Perfect Vegan Doughnuts Made with Yeast (ORIGINAL Vegan Donut Recipe)

Instructions

Make the doughnut dough

1. Mix the aquafaba with the ground flaxseed in a small bowl.

FOR BREAD MACHINE

1. 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:

1. Place the dry ingredients in a bowl. Put 6 tablespoonfuls 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

1. 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.)
2. 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.
3. 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

1. 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.
2. 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

1. 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.
2. Drop the yeast doughnuts into the hot oil using the paper to carefully lower them into the oil.
3. 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)

1. When the doughnuts have cooled, roll them in sugar to coat evenly.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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!