Joy the Baker

Pink Raised Doughnuts with Toasted Coconut

by 172 Comments

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I carry around a list in my brain… a list of things that I’m in love with.  Actively in love with, everyday… just walking around in the world.

I’m in love with fresh ginger tea, jewels big and small, my perfect black cotton dress, girls with long wavy hair that I covet, day planners, mechanical pencils, and the smell of clean laundry.

This is aside from loving the people and pets around me.  This love is separate from family and friends.  This love sometimes steps to the back of my mind and I’m left feeling a little blaaaaaahhh…. until all the love comes rushing back and I remember that I’m totally in love with my life.

I mean… think about it.  Despite its messes and disappointments… and bills, there’s a lot to be in love with… even if it’s just the smell of your new shampoo, because it reminds you of toasted coconut.

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I made these pretty pink doughnuts, and shared them with friends.  I decided that this Valentine’s Day… it’s important to be in love with life.

I don’t even care how cheesy that sounds… because it feels good, and tastes bonkers awesome.

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These doughnuts are made with two important ingredients.

Bread flour… which makes the doughnuts slightly more dense.  Bread flour has a higher protein content and gives these yeast doughnuts a heavier, slightly more toothsome feel.  Delicious…  really.  If you don’t have bread flour on hand, you’ll want to use a slightly different doughnut recipe.  Try this one!  (You might even want to try Doughnut Muffins! )

and

Vegetable shortening… which acts as our internal fat in the doughnuts.  Vegetable shortening is a different fat than butter.  Butter has water in it, which can make the doughnuts crack a bit during frying.  Vegetable shortening is a fat without water, so the doughnuts will be smoother.  Feel free to use butter, but the doughnuts may have a slightly different appearance.

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This doughnut mixture is mixed in an electric stand mixer with a paddle attachment before it’s mixed and kneaded with a dough hook.

Yes… I said mixed a lot of times in the above sentence.  Deal.

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After a bit of time in the mixer, the dough will be slightly tacky, but not stick to your fingers or the bowl.  It will feel soft and pliable… but with a bit of weight to it.

Lovely dough before the rise.

Dough gets risen in an off oven with a warm water bath.  It’s like an at-home proofing box.

Woah!

… this dough is about half as big as my cat.  I dunno.  I don’t have much else to compare the dough… or the cat to.

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This is a test.

Which set will you make doughnuts out of?

Left… choose the one on the left.

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This might be my favorite part of the process….

After this cute part comes the frying.  No photography around hot oil please.  It’s enough for me to not totally burn my hand just cooking the doughnuts.  Let’s not put a camera in the mix.

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If this beautiful, golden doughnut isn’t enough to make you love your living… I just don’t know what else to tell you.

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Dip it is sugared pink… maybe that will help with the love.

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… aaannnddd coconut.

Homemade doughnuts are undeniably perfect.    These doughnuts are a play on the traditional cake doughnut, frosted pink and decorated with snow white coconut.  This version is slightly more neon and toasted, making is rustic cool.

This recipe is from my favorite doughnut shop in Seattle, Top Pot.  They’re cookbook Hand-Forged Doughnuts totally has my mouth watering.  These people are not kidding around when it comes to doughnut land.

More photos of this recipe, along with an incredible Chocolate Cream Pie recipe can be found on The Chalkboard Mag.  This site is stellar.  Trust.

Pink Raised Doughnuts with Toasted Coconut

makes 12-14 doughnuts

recipe adapted slightly from Top Pot Hand-Forged Doughnuts

Print this Recipe!

For the Doughnuts:

3 tablespoons (four ¼ ounce packages) active dry yeast

1 cup warm water (about 105 degrees F)

½ cup granulated sugar, plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg

2 teaspoons iodized salt

4 to 4 ½ cups bread flour, plus more for dusting, rolling, and cutting

¼ cup vegetable shortening

3 large egg yolks

½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

canola oil for frying

toasted coconut for topping

For the Glaze:

4 cups sifted powdered sugar

2 teaspoons light corn syrup

¼ teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 to 3 drops red or pink food coloring

scant 1/3 cup hot water, plus more if necessary

To Make the Doughnuts:

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, whisk together the yeast, water, and 1 tablespoon of sugar.  Let stand for 5 minutes until mixture is foamy and frothy.  That’s how you know the yeast is alive and ready to doughnut!

In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, baking powder, nutmeg, salt, and 4 cups of bread flour.  Set aside.

Break up shortening and add to the yeast mixture.  Add the egg yolks, and vanilla extract and beat on low speed using the paddle attachment.  This will deflate the yeast bubbles and help break up the shortening.

With the mixture on low speed, add one third of the dry ingredients.  Blend until flour disappears.  Add another third of the dry ingredients.  Beat until flour disappears.  Switch to the dough hook and add the last amount of flour.  Mix on low speed until no flour bits remain.  Add a bit more flour if necessary.  The dough should clean the sides of the bowl, and not stick to the bottom in a pool.

Knead for 2 minutes.  The dough will be glossy, and just a bit sticky… but it shouldn’t stick to your hands.

Transfer the dough to a baking sheet that has been sprinkled with 1 tablespoon of flour.  Shake into a 6-inch circle and dust the top with flour.  Cover with a dishtowel and set in a warm place to double in size.

The Top Pot Cookbook has an awesome way to create your own proofing box!  Bring a large kettle of water to a boil.  Pour about 8 cups of water into a large baking dish.  Set it on the floor of your oven.  Place the sheet tray with covered dough on the middle rack above the steaming water, close the oven door and let rise for about 1 hour.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and roll out into a roughly 12-inch circle, about ½ inch thick.  Cut into 12 doughnuts and 12 holes using a 2 ¾-inch and 1 ¼-inch round cutter.  Gently transfer the doughnuts and holes to two baking sheets that have been sprinkled with flour.  Set the doughnuts for their second rise about 2 inches apart.

