So You Want To Make Heart Shaped Doughnuts, Eh?
Alright, pull up a chair. I’m gonna let you in on my not-so-secret ritual every February: I make heart shaped doughnuts for Valentine’s Day. I say every year, but truth is, I skipped one year thanks to a rather dramatic flour shortage (don’t ask), and my partner is still a bit salty about it. Anyway, there’s just something about making those fluffy, heart-shaped beauties, clouded with icing sugar, that makes you forget about the cold, dreary winter and believe in chocolate, butter, and love. Or at least chocolate. Honestly, my kitchen looks like a crime scene after I’m finished, but that’s half the fun, innit?
Why You’ll Love This (Or, Well, Why I Always Do)
I usually whip these doughnuts up when I want to impress or just have a laugh (maybe both, once). My family goes nuts for these because they’re fun to shape, and everyone gets their own to decorate—turns out sprinkles and heart-shaped treats turn even skeptical uncles into overexcited kids. Plus, I swear I make ‘em once a year and still manage to forget how sticky dough can be; but that’s part of the adventure I guess. And if you muck up the shape a bit? No one cares. They’ll be devoured, misshapen or not. If only Valentine’s gifts were always this straightforward.
The Not-So-Secret Ingredients You Probably Already Have
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (sometimes I swap in up to ½ cup whole wheat—gives it a slightly nutty, wholesome vibe, when I’m pretending to be healthy)
- ½ cup milk, warmed—Grandma swore by whole milk, but I’ve used oat milk in a pinch and nobody noticed
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 2 ¼ teaspoon active dry yeast (one packet if you can’t be bothered measuring—me, most of the time)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted (I tried using marg once—nah, don’t)
- 2 eggs, room temp is best (but once I used them straight form the fridge and honestly, it was fine)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Vegetable oil for frying (enough to get about 2-3 inches in your pot—guesswork is fine here)
- Optional: ½ teaspoon vanilla extract or a pinch of cardamom for extra oomph
- For glazing: powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and maybe food colouring if you’re feeling cheerful
- Sprinkles, crushed freeze-dried berries, or chocolate chips (completely optional but strongly recommended by my inner child)
Let’s Make Heart Shaped Doughnuts! (It’s Okay If You’re Distracted)
- Wake Up Your Yeast: In a biggish bowl, combine your warm milk (honestly, it should feel like a warm bath, not a hot tub—body temp is ideal) and a tablespoon of the sugar. Sprinkle the yeast over, give it 5 minutes. If it gets foamy, you’re golden. If it doesn’t, start over—don’t blame me, yeast is fussy.
- Mix the Wet Stuff: Whisk in the melted butter and eggs until blended. Add vanilla if you’re using it. It’ll look a bit ugly at this point (it always does), but just trust the process.
- Bring on the Flour: Toss in the rest of the sugar, salt, and about half the flour. Stir with a wooden spoon or your hands (I always regret the spoon, hands are more fun—even if messier). Slowly add the remaining flour until a soft dough forms. Honestly, it’s sometimes sticky—flour your hands generously and pretend you’re on Bake Off.
- Knead & Rise: Turn out onto a lightly floured counter and knead for about 5 minutes. If it sticks, sprinkle more flour—everyone says “don’t overdo it” but I’ve never actually managed to add too much. Plop it in a greased bowl, cover, and let it rise in a warmish spot for about an hour, till doubled in size. (I’ll be honest, sometimes I get distracted and it over-proofs, but they still taste fab.)
- Shape Your Hearts: Punch down the dough (always satisfying), and roll out to about ¾-inch thick. Use a floured heart-shaped cookie cutter (or fashion one with foil/two round cutters if you must). Re-roll scraps as needed. And if your hearts look more like blobs? Don’t sweat it.
- Second Rise (Yeah, Sorry): Lay the hearts on parchment, cover lightly, and let them puff up for another 30 minutes. Good time for a cuppa.
- Fry Time: Heat oil in a deep, heavy pot over medium (medium-high?) heat till a pinch of dough bubbles instantly. Fry hearts in batches (don’t crowd the pan!), 1-2 minutes per side till golden. Flip ‘em gently, and if the oil splatters—well, that’s the doughnut life.
- Drain & Cool: Drain the fried doughnuts on a wire rack (paper towels work if you don’t have a rack—honestly, nobody’s judging).
- Glaze Away: Mix powdered sugar with a splash of milk and vanilla for glaze. Dip cooled doughnuts in, decorate with sprinkles or whatever candies you fancy. This is where I usually sneak a bit of drizzle straight out of the bowl—chef’s treat, right?
