Donuts

1. Whisk the milk, yeast, and 1 teaspoon of sugar in a small bowl until frothy. Set aside.
2. Beat the butter and remaining sugar together with an electric mixer at high speed until creamy.
3. Add the yeast mixture, beating a bit at a time at low speed.
4. Add flour, about ½ cup at a time, beating in each addition. Switch to a spoon and continue adding flour until a soft dough forms (about 3 ½ cups total).
5. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface, and knead until smooth, about 5 minutes.
6. Put the dough in a floured bowl and cover it. Let it rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
7. Roll the dough to about ½ inch thick.
8. Use a donut cutter to cut the dough into donut shapes.
9. Cover them with a damp towel and place them in a warm spot to rise, about 1 hour.
10. Fill a large pot with 1 ½ to 2 inches of oil and place it over medium-high heat.
11. Add a few donuts at a time to the oil.
12. Let the donuts cook for 1 to 2 minutes, flip and cook 1 to 2 minutes more until golden brown on both sides.
13. Remove the donuts from the pot. Transfer to paper towel-lined plates to drain and cool.

To Make the Glaze

1. Whisk ingredients in a small bowl. Add more powdered sugar if it seems too thin and more milk if it’s too thick.
2. Pour over the donuts, add your desired toppings such as nuts or sprinkles, and enjoy!

Extra Tip for Making Donuts

1. Making donuts is a bit of a science. Give it a gentle poke to make sure that your donuts are properly proofed, and they’ve entered their final rise. If the donut holds the indentation, it’s adequately proofed. But if it collapses, it’s underproofed and needs a bit more time.