Mardi Gras Donuts Colored Sugar (Printable)

Fluffy yeast-raised donuts topped with colorful sugar in Mardi Gras hues for festive occasions.

# What You Need:

→ Dough

01 - 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (1 packet)
04 - 1/2 tsp salt
05 - 3/4 cup whole milk, lukewarm
06 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
08 - 1 tsp vanilla extract

→ Frying

09 - 1 quart vegetable oil

→ Topping

10 - 1 cup granulated sugar, divided into 3 bowls
11 - Purple, green, and yellow food coloring
12 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

# How To Make:

01 - Combine lukewarm milk and yeast in a small bowl. Let sit for 5 minutes until foamy.
02 - Whisk flour, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add eggs, softened butter, vanilla, and the yeast mixture. Mix to form a sticky dough.
03 - Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 8–10 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
04 - Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size (about 1 hour).
05 - Punch down the dough. Roll out to 1/2-inch thickness. Using a donut cutter or two round cutters (3 and 1 inch diameter), cut out donuts and holes.
06 - Place donuts on parchment-lined baking sheets. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes.
07 - Add a few drops of food coloring to each bowl of sugar and rub with fingers until evenly colored. Set aside.
08 - Heat oil in a large pot to 350°F. Fry donuts in batches, 1–2 minutes per side, until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
09 - Brush warm donuts lightly with melted butter, then dip or sprinkle with colored sugar in alternating bands to mimic the Mardi Gras colors.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • These yeasted donuts are impossibly light and airy, nothing like the heavy cakey ones from the store
  • The magic happens when you bite through that crisp sugar coating into the pillowy soft center
  • They bring carnival energy right into your kitchen, no parade required
02 -
  • Oil temperature is everything, too cool and they will be greasy, too hot and they will burn outside while staying raw inside
  • Let the donuts cool just slightly before dipping in sugar or the coating will melt right off
  • The dough should feel tacky but not impossibly sticky when you are kneading it
03 -
  • Roll the dough to an even thickness so all donuts fry at the same rate
  • Keep the donut holes separate from the rings since they will cook much faster
  • Set up a cooling rack over paper towels to catch excess oil without making the bottoms soggy

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