Sweet, salty, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious, these salted caramel donuts are a better-than-bakery dream come true! They’re made with the same pillowy-soft milk-bread dough as my fried chocolate donuts with glossy cocoa glaze—light, airy, and impossibly tender.
Once fried, each donut gets rolled in sugar, dipped in homemade caramel, and finished with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. Each donut looks like something you’d find in a bakery case, only BETTER made fresh at home!
Bake Along Process
1
Make the tangzhong. This is my signature move for any of my donut recipes. It’s a quick step to cook a portion of flour and water until it forms a roux. It’s the secret to my ultra-soft donut texture!
2
Knead the dough with a stand mixer. The dough should be pretty tacky, soft, and elastic once kneaded properly.
3
Look for a strong gluten windowpane. Grease your fingers, pinch off a golf ball-sized piece of dough, and gently stretch it. If you can see light through it without tearing, the gluten’s developed. If it rips fast, knead a little longer and try again.
4
Let the dough rest in a warm spot. After heavy kneading, we need to let the gluten relax, making it easier to roll out in the next step.
5
Roll out the dough and use a donut cutter to punch out donuts. Then transfer each one to an individual square of parchment paper. Set aside to rise until doubled in size!
6
Fry 2-3 donuts at a time. For a simpler coating instead of glaze, my cinnamon sugar donuts with golden edges and the softest crumb are always a hit fresh from the fryer.
7
Make the caramel. This is just a standard homemade caramel! You’ll want to wait until it has cooled and thickened before using.
8
Roll the sides of the donuts in granulated sugar, then use a piping bag to pipe the caramel on top. Sprinkle the tops with flaky sea salt and enjoy immediately!
When I’m not in the mood to fry but still want that sweet-salty caramel fix, I make my salted caramel apple bars with shortbread crust. They’ve got all the gooey caramel flavor, just baked instead of fried!
If you tried this or any other recipe on my website, please let me know how it went in the comments; I love hearing from you! Also, please leave a star rating while you’re there! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check it out!
Salted Caramel Donuts
Ingredients
Tangzhong
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup bread flour
Donut Dough
- 3 cups + 2 tablespoons bread flour, *See notes below for measuring*
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon instant yeast
- 1 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup whole milk, room temperature
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- Tangzhong, from recipe above
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- Neutral oil, for frying
Homemade Caramel
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons cubed unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon heavy cream, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- Flaky sea salt, for the tops
Instructions
Make the Tangzhong
- 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 you're ready to use it.3/4 cup (155 g) water, 1/4 cup (32 g) bread flour
Make the Donut Dough
- In the bowl of 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 speed for 2 minutes until a dough forms.3 cups + 2 tablespoons (406 g) bread flour, 1/3 cup (66 g) granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon (9 g) instant yeast, 1 1/4 teaspoon (6 g) fine sea salt, 1/2 cup (120 g) whole milk, 1 (55 g) large egg, Tangzhong
- With the mixer running on low, add the softened butter a tablespoon at a time, letting it fully incorporate before adding more. Once all butter is added, increase speed to 2 on KitchenAid and knead for 12 minutes, or until the dough is smooth, elastic, and passes a windowpane test.5 tablespoons (70 g) unsalted butter
- Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly greased bowl. Cover and let rise at room temperature, about 30-45 minutes.
- While the dough is proofing, cut out ten squares of parchment paper.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, and roll to 1/2-3/4-inch thickness. Use a large round donut cutter to cut donuts. Gently re-roll scraps once, resting the dough 5–10 minutes before cutting again.
- Place each donut on a square of parchment paper and arrange them on a baking tray. Cover the top loosely with plastic wrap and let rise until puffy and doubled, about 45–65 minutes.
Fry the Donuts
- When the donuts are about halfway through their final proof, start heating 3–4 inches of oil in a heavy pot to 350°F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with a wire rack. Keep an eye on the temperature. If the oil reaches 350°F before the donuts are ready, lower the heat slightly to hold it steady until they finish proofing.
- Working in small batches, use a metal slotted spoon to carefully lower 2–3 donuts (with the parchment) into the hot oil, then peel away the paper with tongs. Fry for about 2 1/2 minutes total, flipping once halfway through. Then, transfer to the wire rack to cool.
- Once completely cooled, roll the sides of the donuts in granulated sugar (optional).
Make the Caramel
- In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt the sugar over medium heat, stirring occasionally at first. As the sugar starts to melt, it will clump together. Keep stirring it occasionally until it’s completely melted down.1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- Once melted, the sugar should be a rich amber color. If it’s still golden, keep stirring it and allow it to caramelize. It will happen really quickly, so don’t leave the stove!
- Once amber in color, take the pot off the burner and quickly whisk in the butter all at once. Then whisk in the cream.6 tablespoons (84 g) cubed unsalted butter, 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon (68 g) heavy cream
- Pour the caramel into a heat-safe container (like a glass measuring cup) and stir in the vanilla. Set aside to cool and thicken for roughly 30 minutes, or until it thickens slightly. You’re looking for a caramel that’s thick, glossy, and slow-moving. When you lift a spoonful, it should ribbon thickly on the surface before slowly melting back in—not run off immediately. Once it reaches this stage, transfer it to a piping bag; it’s the perfect consistency for a clean, even swirl that stays put on top of the donuts. Immediately sprinkle the tops with flaky sea salt.1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, Flaky sea salt
- Note that these donuts are best assembled right before serving! The caramel will gradually settle over the edges as it sits—mine began softening after a few hours.
Notes
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