Strawberry donuts like you’ve never had before: soft, fluffy milk-bread donuts, fried until golden brown, and flavored with real strawberries.
Thanks to freeze-dried strawberry powder, these homemade yeast donuts have a light pink crumb, bold berry flavor, and a strawberry glaze that actually tastes like fruit.
This recipe took work 😅.
Building real strawberry flavor into a fryable yeast dough was completely new territory for me, and it took six tests to tweak my classic glazed donut until it stayed pillowy and tender while delivering strawberry flavor in every bite.
The key was using strawberry powder, layered into the dough, glaze, and strawberry sugar (similar to my chocolate glaze donuts).
It’s what gives these strawberry-glazed donuts their bold, berry-forward flavor without weighing down the dough.
I can’t wait for you to make them!
How to Make Strawberry Donuts
1
First, make the tangzhong. It’s a simple cooked paste of bread flour and water that helps keep the donuts soft and fluffy. Let it cool until just warm before adding it to the dough.
2
Once the dough is kneaded, it should be light pink, soft, and tacky but not sticky, and it should pull cleanly from the bowl and your hands.
3
Let the dough rest briefly to relax the gluten, then roll it out to about ¾-inch thickness for thick, bakery-style donuts.
4
Once cut, transfer each donut to a parchment square. This makes it easy to slide them into the hot oil without burning yourself or losing their shape.
5
Fry each donut for about 2½ minutes. They should be golden brown with a pale ring around the center.
6
Once cooled, roll the sides in strawberry sugar and spoon the strawberry icing on top. I like to garnish mine with extra crushed strawberries.
Unfortunately, you can’t use fresh (or frozen) strawberries in this recipe because of the moisture. 😭
They’re better saved for strawberry cinnamon rolls if you want another bakery-style project, a fresh strawberry cake for birthdays and celebrations, or even my viral strawberry shortcake cookies when you’re craving something faster.
Happy baking!
— Cambrea 🫶🏻
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Strawberry Glazed Donuts
Equipment
Ingredients
Tangzhong
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup bread flour
Strawberry Donut Dough
- 3 cups + 2 tablespoons bread flour, *See notes below for measuring
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon + 1/4 teaspoon instant yeast
- 1 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2/3 cup whole milk, room temperature
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- Tangzhong, from recipe above
- 1/4 cup freeze-dried strawberry powder, **See step #1
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- Neutral oil, for frying, like canola, vegetable, or avocado oil
Strawberry Sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon freeze-dried strawberry powder
Strawberry Glaze
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons freeze-dried strawberry powder
- 4-5 tablespoons room temperature water
- Extra freeze-dried strawberries, for garnishing
Instructions
- Note: You’ll need 2 (1-ounce) bags of freeze-dried strawberries. Grind 1½ bags together into a fine powder using a blender, spice grinder, or food processor. Reserve the remaining ½ bag, unblended, to garnish the tops!
Make the Donut Dough
- In a small saucepan, whisk together the water and bread flour. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens to a paste (about 4–5 minutes). Scrape into a small bowl and set it aside until ready to use.3/4 cup (155 g) water, 1/4 cup (32 g) bread flour
- In a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the bread flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Add the milk, egg, and tangzhong; knead on low for 2 minutes until a dough forms.3 cups + 2 tablespoons (410 g) bread flour, 2 tablespoons (28 g) granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon + 1/4 teaspoon (10 g) instant yeast, 1 1/4 teaspoon (6 g) fine sea salt, 2/3 cup (155 g) whole milk, 1 (55 g) large egg, Tangzhong
- Add the freeze-dried strawberry powder and knead until evenly incorporated and pale pink.1/4 cup (28 g) freeze-dried strawberry powder
- Knead in the butter 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing until fully incorporated. Increase speed to 2 and knead for 12 minutes, until smooth, elastic, and the dough passes the windowpane test*. The dough should feel soft and tacky.5 tablespoons (70 g) unsalted butter
- Shape the dough into a ball, return to the bowl, cover, and rest for 30 minutes.
- While resting, cut 9 parchment squares (4–5 inches each).
- Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface to about ¾-inch thick. Cut out donuts, rerolling scraps twice to get as many donuts as possible.
- Place each donut on a parchment square and arrange them on a baking tray. Cover loosely, and let rise until puffy and doubled (60–75 minutes). If your kitchen is cold, this could take longer. Meanwhile, read through the next steps below.
Fry the Donuts
- When donuts are halfway proofed, heat 3–4 inches of oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat to about 340°F. Keep the oil between 330–350°F while frying. Oil that’s too hot can over-brown the donuts, while oil that drops too low during frying can make them greasy. Adjust the heat as needed to maintain a steady temperature.Neutral oil
- Set a wire rack over a baking sheet and set aside.
- The donuts are ready when they feel light and airy and slowly spring back when gently pressed.
- Working in batches of 2, lower donuts into the oil with the parchment attached. Remove parchment after 5–10 seconds. Fry for 2½ minutes total, flipping halfway, until golden brown with a pale ring around the center.
- Transfer to the wire rack and cool completely.
Make the Strawberry Sugar
- In a medium bowl, combine the sugar and strawberry powder. Once cooled, roll just the sides of the donuts in the sugar.1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon (7 g) freeze-dried strawberry powder
Make the Strawberry Glaze
- In a large bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, strawberry powder, and water until smooth. The glaze should be thick, but thin enough to flow smoothly when piped or spooned onto the donuts.2 cups (260 g) powdered sugar, 1-2 tablespoons (7 g) freeze-dried strawberry powder, 4-5 tablespoons room temperature water
- Spoon the glaze over the tops. Garnish with sprinkles or more freeze-dried strawberries and enjoy!Extra freeze-dried strawberries
Notes
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