La Estrella Bakery Recipe

Warm liquids

Combine warm water and 1 tbsp of the granulated sugar in a small bowl. Sprinkle the instant dry yeast over the liquid, stir gently, and let stand 5–7 minutes until foamy. Warm the milk to about 105–110°F (40–43°C) and stir in remaining sugar until dissolved. Let milk cool slightly if too hot.

Mix dry ingredients

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine 4 1/2 cups of the flour and 1 1/2 tsp salt. Whisk briefly to blend.

Make the dough

With the mixer running on low, add the foamy yeast mixture, warm milk, melted butter, and eggs to the flour. Mix until incorporated, then increase speed to medium and knead about 6–8 minutes, adding the remaining flour 1/4 cup at a time as needed to form a soft, slightly tacky but not sticky dough. You may not need all the flour.

First rise

Turn the dough into a lightly oiled large bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap or a damp towel, and let rise in a warm draft-free spot (about 75–80°F / 24–27°C) until doubled, about 60–90 minutes. Dough should be puffy and hold an indentation when poked gently.

Shape doughnuts

Turn risen dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll out to about 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) thickness. Use a 3-inch round cutter to cut doughnut rounds and a 1-inch cutter for holes. Re-roll scraps once and cut additional rounds. Place cut rounds on parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving 1–2 inches between pieces. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a towel and let rest/prove until puffy, about 30–45 minutes.

Heat oil

Pour vegetable oil into a deep, heavy-bottomed pot or deep fryer to a depth of 2–3 inches. Attach a candy/deep-fry thermometer and heat oil to 350°F (175°C). Maintain temperature within ±10°F while frying.

Fry doughnuts

Working in batches of 4–6 depending on pot size, gently slide doughnuts into the hot oil (don't overcrowd). Fry 1–1.5 minutes per side until golden brown, flipping once with a spider/skimmer. Doughnut holes will cook faster—about 45–60 seconds total. Use a slotted spoon to transfer fried doughnuts to a wire rack set over a baking sheet lined with paper towels to drain briefly.

Drain and cool

Allow doughnuts to rest 2–3 minutes on the rack so excess oil drains and surface cools slightly before glazing or tossing. If tossing in sugar, do this while still slightly warm so the sugar adheres. For glazing, let doughnuts cool to warm (not hot) so glaze sets properly.

Make glaze

In a medium bowl, whisk together powdered sugar and salt. Gradually whisk in milk until you reach a smooth, pourable glaze (add milk a tablespoon at a time as needed). Whisk in vanilla extract. Warm glaze slightly if it thickened too much.

Glaze doughnuts

Hold each warm (not hot) doughnut by the edge and dip the top into the glaze, letting excess drip back into the bowl. Place glazed doughnuts back on the wire rack to set for 5–10 minutes. For a thicker coating, double-dip after the first coat sets for 1–2 minutes.

Sugar or cinnamon toss

If using granulated sugar or cinnamon-sugar, combine the 1/2 cup granulated sugar with 1 tsp cinnamon in a shallow bowl. While doughnuts are still warm (a few minutes after frying), drop each into the sugar and turn to coat fully, then transfer to the wire rack.

Filling doughnuts

To fill with pastry cream or jam, fit a piping bag with a 1/4–1/2-inch round tip. Fill the bag with the pastry cream or jam. Poke the tip into the side of each doughnut and squeeze 2–3 tablespoons of filling into each doughnut until you feel slight resistance and the doughnut swells. Wipe away any excess and dust with powdered sugar or glaze as desired.

Chocolate finish

For chocolate-glazed doughnuts, dip the warm doughnuts into prepared chocolate glaze and place on the rack to set. Optionally top with sprinkles before glaze sets.