The donuts are light and airy and made with a combination of sourdough starter and instant yeast. They are deep fried to perfection and then dunked in the most amazing vanilla bean glaze.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, combine all of the dough ingredients and knead on medium low speed for about 5 minutes. The dough should come together in a cohesive ball that pulls away from the sides of the bowl but is still slightly sticky. If the dough does not come together, add in more flour 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
Place the dough in a large, lightly greased bowl and cover. Place the dough in the fridge and chill overnight (8-12 hours).
In the morning, remove the dough from the fridge and allow it to rise at room temperature for 30 minutes.
When the dough is finished rising, lightly punch it down and then turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into a large rectangle about ½ inch thick. Using a 3 ½ inch round cookie cutter, cut the dough into 12 circles. If you don't quite get 12 you can re-roll the scraps and cut out more circles. Then using a 1 inch or 1 ½ inch round cookie cutter, cut the center out of each donut. You can discard the scraps or fry up some donut holes (I recommend the later). Lightly cover the donuts and let rest while the oil is heating.
Pour 2-4 cups of vegetable oil (you want it to be about 2 inches deep) into a large, heavy bottomed pot or dutch oven and heat over medium high heat until the oil reached 375°F. Place a cooling rack on top of a baking sheet and position it next to your stove.
While the oil is heating, whisk together the glaze and set aside. In a medium bow, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla bean paste until smooth and there are no more lumps.
Once the oil reaches 375°F, fry 2-3 donuts at a time for 1 minute on each side. The donuts should be a deep golden brown. Remove from the oil and place on the cooling rack to allow excess oil to drain off. Repeat with the remaining donuts as well as the donut holes.
While the donuts are still warm, dip them in the glaze making sure to cover both sides. Place the donuts back on the cooling rack to allow the excess glaze to drip off. The glaze will set and harden after about 15-20 minutes. After the glaze has set, you can drizzle any leftover glaze over the top to make fun designs.
Notes
Please note that this recipe was specifically designed for deep frying the donuts. If you would prefer baked donuts, I suggest looking up a different recipe.Donuts are best eaten the same day but can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat in the microwave for 10-15 seconds for best taste and texture.