There's something so comforting about a warm, soft donut fresh from the pan. These easy copycat Krispy Kreme donuts are the kind that make you smile before you even take a bite - light, fluffy, and easy to make from scratch. And the best part? You don't even need a mixer!
This recipe takes everything fun about baking - mixing by hand, dipping in creamy ganache, and setting up a donut toppings bar - and turns it into a cozy afternoon project. Whether you're making them for a weekend treat, a family get-together, or just because, they always feel special.
Makes 14 Donuts | 🥚 Fun Baking Project | 🌿 No Mixer Needed | ⏱ 2 Hours
Watching my mum bake donuts was one of my favorite moments as a kid. We were always so excited and never got bored. Sometimes she'd dust them with powdered sugar or fill them with homemade jams made by my aunt and grandma from seasonal fruits. Those simple moments are such a beautiful memory to have. Nowadays, donuts have become something more - with ganache and toppings - and my kids are in pure excitement over them.
These easy Krispy Kreme donuts are light, fluffy, and easy to make from scratch - no mixer needed! You and I will whisk, shape, and dip them in a silky ganache, then have fun decorating with our favorite toppings. It's a cosy little baking project that always brings smiles - just like my easy apple raisin bundt cake.
Jump to:
- 💗 Why You'll Go Crazy for This Recipe
- 🥧 Ingredients
- 💡 Have a specific food allergy?
- ♻️ Substitutes & Variations
- 👩🍳 How To Make Easy Krispy Kreme Donuts
- 🥗 Serving Suggestions
- 💭 Expert Tips
- Create a Fun Donut Toppings Bar!
- ❓Easy Krispy Kreme Donuts FAQs
- If You Enjoyed This Recipe, You Will Love These Too
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
💗 Why You'll Go Crazy for This Recipe
- No Fancy Tools Required: Your two hands are the only equipment you need. This is a truly accessible, from-scratch recipe.
- Incredibly Soft and Airy: We'll use a simple trick with warm milk and proper proofing to get that classic, cloud-like texture.
- Your Own Donut Decorating Bar: Why settle for one flavor when you can have three? The variety of ganaches means there's a perfect donut for everyone.
- Fresh and Hot in Minutes: The unbeatable taste of a warm donut, fresh from your own kitchen, is a game-changer. For another fast, impressive treat, try our 20-minute raspberry crêpes.
🥧 Ingredients
*See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
- Warm Milk & Yeast: The milk should feel warm on your wrist, like a baby's bottle. If it's too hot, it will kill the yeast. This warm liquid wakes the yeast up so your donuts can rise.
- Butter: Make sure your melted butter has cooled down for a minute before adding it. We don't want it to scramble the eggs when you mix everything!
- Flour: I use all-purpose flour here, but if you have bread flour, it will make the donuts a bit chewier, which is also delicious.
💡 Have a specific food allergy?
Click the buttons below to ask AI how to alter it for your diet!
♻️ Substitutes & Variations
- Dairy-Free: Use your preferred plant-based milk and butter. Coconut cream can work in the ganaches. Try maple syrup in the ganache for a breakfast-style twist.
- Different Toppings: Swap the ganache for a simple glaze of powdered sugar and milk. A cinnamon-sugar donut is always a winner! Swap Biscoff for peanut butter if you like a nutty topping, or dip them in this 5-minute date caramel sauce, for a healthier, sugar-free alternative
- Donut Holes: Don't throw out the centers! Fry those up for 2-3 minutes total and roll them in powdered sugar for instant bites.
- Make baked donuts instead of fried - bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10-12 minutes.
👩🍳 How To Make Easy Krispy Kreme Donuts
Love the soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture of these donuts? You've got to try my gooey Biscoff cinnamon rolls recipe next. They're just as easy, cosy, and perfect for a weekend treat. Check out more sweet homemade recipes in my collection!
Step 1: Wake Up Your Yeast
In a large bowl, mix warm milk, sugar, and dry yeast. Stir and let it sit 5-10 minutes until frothy - that means your yeast is ready to go!
Step 2: Make the Dough
Add vanilla, eggs, and melted butter to the yeast mixture, whisk until smooth, then stir in flour and salt until a sticky dough forms.
Step 3: Knead Until Smooth
Lightly oil your hands and surface, then knead for 8-10 minutes until the dough turns soft, smooth, and elastic.
