I can't tell you enough how much  I love these homemade raised doughnuts!  I made them one sunny Saturday afternoon where perfect weather conditions made the yeasted dough rise beautifully. I also had fun experimenting with various glaze  flavors such as matcha green tea, chocolate and sprinkles, pumpkin spice cinnamon sugar, chocolate almond  and  chocolate caramel. Best of all, I sort of got over my fear of working with active dry yeast. I used to mass murder yeast by getting the water too cool or too hot. To solve the problem, I got myself a candy/meat thermometer as I have observed that yeast will only work its magic when barometric conditions are right.   

I have also  tried various doughnut recipes in the past such as mini bundt pan cake donuts, homemade donut balls and baked vanilla lemon sour cream donuts but I consider raised yeast doughnuts the best. All that rising action makes for fluffy, airy, munchy result.

I got the recipe from here.  Check it out as it is super awesome. Happy doughnut making! 

RAISED DOUGHNUT RECIPE

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup warm water (100-110 F)
• 2 packages active dry yeast (4 and 1/2 tsp)
• 1 tsp white sugar
• 3/4 cup milk, lukewarm
• 1/3 cup vegetable shortening
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 4 cups sifted all purpose flour
• 2 quarts vegetable oil for frying

Glaze:

1 tbsp warm water
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup confectioner's sugar (sifted)

Directions:

1. Pour 1/2 cup of warm water into a small bowl, and stir in the yeast and 1 teaspoon of sugar. Allow the yeast mixture to stand until it forms a creamy foam layer on top, 5 to 10 minutes.
2. Place milk and vegetable shortening into a small saucepan over medium-low heat and cook until the shortening has melted and the milk has tiny bubbles around the edge. Remove from heat.
3. Place 1/4 cup of sugar and the salt into the work bowl of a large stand mixer and pour the milk and shortening into the bowl. Mix on low speed just to dissolve sugar; and allow mixture to stand until warm.
4. Beat in the yeast mixture, eggs, and 1 cup of flour on low speed until smooth. Gradually beat in remaining flour to make a soft dough.
5. Continue beating the dough on low speed until dough leaves the sides of the bowl, 2 to 3 minutes.
6. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured work surface and knead until smooth and elastic, 2 or 3 more minutes.
7. Form the dough into a ball and place into a large greased bowl. Grease the top of the dough, and cover the bowl with waxed paper. Set the bowl into a warm place; let the dough rise until doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
8. Punch down the dough and roll out on a floured work surface to 1/2 inch thick. Cut doughnuts out of the dough with a 3 1/2-inch round doughnut cutter with a 1-inch smaller cutter in the center. Let the doughnuts rise on the work surface until very light and fluffy, 40 minutes to 1 hour.
9. Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
10. Gently pick up and drop the doughnuts into the hot oil, working in small batches of 2 or 3 at a time, and cook until the doughnuts are light golden brown, turning once, about 2 minutes.
11. Drain the doughnuts on paper towels to absorb oil.
12. In a bowl, mix 1 tablespoon of warm water and vanilla extract, and stir in the confectioners' sugar to make a glaze. Spread a thin layer of glaze over the warm doughnuts.

Recipe adapted from Allrecipes