Vegan Donut Holes

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Re-discover childhood bliss with these Vegan Donut Holes – bite-sized wonders flawlessly fried to a golden perfection, generously coated in sugar, and entirely plant-based.

Author: Lyndsey
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Rise Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 minute
Total Time: 2 hours
Yield: 50 donut holes 1x
Category: Dessert for Breakfast
Method: Fry
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

Scale

For the Donut Holes

1 c nondairy milk

1/4 c vegan butter

2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (1 1/4 oz packet)

1/4 c sugar

2 1/4 c all purpose flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

canola oil for frying

For the Glaze

2 c powdered sugar

1/3 c nondairy milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 c sugar for rolling

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Instructions

Melt the Butter: Combine nondairy milk and vegan butter in a small saucepan. Heat on the stove until butter is completely melted. Remove from heat. Check the temperature of the mixture using a candy thermometer. If is falls between 90 and 110 degrees F (32-43 C) you can proceed to the next step.
Activate the Yeast: Pour warmed butter mixture into a large bowl. Sprinkle the yeast into the bowl. Sprinkle the sugar over the yeast. There is no need to stir. Allow the yeast to activate for about 5 minutes. At the end of this time the mixture should have puffed up slightly and may appear frothy. If it doesn’t, your yeast is expired and you’ll need to start again.
Prepare the Dough: Add the flour to the bowl and stir with a wooden spoon until just-combined. Dough will be wet. Transfer the dough to a heavily floured working surface. Sprinkle a good amount of flour over the top of the dough and cover your hands as well. Knead the dough for 1-2 minutes. Place the dough back in the bowl and cover with a kitchen towel. Set the bowl in a warm place for 1 hour.
Knead: After an hour has elapsed, your dough should have doubled in size. If the space you are working in is cool this may take a little bit longer. Punch down the dough and return it to your heavily-floured work surface. Sprinkle the salt, baking powder and baking soda over the dough and knead in for 3 minutes.
Cut Donuts: Sprinkle a baking sheet with flour and place it close to your work area. Using a rolling pin, roll out your kneaded dough until it is about 1/2-inch thick. Take a 1 to 1 1/2 inch donut cutter and cut small circles into the dough. Place these dough circles onto the floured baking sheet. Re-roll any dough scraps and continue cutting until all of the dough has been used.
Second Rise: Cover the baking sheet with a light kitchen towel or plastic wrap (simply laid over the top not wrapped tightly) and set in a warm area for their second rise. Depending on the temperature of your work space this should take between 20 and 30 minutes. The donuts will poof up a good amount during this time.
Prepare the Oil: While donuts are rising, begin to heat your oil. Fill a deep skillet with canola oil until you have a good 2-3 inches of depth. You’ll want to continue heating until the oil is about 350 degrees F (175 C). A little hotter is okay but you won’t want the temperature to dip very far below this mark. Carefully regulate as you fry.
Fry Donuts: Grab another baking sheet and lay paper towels inside. Place a wire cooling rack over the paper towels and set near your frying station. Check the temperature of the oil with your candy thermometer and if it falls between 350 and 360 F you are good to go! Place a few donuts carefully into the oil. If the oil is hot enough you should only need to fry for about 10-20 seconds. Stir the donut holes around in the oil continuously using a slotted spoon. This will ensure all sides get cooked as you won’t be able to flip them. They will appear lightly golden when done. Remove donuts from the oil and place on wire cooling rack. Continue until all donut holes are fried. Lightly blot with paper towels to remove excess oil.
Glaze Donuts: While donuts are cooling, prepare the glaze. Add all of the ingredients to a large bowl and whisk together until a smooth glaze forms. Once donuts are cool enough to handle, drop all of them into the glaze and toss gently to coat. Return donuts to wire rack after glazing. Add 1 cup of sugar to a separate bowl. Toss glazed donuts in sugar one at a time to lightly coat. Serve immediately.