Mardi Gras Colored Donuts (Print View)

Golden fried donuts with vibrant colored sugars for a festive touch inspired by New Orleans.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dough

01 - 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - ¼ cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast (1 packet)
04 - ½ tsp salt
05 - ¾ cup whole milk, lukewarm
06 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
07 - 1 large egg

→ Frying

08 - 4 cups vegetable oil

→ Glaze

09 - 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
10 - 3 tbsp milk
11 - ½ tsp vanilla extract

→ Decoration

12 - 2 tbsp purple colored sugar
13 - 2 tbsp green colored sugar
14 - 2 tbsp yellow colored sugar

# Step-by-Step Directions:

01 - Whisk together flour, granulated sugar, yeast, and salt in a large mixing bowl until thoroughly combined.
02 - Combine lukewarm milk, melted butter, and egg in a separate bowl. Pour wet mixture into dry ingredients and stir until a soft, sticky dough forms.
03 - Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes until smooth and elastic. Transfer to greased bowl, cover, and let rise in warm area for 1 hour until doubled in bulk.
04 - Roll dough to ½-inch thickness. Cut into rounds using 3-inch donut cutter or two round cutters (3-inch outer, 1-inch inner). Arrange on parchment-lined baking sheet, cover, and rise 20-30 minutes until puffy.
05 - Heat oil in heavy-bottomed pot to 350°F. Fry donuts in batches for 1-2 minutes per side until deep golden brown. Remove with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
06 - Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and pourable consistency is achieved.
07 - Dip warm donuts into glaze, allowing excess to drip off. Immediately sprinkle sections with purple, green, and yellow colored sugars. Transfer to wire rack and let set completely.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The dough comes together surprisingly easily and rewards you with the pillowy softest interior
  • That moment when you press the colored sugars into the glaze feels like pure magic
  • They transform any ordinary Tuesday into something worth celebrating
02 -
  • I learned the hard way that glazing cold donuts makes the glaze slide right off, so work while they're still warm
  • Oil temperature matters more than you think, too hot and they burn outside and stay raw inside
  • The colored sugar needs that slightly wet glaze to stick properly, so work quickly after dipping
03 -
  • Use a kitchen thermometer for your oil, it is the difference between amateur hour and professional results
  • Let the glazed donuts set for at least 15 minutes before stacking them or you will end up with one giant sugar stuck together situation

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