My family begged for this Thanksgiving Brioche Donuts Recipe last year pillowy brioche rings with pumpkin spice sugar, maple glaze, and bright cranberry notes. It suits holiday bakers who want bakery-level donuts with a cozy twist, and it takes about 3 hours total (active 45 minutes) or overnight with a cold proof.
Quick Thanksgiving Brioche Donuts Recipe
This Thanksgiving Brioche Donuts Recipe uses a rich, buttery brioche dough that fries up light, airy, and tender. Egg yolks add richness, while bread flour gives structure so the donuts puff instead of collapse. A cold overnight proof builds flavor and makes morning frying calm and easy.
I balance warm spices with maple and cranberry so the donuts taste festive without cloying sweetness. The method leans on a stand mixer for consistency, but you can knead by hand if you want a workout. Clear temperature targets keep the oil and dough in the sweet spot.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Bread flour: 3 1/2 cups (420 g). King Arthur Bread Flour holds structure. Use all-purpose if needed; reduce milk by 1–2 tablespoons if the dough feels loose.
- Granulated sugar: 1/4 cup (50 g), plus more for coating.
- Instant yeast: 2 1/4 teaspoons (7 g). SAF Red mixes well with no proofing. Use active dry by blooming in warm milk for 5–10 minutes.
- Fine sea salt: 1 teaspoon.
- Whole milk: 3/4 cup (180 ml), warm to 100–105°F. Use 2% in a pinch; add a teaspoon more butter to keep tenderness.
- Large eggs: 2, plus 2 yolks, room temp for better rise.
- Unsalted butter: 8 tablespoons (113 g), very soft but not melted. European-style butter adds extra flavor.
- Vanilla extract: 1 teaspoon.
- Freshly grated nutmeg: 1/4 teaspoon.
- Neutral frying oil: 2–3 quarts (canola, peanut, or rice bran). Aim for 350°F.
- Pumpkin spice sugar coating: 1/2 cup sugar + 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice + pinch of salt.
- Maple glaze: 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar (180 g) + 1/4 cup pure maple syrup + 1–3 tablespoons milk + pinch of salt.
- Quick cranberry-orange jam (shortcut: use canned whole-berry sauce): 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries, 1/3 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons water, 1 teaspoon orange zest, pinch of salt.
- Optional crunch: 1/2 cup toasted chopped pecans for topping.
Equipment:
- Stand mixer with dough hook (or strong arms and a bench scraper)
- Kitchen scale (helps nail hydration)
- Rolling pin
- 3-inch and 1-inch round cutters (or a biscuit cutter and a bottle cap)
- Two rimmed baking sheets + parchment
- Plastic wrap
- Heavy pot or Dutch oven and a deep-fry thermometer
- Spider skimmer or slotted spoon
- Wire rack set over a sheet pan
- Piping bag and tip for filling (zip-top bag works too)
Pantry shortcuts:
- Use canned whole-berry cranberry sauce for filling.
- Buy pumpkin pie spice instead of mixing individual spices.
- Skip the glaze and roll in spiced sugar while warm for the fastest finish.
How to Make Thanksgiving Brioche Donuts
- Prep: 45 minutes active (plus 1 1/2–2 hours rising or overnight proof)
- Cook: 15–20 minutes
- Total: About 3 hours same-day, or chill overnight for easy morning frying
- Mix the dough. Add warm milk, eggs, yolks, sugar, yeast, vanilla, nutmeg, and 1 cup flour to the mixer bowl. Mix until smooth. Add remaining flour and salt, then mix on low until a shaggy dough forms.
- Work in the butter. With the mixer on medium-low, add the soft butter a tablespoon at a time. Mix until the dough turns glossy and elastic, 8–10 minutes. It should pull cleanly from the bowl but feel slightly tacky.
- Check the windowpane. Stretch a small piece; you should see a thin, translucent sheet without tearing. If it tears, mix 1–2 minutes longer.
- First rise. Shape the dough into a ball, place it in a lightly greased bowl, and cover. Let it rise in a warm spot until puffy and nearly doubled, 60–90 minutes. For the overnight plan, chill the covered dough 8–18 hours after a 30-minute counter rest.
- Make the cranberry jam (shortcut: use canned). Simmer cranberries, sugar, water, zest, and salt over medium heat until thick and jammy, 8–10 minutes. Cool fully.
