put the tray in the oven The oven warming step should not be necessary in the summer unless your a/c is very cool.
- Next, boil some water and pour it into a measuring jug or bowl. Place the jug of water in the oven with the tray of doughnuts (this will create steam will keep a skin from forming).
Fry the doughnuts
- Heat the oil to about 350ºF (180º). If you don’t have a thermometer, test the oil with a doughnut hole. If it doesn’t start frying (bubbling) immediately, the oil is too cold, if the hole turns brown right away, the oil is too hot. Adjust the heat accordingly.
- Drop the yeast doughnuts into the hot oil using the paper to carefully lower them into the oil.
- Turn them over as soon as they become golden brown on the underside, then remove and place on a paper towel lined plate once they are ready.
Decide how you want to finish them (sugar, glaze, filled, or plain)
- When the doughnuts have cooled, roll them in sugar to coat evenly.
- For glazed doughnuts, just put some powdered (confectioner’s) sugar in a bowl and add a little bit of milk or water. Stir and keep adding liquid until you reach a smooth, slightly runny consistency. You want the glaze to run off the doughnuts when you’ve dipped them.
- Dip one and place it on a cooling rack to set. If all the glaze runs off, add more sugar, and if it’s too thick, add more liquid. No measuring needed.
- If you choose to fill the large yeast doughnuts, push a skewer into the center of the doughnut to make a hole. Next, put some room temperature jam, or slightly warmed chocolate hazelnut spread (I’ve gone off Nutella since they’re using tons of palm oil) into a piping bag and pipe the filling into the doughnut.
PLEASE READ NOTES BELOW!
Notes
- I do not specify a time on the dough rising because there are too many factors that will determine the length of time. Which yeast was used (regular or quick rise), if the yeast was fresh or old (older yeast doesn’t work as well, or sometimes not at all), and the temperature of your kitchen.
Special equipment:
- parchment paper, cut into about 4″ squares (smaller pieces for doughnut holes)
- large pot, deep fryer or wok
- a sharp doughnut cutter (a reader asked what I recommend, and I like this one as there is no guessing where the center of the doughnut is–perfect doughnuts every time).
- candy/oil thermometer, not necessary, but very helpful if you’re not a deep-frying pro
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 16 to 20 Serving Size: 1 doughnutAmount Per Serving:Calories: 188Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 128mgCarbohydrates: 28gFiber: 1gSugar: 11gProtein: 3g
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Christina’s Cucina is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associate Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
Hi! My 3 year old is a doughnut fiend, however he is allergic to eggs, dairy, peanuts, soy, chickpeas. I am assuming the chickpea water and flax seed are replacing eggs in this recipe. What would you suggest to use in place of the chickpea water?
Hi Brittany, first of all, my heart goes out to you as I know what it’s like having a child with allergies. I did some googling and apparently, most beans will act the same as the chickpeas, so I’d try cannellini bean water. Another option might be to double the flax seed and water, but I’d tend to want to stay with the original recipe as much as possible, because it works. Let me know how it turns out! Good luck!
Does the Aquafaba need to be whipped before using? Or just straight liquid from the can?
No whipping necessary, Hannah :)
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Hello, do you think it would be okay for me to make the dough, cut the doughnuts, and then fry them the next morning, keeping the cut dough in the fridge?
Hi Casey, no this won’t work. The doughnuts will continue to proof in the fridge and will be over proofed and probably taste sour if you do this. See my FAQs for other options.
Thank you for your quick response. Where can I find the FAQs? I don’t see them on this page.
Oh sorry, I didn’t realize this was the vegan doughnut recipe. Look HERE for the FAQs and the same will apply.
Hi thanks for the recipe – is the mixture supposed to look goopy as opposed to a sold ball after mixing (before proofing)?
Thanks
No, Jen. It should never look goopy (unless it’s just starting to get mixed together). Sounds like too much water or not enough flour. Did you use a scale?
I just made these this morning and seriously the best vegan donut I’ve had. Light and fluffy and crispy! My non vegan kids even enjoyed!! I will definitely be making these again!!!
Oh yes, I’m so glad you tried the recipe, Lecia! No one would ever know they’re vegan! :)
Made these today & OMGGGG!! They taste EXACTLY like the normal yeast donuts! Christina..you’re a genius😉 I can now do donuts for my vegan family members & know they’re getting the same experience as I am when we’re eating donuts.
Receipe is 🎯👌🏾👌🏾
I know, right?!! My dad said he thinks they’re better! Haha! So glad you found the recipe! :) Please click the 5 stars if you get a chance (above the PRINT button).
Hi!!! Approximately how large/ what is the weight of your round filled donuts (before filling) ?
Hi Hillary, I haven’t weighed them, so without making a batch and weighing one, I can’t tell you, sorry. Enjoy the recipe!
Hi there, can I swap coconut milk for regular milk and coconut oil for sunflower oil..I was looking for Eggleston recipe.
Yes, you can, Sri. Not sure what the recipe is you are referring to, though.
I just tried the recipe the other day for my sisters birthday. First I was afraid they would not turn out as light and fluffy as one can see by looking at the pictures, but they were so delicious. I used soy milk instead of coconut milk and sunflower oil instead of coconut oil because I often find the taste of coconut too dominant. The modifications worked really well in my case.
This recipe is awesome! I will recommend it to everyone!
You should try refined coconut oil! They refine out the smell and taste of the coconut and is great for using in recipes where there’s quite a bit, or both coconut milk and oil :)
Wonderful to hear, thanks, Josie!
Would this work with gluten free flour?
Hi Cory, I would say no, however, I haven’t tried it. I would guess it would be difficult to make really good doughnuts that are vegan AND gluten free. If you try, let me know!
Baked these today. I followed the recipe to a T and I added a couple pinches of nutmeg and a dash of clove (courtesy of a different donut recipe). My dough was really goopy so I added a little less than 1/4 cup of flour and it came out perfect. Rather than frying, I decided to try to bake them. I started at 375 degrees and definitely should have started at a lower temp. I browned the bottoms a little too much! Had I started at a lower temp and baked longer, I think they would have come out PERFECT. They weren’t sweet at all. I assume that’s because the recipe calls for dusting them with sugar or putting a glaze on top. I bought one of those meat injectors and filled some with jelly. The jelly-filled ones definitely helped with the lack of sweetness in the donut. I would try this recipe again and bake at a lower temp. I wish I could upload a pic, I have some good ones!
Hi Kayla, baked doughnuts taste so much different than fried, but as long as you enjoyed them, that’s all that matters. You can always add a photo on Instagrama and tag me, or on my Food and Travel FB page. Thanks!