Step 4: Let It Rise
Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a towel, and let it rise in a warm spot for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Step 5: Shape the Donuts
Punch down the dough, roll it out to ½ inch thick, and cut out donuts with a round cutter and smaller holes in the middle.
Step 6: Second Rise
Place donuts on parchment, cover, and let rest for 15-20 minutes until puffed and light.
Step 7: Fry
Fry donuts in 365°F (185°C) oil for 60-90 seconds per side. Let them cool slightly.
Step 8: Decorate
Dip the donuts in ganache, add your favourite toppings, and enjoy them warm!
*See the recipe card for detailed instructions.
🥗 Serving Suggestions
These donuts are fantastic all on their own with a tall glass of cold milk. For a next-level dessert, crumble them over a scoop of vanilla ice cream. They also make a show-stopping centrepiece for a weekend brunch spread.
💭 Expert Tips
- If your kitchen is cold, let the dough rise in the oven (turned off) with the light on. This method works great for our soft, fluffy braided milk bread too.
- Fry only a few donuts at a time so the oil stays hot enough-if you add too many, they'll soak up oil and turn greasy. I think this dough turns out best fried in oil. You can air fry them, but they'll be more like baked donuts. For that classic soft texture, stick to frying.
- For super smooth ganache, let it sit for 2-3 minutes before stirring. Add a pinch of salt to the ganache for that perfect balance.
- Keep some plain donuts aside - they're amazing for filling with jam or cream later, similar to our traditional Romanian jam-filled rolls.
Create a Fun Donut Toppings Bar!
Now for the best part: decoration! Set up a station with your three ganaches and a bunch of toppings. Here are some ideas:
- For the White Chocolate Ganache: Sprinkles, crushed freeze-dried raspberries, toasted coconut, dried goji berries.
- For the Chocolate Ganache: Mini chocolate chips, chopped nuts like the walnuts in our traditional Moldavian roll, ground pistachios, or crumbled bacon for a sweet-salty kick.
- For the Biscoff Ganache: Crushed Biscoff biscuits, toffee bits, and a tiny pinch of sea salt.
- Extras: mini Oreo's and marshmellows, M&M's, Skittles, sprinkles or you just dipp them into this easy berry compote with frozen berries.
❓Easy Krispy Kreme Donuts FAQs
No! You can make the dough by hand with just a bowl and spoon, similar to our popular no-yeast apple doughnuts. Mix until a sticky dough forms, let it rest, then knead by hand until smooth.
All-purpose flour or bread flour both work well. Bread flour's higher protein creates a chewier, airier texture (like in our soft Japanese milk bread burger buns), while all-purpose flour yields excellent, soft donuts.
A 3-inch round cookie cutter, a glass, or even a mason jar lid band works perfectly for the outer circle. For the center hole, you can use a smaller (about 1-inch) cookie cutter, a shot glass or a piping tip. The key is to use something with a sharp enough edge to cut the dough cleanly rather than smashing it. Get creative with cutting shapes, similar to how we shape our decorative walnut star bread.
Patience with rising! Let the dough double in size (1-2 hours) and give it a second rise after shaping. Avoid adding extra flour, which makes donuts dense. This technique is key in our soft pistachio babka buns too.
If You Enjoyed This Recipe, You Will Love These Too
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📖 Recipe
Easy Decorated Krispy Kreme Donuts (No Mixer Needed)
Equipment
- Rolling Pin
- 3-inch and 1-inch Round Cutters (a glass and a bottle cap work perfectly!)
Ingredients
For the Donut Dough:
- 1 cup milk lukewarm
- 1 tablespoon dry yeast
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
For Frying:
- 6-8 cups neutral oil such as vegetable( I used sunflower oil) or canola
For the White Chocolate Ganache:
- 3.5 tablespoons butter
- 3.5 tablespoons double cream or heavy cream
- 3.5 oz white chocolate chopped
For the Chocolate Ganache (Nutella):
- 3.5 tablespoons butter
- 3.5 tablespoons double cream or heavy cream
- 3.5 oz dark chocolate chopped OR ½ cup Nutella
For the Biscoff Ganache:
- 3.5 tablespoons butter
- 3.5 tablespoons double cream or heavy cream
- ⅓ cup Biscoff spread
Instructions
- Wake Up Your Yeast: In a large bowl, combine the warm milk, sugar, and dry yeast. Give it a quick stir and let it sit for 5-10 minutes. You'll know it's ready when the top becomes frothy. This little bubble bath for the yeast is what makes our donuts rise!1 cup milk, 1 tablespoon dry yeast, 2 tablespoons sugar
- Make the Dough: To the yeast mixture, add the vanilla extract, eggs, and melted butter. Whisk it all together until it's smooth. Now, add the flour and salt. Use a wooden spoon to stir until a shaggy, sticky dough forms. This is normal - don't be tempted to add more flour!1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 large eggs, 2 tablespoons butter, 4 cups all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon salt
- Knead Until Smooth: Lightly oil your hands and a clean work surface. Turn the sticky dough out and begin to knead. Fold the dough over, push it away, and give it a quarter turn. Repeat. Do this for about 8-10 minutes. You'll feel the dough transform from sticky to smooth and elastic.
