The Best Brioche Donuts Recipe

Modified: Dec 17, 2024 by Dina

This Brioche Donuts Recipe will make the best brioche donuts you’ve ever tasted. Rich, buttery, yet still fluffy, brioche donuts are easy to make and are a delicious dessert or sweet snack at any time of day.

Table Of Contents

Recipe Details

I love this Brioche Donuts recipe because it’s the ultimate in rich and delicious donuts. We like to add fillings, like Nutella or jam, making these a real treat to enjoy on the weekend or serve to guests.

• TASTE: These Brioche Donuts are wonderfully rich and buttery. They have a yummy flavor that you won’t be able to get enough of.
• TEXTURE: These donuts are perfectly fluffy. The light and airy texture is delicious when paired with creamy fillings.
• TIME: This recipe takes 2 hours and 30 minutes, but most of that is for proofing.
• EASE: Donuts can be intimidating, but this recipe will easily walk you through all the steps for making your own homemade brioche donuts.

What You’ll Need

Ingredient Notes

• Water- Warm, to activate the yeast.
• Whole milk- Warm
• Active dry yeast– Instant yeast gives the donuts their fluffiness.
• Granulated sugar- This is to activate the yeast and be added to the dough.
• Salt
• Eggs- These give the donuts a richer flavor.
• Unsalted butter- Adds the buttery flavor brioche is known for.
• Flour- All-purpose is a better option than bread flour.

Add-ins and Substitutions

• Give them a chocolatey flavor- Add some unsweetened cocoa powder to the dough to create a chocolate donut you can fill with chocolate ganache or custard.
• Give them a fruity vibe- Add lemon zest and lemon filling to these donuts, or enjoy them with a raspberry or strawberry jam filling.
• Make them gluten-free- Substitute all-purpose gluten-free baking flour in this recipe to create a gluten-less dessert everyone will love.
• Top them- Drizzle on your favorite frostings and add some sprinkles, crushed cookies, and other sweet or savory toppings for an amazing sweet treat.

How to Make the Best Brioche Donuts

• Froth the yeast. In a measuring cup, add the warm water and milk to 1 Tbsp. of sugar and the yeast. Whisk. After about 10 minutes, it should be frothy.
• Combine the ingredients. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the flour, salt, sugar, frothy yeast, and eggs. Using the hook attachment, mix together at medium-high speed.

• Add the butter. When the dough starts to come together, add the softened butter and mix again for about 8 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
• Let the dough rise. Place it in a greased bowl and cover the dough with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel. Allow it to rise in a warm place for about an hour, or until it doubles in size.
• Punch and proof again. Punch the dough down, reshape it, and allow it to rise to twice the size again (about an hour).

Pro Tip: Do not let the dough rise too long or it will hurt the taste and texture of the donuts. It should take about an hour to double in size.

• Roll the dough out. Place the dough on a well-floured surface. Dust more flour on the dough and then roll it out with a rolling pin until it’s about 3/4-inch thick.
• Cut and let rise. Cut the dough out with a biscuit cutter and place the donuts on a baking sheet. Allow them to rise for 30 minutes.
• Fry the donuts. Pour about 2 inches of oil into a heavy-bottomed pot and heat it to 360-375ºF. Fry the donuts for a few minutes on each side, until golden brown.

• Let cool. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with paper towels to absorb extra oil. Allow the fried donuts to cool before rolling in sugar. Once they have cooled to room temperature, fill them with Nutella, raspberry jam, or Boston cream custard.

Recipe Tips

• Be patient when proofing- It’s important to allow the dough the time needed to proof, so don’t rush it. This gives the brioche donuts the fluffy texture you want.
• Let the dough rise overnight- You can also make this brioche recipe by allowing it to rise overnight in the fridge. By placing the dough in the fridge, it prevents over-fermentation.
• Keep the oil at the right temp- You want to make sure that the temperature of your frying oil is between 360-375 degrees Fahrenheit. Oil that is too hot will burn the outside and leave the inside raw, while too cool oil will take longer to cook, leaving the donuts dry inside.

FAQs

Serving Suggestions

These Best Brioche Donuts are versatile and scrumptious. You can pair them with your favorite desserts, coffees, or make them a breakfast treat. Here’s some great ways to serve them.

• Cake pops: Serve these donuts with a mini treat, like these Chocolate Cake Pops, Oreo Cake Pops (VIDEO), Red Velvet Cake Pops (VIDEO), or Vanilla Cake Pops (VIDEO).
• Cookies: Pair your homemade Brioche Donuts with White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies, Double Chocolate Cookies (VIDEO), and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies.
• Breakfast: Enjoy them with a savory breakfast dish, like a Croissant Breakfast Sandwich, Crispy Breakfast Burrito (VIDEO), or Easy Poached Eggs with Caramelized Onions.
• Coffee: You’ll love these donuts with a Pumpkin Spice Latte, Caramel Frappuccino (Starbucks Copycat), or Iced Caramel Macchiato.

Make This Recipe in Advance

Make ahead: You can make this donut recipe a day in advance by placing your covered brioche dough in the fridge overnight to rise. Then, on the next day prior to using your brioche dough, make sure to punch your dough down and reshape it. Let it rise once more before rolling it out and cutting out the donuts.

Storing: You can store these brioche donuts tightly wrapped and in an airtight container or bag.  They will last for 1-2 days at room temperature, 1 week in the fridge, and 2-3 months in the freezer. If you’ve filled your brioche donuts, then they should always be stored in the fridge or freezer, and not left out.

Freeze: Wrap them tightly in aluminum foil and then place them in a ziplock freezer bag. When you are ready to eat them, allow them to defrost at room temperature before reheating them in the oven, or in the microwave for about 15-20 seconds, checking for doneness after the first 10 seconds.

More Delicious Donuts!

Full Recipe Instructions