- Roll and cut. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut 3-inch rounds, then cut 1-inch holes. Reroll scraps once to avoid tough donuts.
- Second rise. Place cut donuts and holes on parchment-lined sheets, leaving space. Cover lightly and let them puff until pillowy and slightly jiggly, 30–45 minutes. They should spring back slowly when tapped.
- Heat the oil. Pour 2–3 inches of oil into a heavy pot and heat to 350°F. Keep the thermometer clipped on and adjust heat to hold 340–355°F.
- Fry the donuts. Slide in 3–4 donuts at a time. Fry 1–2 minutes per side until deep golden. Transfer to the rack.
- Fry the holes. Cook donut holes 45–60 seconds total, tossing for even color.
- Coat or glaze. While warm, toss donuts in pumpkin spice sugar. For glazed donuts, cool 10 minutes, whisk the maple glaze to a pourable consistency, and dip the tops. Sprinkle pecans if you want crunch.
- Fill (optional). Poke a side hole in each plain or glazed donut. Pipe in cranberry jam until you feel slight resistance. Wipe any excess and let the glaze set 10 minutes.
- Taste test. Break one open to check the crumb and seasoning. Adjust sugar or glaze thickness on the next batch if needed.
Pro Baking Tips & Mistakes to Avoid
- Weigh ingredients for consistent dough hydration.
- Keep butter soft, not melted, or the dough will smear and weaken.
- Stop adding flour once the dough turns smooth and tacky; a stiff dough fries dense.
- Hold oil near 350°F; low heat greases donuts, high heat browns before the center cooks.
- Proof until puffy and jiggly; underproofed donuts won’t puff, overproofed donuts may collapse.
- Cut once cleanly; overworking scraps toughens the crumb.
- Toss in sugar while warm so it sticks; glaze after a short cool to avoid sliding.
- Pipe filling after glazing, not before, to prevent leaks.
- Work in small frying batches to maintain oil temperature.
- Keep kids and pets out of the frying zone for safety.
Variations To Try
- Gluten-free: Use a strong GF bread flour blend like Cup4Cup; add 1 teaspoon psyllium husk powder for structure if your blend lacks it. Expect a softer dough; chill before shaping.
- Vegan: Swap dairy milk for oat or soy, use plant butter with 80% fat, and sub 1/2 cup aquafaba or liquid egg replacer for the eggs/yolks. Fry in neutral oil as listed.
- Add-ins: Stir orange zest into the dough; top with maple-pecan crunch; finish with apple cider glaze; fold pumpkin puree into a pastry cream filling.
Make-Ahead and Storage
- Overnight dough: After mixing, rest the dough 30 minutes on the counter, then chill overnight. Shape cold the next day and proof a bit longer.
- Short-term: Keep unfilled donuts in an airtight container at room temp up to 24 hours. Re-crisp in a 300°F oven for 5–8 minutes or an air fryer at 320°F for 3–4 minutes.
- Filled or glazed: Store in the fridge up to 2 days; warm briefly and refresh sugar after reheating.
- Freeze: Freeze cooked, unglazed donuts up to 1 month. Thaw at room temp, warm at 300°F for 6–8 minutes, then glaze or sugar. You can also freeze cut, unproofed rings; thaw in the fridge overnight, then proof and fry.
Nutrition Information
Calories: about 380 per donut with maple glaze and a spoon of cranberry jam. Protein: moderate from eggs and milk. Carbs: higher from flour and sugar; choose sugar coating for a lighter option. Fat: comes from butter and frying oil; drain well and keep oil at 350°F to limit absorption.
Ingredients
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, yeast, and salt.
- Add eggs and lukewarm milk; mix until the dough just comes together.
- Knead in the softened butter a tablespoon at a time until a soft dough forms.
- Cover and let the dough rise in a warm area until doubled in size, about 1–2 hours.
- Punch down the dough, turn it onto a floured surface, and roll it to 1/2 inch thickness.
- Cut out rounds using a donut or biscuit cutter; place on a parchment-lined tray.
- Cover and let rise for another 45–60 minutes, until puffy.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot to 350°F (175°C).
- Fry donuts in batches, 1–2 minutes per side, until golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
- If desired, fill cooled donuts with pumpkin pastry cream or jam.
- Dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Notes
Prepare the dough a day ahead for more flavor. For Thanksgiving, try filling the donuts with pumpkin, cranberry, or apple butter.