- Let the Dough Rise: Place your smooth dough ball into a greased bowl. Cover it with a clean kitchen towel and let it rest in a warm, draft-free spot for 1 hour, or until it has doubled in size.
- Make the Ganaches (During the Rise!) This is the perfect time to make your toppings! Your method is so simple.
- For Each Ganache: Add all the ingredients for one ganache (butter, cream, and white chocolate/Nutella/Biscoff) into a small saucepan. Place it over low heat. Stir constantly until everything is melted and the mixture is completely smooth. Pour it into a bowl and let it cool and thicken for 10-15 minutes before dipping.6-8 cups neutral oil, 3.5 tablespoons butter, 3.5 tablespoons butter, 3.5 tablespoons butter
- Shape Your Donuts: Once the dough has doubled, punch the air out of it. Turn it out onto a floured surface and roll it out to about ½-inch thickness. Use your large cutter to cut out donut circles, then use the small cutter to punch out the holes.
- The Second Rise: Place your shaped donuts on parchment paper. Cover them with the towel and let them rest again for 15-20 minutes. They will puff up nicely, making them extra light and airy.
- Fry to Golden Perfection: Pour oil into a heavy-bottomed pot until it's about 3 inches deep. Heat the oil to 365°F (185°C). Carefully lower 2-3 donuts at a time into the hot oil. Fry for 60-90 seconds per side until they're a beautiful golden brown. Transfer them to a wire rack to drain and cool slightly before dipping.
- Step 9: Decorate and Serve!: Once your donuts are just warm, dip the tops into your prepared ganaches. Add your favorite toppings from your decorations bar and serve immediately for the ultimate treat!
Video
Notes
- Oil Amount: The quantity of oil needed depends on your pot's size. You need enough to create a depth of about 3 inches so the donuts can float freely without touching the bottom. For a standard pot, 6-8 cups is typical.
- Oil Temperature is Key: Use a thermometer! Frying at 365°F (185°C) ensures donuts cook through without becoming greasy.
- Don't Rush the Rise: Letting the dough double in size is essential for a light, airy texture. A warm spot helps this happen faster.
- Ganache Consistency: If your ganache is too thin, let it cool longer. If it's too thick, gently reheat it with a teaspoon of warm cream.
- Best Served Fresh: These donuts are best enjoyed the same day. Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.
- Reheating Tip: Briefly warm day-old undecorated donuts in the microwave for 5-10 seconds to restore their soft, fresh-from-the-fryer feel.
Swathi says
These decorated donuts are so cute and delicious best part is that we can make them easily.
Krystle says
These taste just like the real thing. My favorite was the Biscoff one
leah says
these donuts are amazing!
nicole says
these donuts are amazing! love that they don't require a mixer.
Beverly says
These donuts were amazing! we had them warm and they just melted in your mouth! So fun to decorate, too!
Leah says
These Krispy Kreme donuts are amazing! Love that they don’t require a mixer. Less hassle for me!
Krystle Smith says
I love that it doesn't need a mixer yet still makes those fluffy, soft donuts. You've got me craving a fresh batch right now!
Ashley says
What a great idea! My son and I loved this easy way to add pizzazz to our favorite doughnuts.
Jet says
Love how approachable you’ve made the process, especially the tip about letting the dough rise in a warm oven. Definitely saving this for a weekend bake-and-decorate session with friends!
Liz says
My family loves donuts and this recipe didn't disappoint! They were delicious.
Jen says
I made these with my kids and it was so fun! Will definitely be doing it again
Cornelia says
This worked exactly as written, thanks!
Claudia Ciorteanu says
My family loved this!