Kitchen Notes That Made My Doughnuts Way Better
- I always think I can skip the second rise. Don’t. It matters—I learned the hard way; ended up with weirdly dense hearts.
- Milk temperature is surprisingly important. Too hot, you’ll kill the yeast. Too cold, it just sulks in the bowl.
- If your dough feels sticky, oil your hands instead of just adding flour on flour. Actually, I find it works better if I do both.
Variations I’ve Tried (Some Worked, Some… Not So Much)
- Chocolate Dough: Replaced ¼ cup flour with cocoa powder—my family loved it, though I found it a bit dry the first time. Next time, more butter, less cocoa!
- Jelly-Filled: Piped raspberry jam inside after frying, but be warned—it oozed everywhere. Tasty mess, looked, well, not so love-ly.
- Baked Instead of Fried: Gave this a go for a lighter version. Meh. Edible, but the texture wasn’t right—call me old-fashioned, but fried is where it’s at.
Equipment I Actually Use (Plus Plan B’s)
- Heart-shaped cookie cutter (obviously), but honestly, I’ve just cut shapes by hand with a butter knife when I couldn’t find mine
- Heavy pot—Dutch oven or a deep saucepan both work, use what you’ve got
- Thermometer is great, but I usually just do the “sizzle test”
- Wire rack for draining (if you lack one, clean tea towel or just stack on paper napkins)
If You Actually Have Leftovers (But Not Likely)
These keep in a sealed container at room temp for… a day, maybe two if you live alone. They get chewier, but honestly, I think this tastes better the next day with coffee. Just zap in the microwave for 10 seconds to soften up, unless you enjoy a bit of a jaw workout.
Serving This Up My Favourite Way
We hand everyone a naked doughnut and set up a topping bar—glazes, sprinkles, leftover Christmas candy (don’t judge). Makes for chaotic, sugary fun. Sometimes I put a dollop of fresh whipped cream on the side, which apparently makes it "fancy" in my house. Oh, and serve with hot cocoa or just a proper cuppa tea if you wanna keep things cozy.
What I’ve Learned (Mostly the Hard Way)
- I once tried icing the doughnuts while they were still warm. Regretted it—glaze slides right off, messy as anything.
- Don’t crowd the pan, even if you’re impatient—otherwise you’ll get soggy doughnuts instead of crisp, puffy ones.
- On second thought, maybe recruit a helper for frying. It gets a bit wild solo—makes you appreciate all those bakery folks, honestly.
FAQ (Mostly Because People Actually Ask)
- Do I have to use a heart cutter?
Not remotely. I’ve shaped them with a paring knife, even used a glass once. Wonky hearts are charming! But if you want them all matching for Instagram, a cutter’s easiest. - Can I make these ahead?
Yes, but fresher is better. I’ve kept dough in the fridge overnight, let it come back to room temp, then shaped and fried next day. Tasted great. But if you finish them all, you’re not alone. - Can I air fry these?
Hmm. Tried it, honestly not a fan. Texture’s off. If you’re craving a healthy option, maybe just bake them, but they won’t be the real deal, sorry! - Is it okay to freeze the dough?
Yeah, I have—portion and freeze pre-shaped hearts on parchment, then transfer to a baggie. Thaws in a pinch, better than no doughnuts, anyway. - What if my glaze is too runny?
Add more powdered sugar bit by bit. If it’s thick, more milk. That’s it, really; you can’t mess this part up. - Can I stuff them with things?
Sure! Use a piping bag and go wild. Jam, Nutella, custard… but careful, it gets messy (I mean it!).
So there you go: my best, most human recipe for Valentine’s heart shaped doughnuts. If yours come out looking more like abstract art, cheers—that means you’re doing it just right.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup whole milk, warmed
- 2 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 ¼ teaspoon active dry yeast
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- 1 cup powdered sugar (for glaze)
- 2 tablespoon milk (for glaze)
- Heart-shaped sprinkles (optional)
Instructions
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1In a small bowl, combine warm milk, sugar, and active dry yeast. Let it sit for 5 minutes until frothy.
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2In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt. Add the yeast mixture, melted butter, and egg. Mix until a dough forms.
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3Knead the dough on a floured surface for about 5 minutes until smooth. Transfer to a greased bowl, cover, and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
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4Roll out the dough to ½ inch thickness. Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out doughnuts. Cover and let them rest for 15 minutes.
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5Heat vegetable oil in a deep saucepan to 350°F (175°C). Fry the doughnuts in batches for about 1-2 minutes per side, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
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6Mix powdered sugar and milk to make a glaze. Dip cooled doughnuts into the glaze and decorate with heart-shaped sprinkles. Let set before serving.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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