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 Italian family) – just click here VEGAN RECIPES.
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 in a carton (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 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
- 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 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving:Calories: 205Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 121mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 1gSugar: 5gProtein: 4g
Nutrition information is only estimated.
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Hi, on the second rise (on the tray) are we doubling in size again or…???
Hi Jane,
I don’t think double is what you’re looking for, but just so they look well-risen. If you overproof them, they won’t turn out.
Hello. Will the flack seed specks show in the donut?
You can see them in the photos.
Can these be baked instead of fried?
Hi Nancy, they are so delicate, I’m afraid I wouldn’t recommend it, however, I have never tried.
Can the coconut milk be replaced with a plant milk such as soy, oat or rice? My son is allergic to all tree nuts.
Hi Caitlin, my daughter is also allergic to all tree nuts, but coconut is not a tree nut. However in the case that he is also allergic to coconut, I would assume that other milks are going to work as well, especially if you already have one in your fridge, although I haven’t tried. Just an FYI, almonds are also not considered tree nuts (they are part of the stone fruit family), so my daughter can eat them, she just doesn’t in case of contamination with other nuts. Also, some have an allergy to the stone fruit family as well. I’m sure you agree, allergies are just rotten :( Good luck with the donuts!
Hello, first of all thank you for the recipe! I’m trying it out right now, waiting for the dough to rise. I just saw Caitlin’s comment and your answer and I’m starting to worry: does it mean that when you said to use coconut milk in a carton, you meant a coconut drink, with almost the same consistency as water? I thought you meant the creamy type in the small carton and that’s what I’ve used.
Hi Aurore, it’s coconut milk that people use just like almond milk or oat milk. It’s not a drink (I think you’re thinking of coconut water?) That said, it’s not a creamy coconut concoction (which is coconut cream). Anyway, let me know how it turns out. I’ve linked to the right product in the recipe so you can see what I’m referring to.
Hi, thank you for you answer! When I said “drink” I meant the kind of thing that people put in their coffee. Oh yes sorry, I hadn’t paid attention to the fact that you’d linked the right product. I used the wrong type then, since I used a cream. And I couldn’t reach the desired result, but I’m not sure the problem is in the dough, because the dough seemed to have the same texture as in your picture, it’s just that when I deep fried them following your tips (when it bubbled immediately but didn’t turn brown right away), the inside part of the donut remained uncooked (raw). Do you think the problem lies in the dough because I used coconut cream, or rather in my lack of deep frying skill?
I do think the cream would affect the result, tbh. It would make it heavy instead of light. The dougnuts won’t turn brown immediately, but they should brown quite quickly. I think you’ll be fine when you use the right coconut milk. Sorry about that :(
When I mix the flaxseed and the aquafaba am I just combining them together, or am I meant to whip it to a semi or stiff peak?
Just mix together, no need to whip, Katie. Enjoy the doughnuts!
Hi there! I really want to try these, they look amazing!! For the coconut milk, is it from. Carton or full day milk in a can?
Hi Monique, it’s the carton kind. I will add this to the directions. Enjoy!
Hi there, I made these for Halloween and everyone loved them.
I have 1 question, when I went to pick the donuts up to pit them into the oil they collapsed, can you help me correct this?
I used high grade flour the only type I can get at the moment in Covid lockdown. Would this have been the problem?
They tasted great just became ugly Halloween donuts lol.
Thanks in advance.
Hi Rachel, I’m so sorry to hear this. I don’t think it’s the flour, but you possibly over proofed them? You can’t let them rise for longer than they should or this is one of the things that happens. The dough will also taste a bit sour, and they might not brown. Do you think that’s it?