Holey Deliciousness: 12 Heavenly Doughnut Recipes

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They’ve been called “the new cupcake,” but we’ve loved doughnuts before they were hip. Leavened or cakelike, glazed or oozing with pastry cream -- the best doughnuts are hot from the fryer and light on the stomach. You'll be ready to renounce your local chain after tasting these hole-in-one homemade treats.

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To Fry For

The cake-versus-yeast debate is a matter of fierce contention. These, with their crisp edges and fluffy centers, make a compelling case for the former.

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Photography: John Kernick

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Old-Fashioned Raised Doughnuts

A well-made doughnut needs little more than a dusting of sugar and spice. Use our base recipe in an edible game for kids -- or kids at heart.

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Sufganiyot

These jam-filled confections are a Hanukkah treat, but eight nights a year hardly seem enough. We’d motion for their inclusion in your year-round brunch rotation.

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Vanilla Cream-Filled Doughnuts

The sugary crust on these doughnuts gives under pressure, releasing a flood of pastry cream. Let it dribble down your chin -- that’s what napkins are for.

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Photography: Victoria Pearson

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Chocolate-Glazed Doughnuts

If time is tight, a homemade glaze can elevate a store-bought batch. We’ve never understood the doughnut-shop mentality of limiting the sprinkles to one side anyway.

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Espresso-Glazed Doughnuts

Coffee and doughnuts go together like PB&J. We’ve saved you the trouble of dunking and combined them into one high-wired pastry.

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Photography: Johnny Miller

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Apple Cider Doughnuts

A staple at farmers’ markets come autumn, apple cider doughnuts conjure an acute sensory nostalgia: pumpkins, hayrides, wind-bitten hands. Ice cream? Who needs it?

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Photography: John Kernick

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Spiced Sugar Bomboloni

Somewhere between a doughnut and a hole, there is bomboloni: a midsize Italian pastry best served with espresso. The word rolls off the tongue as deliciously as the confection tastes going down.

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Chocolate-Caramel Doughnut Holes

Imagine the love child of a doughnut hole and a Rolo. Don’t let the caramel center scare you -- all you’ll need are store-bought candies trimmed to fit.

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Photography: Anna Williams

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Doughnut Holes with Strawberry Jam

These pint-size pastries are proof that mini treats can be jam-packed with flavor. A fruity center and a roll in powdered sugar take them over the top.

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Old-Fashioned Yeast Doughnut Holes

The vibrant look of these bites is anything but old-fashioned. Whip some up for a whimsical afternoon snack -- a welcome respite from the milk-and-cookies routine.

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Doughnut Twists with Chocolate-Brandy Sauce Recipe

For some, a doughnut is just another tasty vehicle for frosting -- or chocolate-brandy sauce. Up the glaze-to-doughnut ratio with a batch of dippable doughnut twists.

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