---
comments: true
tags:
  - breakfast
  - cooks-illustrated
---
# :doughnut: Yeasted Doughnuts with Chocolate Frosting

![Yeasted Doughnuts with Chocolate Frosting][1]{ loading=lazy }

| :fork_and_knife_with_plate: Serves | :timer_clock: Total Time |
|:----------------------------------:|:-----------------------: |
| 12 | 1.75 hours |

## :salt: Ingredients - Doughnuts

- :ear_of_rice: 4.5 cups all-purpose flour
- :candy: 0.5 cup sugar
- :microbe: 1 tsp instant yeast
- :glass_of_milk: 0.2 cups milk
- :egg: 1 large egg
- :salt: 1.5 tsp salt
- :butter: 8 Tbsp unsalted butter
- :oil_drum: 2 qts vegetable oil

## :salt: Ingredients - Frosting

- :chocolate_bar: 4 oz bittersweet chocolate
- :droplet: 0.5 cup water
- :rice: 2 cups confectioners' sugar
- :chocolate_bar: 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- :salt: 1 pinch salt

## :cooking: Cookware

- 1 stand mixer
- 1 rubber spatula
- 1 plastic wrap
- 1 large bowl
- 1 plastic
- 1 3-inch round cutter
- 1 1-inch round cutter
- 1 sheet
- 1 kettle or small saucepan
- 1 large Dutch oven
- 1 spider skimmer
- 1 medium bowl

!!! note
    You'll need two large baking sheets and two wire racks for this recipe. You'll also need 3-inch and 1-inch round
    cutters. For the best results, weigh the flour for the doughnuts and the confectioners' sugar for the frosting.
    Heating the oil slowly will make it easier to control the temperature when frying. Use a Dutch oven that holds 6
    quarts or more. If the frosting stiffens before you use it, microwave it at 50 percent power, stirring every 30
    seconds, until it is smooth and fluid. The frosting can be made up to 48 hours in advance.

## :pencil: Instructions - Doughnuts

### Step 1

Stir all-purpose flour, sugar, and instant yeast together in bowl of stand mixer. Add milk and egg and mix with rubber
spatula until all ingredients are moistened. Fit stand mixer with dough hook and mix on medium-low speed until
cohesive mass forms, about 2 minutes, scraping down bowl if necessary. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let stand for
20 minutes.

### Step 2

Add salt and mix on medium-low speed until dough is smooth and elastic and clears sides of bowl, 5 to 7 minutes. With
mixer running, add unsalted butter, a few pieces at a time, and continue to mix until butter is fully incorporated and
dough is smooth and elastic and clears sides of bowl, 7 to 13 minutes longer, scraping down bowl halfway through mixing.
Transfer dough to lightly greased large bowl, flip dough, and form into ball. Cover bowl with plastic. Let sit at room
temperature for 1 hour. Transfer to refrigerator and chill overnight (or up to 48 hours).

### Step 3

Adjust oven racks to lowest and middle positions. Place loaf pan on lower rack. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment
paper and grease parchment. Transfer dough to lightly floured counter. Press into 8-inch square of even thickness,
expelling as much air as possible. Roll dough into 10 by 13-inch rectangle, about 1/2 inch thick. Using 3-inch round
cutter dipped in flour, cut 12 rounds. Using 1-inch round cutter dipped in flour, cut hole out of center of each round.
Transfer doughnuts and holes to prepared sheet. (If desired, use 1-inch cutter to cut small rounds from remaining dough.
Transfer to sheet with doughnuts.) Bring kettle or small saucepan of water to boil.

### Step 4

Pour 1 cup boiling water into loaf pan. Place sheet on upper rack, uncovered. Close oven and allow doughnuts to rise
until dough increases in height by 50 percent and springs back very slowly when pressed with your knuckle, 45 minutes to
1 hour.

### Step 5

About 20 minutes before end of rising time, add vegetable oil to large Dutch oven until it measures about 1.5 inches
deep and heat over medium-low heat to 360°F. Set wire rack in second rimmed baking sheet and line with triple layer of
paper towels. Using both your hands, gently place 4 risen doughnuts in oil. Cook until golden brown on undersides, 1 to
1.5 minutes, adjusting burner as necessary to maintain oil temperature between 350°F and 365°F. Using spider skimmer,
flip doughnuts and cook until second sides are browned, 1 to 1.5 minutes. Transfer doughnuts to prepared rack. Return
oil to 360°F and repeat with remaining doughnuts. For doughnut holes, transfer all to oil and stir gently and
constantly until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Transfer to prepared rack to cool. Let doughnuts cool completely, about
20 minutes.

## :pencil: Instructions - Frosting

### Step 6

While doughnuts cool, microwave finely chopped bittersweet chocolate and water in medium bowl at 50 percent power until
chocolate is melted, about 30 seconds. Whisk in confectioners' sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, and salt until smooth
and fluid. Let cool slightly.

### Step 7

Set clean wire rack in now-empty sheet. Dip top half of 1 cooled doughnut into frosting until evenly coated, allowing
excess to drip back into bowl. Invert doughnut and place on wire rack. Repeat with remaining doughnuts. Let doughnuts
stand until frosting is dry to touch, 15 to 30 minutes, before serving.

## :link: Source

- Cook's Illustrated

[1]: <../assets/images/yeasted-doughnuts-with-chocolate-frosting.jpg>