Let rise in the oven for another 30-45 minutes, using another hot water proofing bath.

In a medium or large, heavy-bottom saucepan, heat canola oil that is 2-inches deep.  Use a candy thermometer to bring the oil to 350 degrees F.

When the doughnuts have doubled in size place a few doughnuts into the oil to fry.  Don’t overcrowd the pan.  Fry for 30 seconds on one side, flip and cook for another 30 seconds.  Doughnuts will darken slightly as they cool, so don’t cook them too dark.  Transfer to a few layers of paper towel to cool.  Bring the fry oil back to 350 degrees F before frying new batches of doughnuts.

Allow to cool completely before glazing.

To Make the Glaze:

Place the sugar, corn syrup, salt, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl.  Add the food coloring and hot water and use a whisk to incorporate.  Blend until entirely smooth.  If the mixture seems to thick to easily dip doughnuts, add more hot water 1 teaspoon at a time.

To ice the doughnuts, dip one side of the cooled doughnuts into the freshly made icing.  Sprinkle with toasted coconut.  Let dry and set for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

 

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. birgerbird

    Beautiful donuts. I have the Top Pot book too . . . did you find it interesting that almost all yeasted donut recipes call for milk but theirs do not??? Have you tried making donuts with milk and if so did you notice a difference?

    Reply

  7. ceileigh

    hey Joy.

    I’m in college on break and I saw this page and nearly died from desire. I made these today, and they are gorgeous and golden brown and staring me in the face telepathically crying, “eat me, eeeeeeeeeeeeaat meeeee…” So thank you. And keep cooking. And posting. And taking lovely photographs.

    Reply

  11. Francesca

    Dear Joy, so so nice to meet you and your beautiful blog! I like doughnuts very much, and I’ve been thinking to make them since a while now. I am not very expert on frying. I wanted to ask you if it is possible to first cook them in boiling water first and then finish in the oven.. ok, maybe will taste different but I am wondering if it is worth a try.. Thank you and congratulations on your book!!! I will partecipate to Heather from Girlychef ‘s giveaway hoping to win a copy! Francesca – Bologna, Italy

    Reply

  12. Aubrey

    Whoa those donuts are cute and sexy and magic and hip, all at once! And those attributes are just about their appearance…I bet the taste is delish! Donuts seem like a lot of effort but I could be induced to do ’em anyway with the help of some girlfriends.

    Reply

  15. Rachael B

    My shampoo when I was a kid was strawberry scented. I used it until I went to college. Everytime I catch of whiff of it in a child’s hair happy memories come streaming back. I just remember a boyfriend used to think it was funny that I had red hair and it smelled like strawberries… and thus my nickname “shortcake.” Maybe I’ll start rotating it into my hair products again.

    P.S. These donuts look amazing & Sorry for the off topic reply – sort of.

    Reply

  18. sara

    These doughnuts look so lovely! Absolutely adorable, and they look so delicious! I may have to give in and do some deep frying, because these look absolutely worth it! :)

    Reply

  20. Ann

    The one thing I am constantly in love with is the smell of a box of crayons! I never pass a box up without sniffing them…they smell like happiness and childhood!

    …and your donuts are amazing! Happy Valentines day!

    Reply

  22. Bella

    Hi Joy! These look absolutely spectacular and I’d like to try to make them for my hubby. One quick question – could these be baked instead of fried? I’m wondering if the dough would work just as well in the oven as it does in the hot oil. Any insights you have would be extremely helpful! Thanks and congrats again on some gorgeous doughnuts!

    Reply

  24. TeenyLittleSuperChef

    Just looking at these little pink beauties makes me so happy. How could they not? I think I would much rather receive a dozen of these doughnuts than a dozen long-stemmed roses from my honey on Valetine’s Day. Now that would be the ultimate romantic present in my opinion. Hmm, maybe I need to send my hubby a link to this recipe with a big “hint, hint” in the title. He’ll probably respond with a big “ha ha” though. Oh well. A girl can dream, right? Thanks for the recipe, Joy! I may just have to make these for myself instead.

    Reply

  26. Amielle

    I think that that’s the perfect way to look at it. And I’m pretty sure those donuts will help my friends think the exact same thing. :) They look absolutely delicious!

    Reply

  28. Sarah

    Ooh, did you read about the oven-as-proofing-box in the current Cook’s Illustrated issue? Or is it just a major sign from the universe that two of my most-trusted baking gurus would suggest the same tactic in the same week?

    Reply

  36. CulinarilyCourtney

    You know what I am in love with? Opening up the Internet and seeing a new post from Joy the Baker! Woo-hoo! This has been a hard week, and I totally needed that reminder that love exists, but rests dormant until we dig it up from the dregs of the mind when we really need it. Thank you!

    Reply

  42. Martha

    This makes me long for home, I moved from Seattle to London two years ago and now I need to make these to get over my home sickness!

    Reply

  44. Deborah

    Dear Joy,

    Why do you hate me? I have worked out all week and ate super healthy semi-cardboard tasting foods and now you post about DONUTS and COCONUT?!?!? How is a girl ever to skinny up with such lovely ideas and pictures staring her in the face? Oh I miss you sugar….

    Reply

  46. Katie @ OhShineOn

    I love these doughnuts. The doughnut (without the frosting) looks absolutely perfect… perfectly round, fluffy, smooth, and chewy… just like it should be. Totally in love with life BECAUSE of this recipe. The pink sugar and toasted coconut don’t hurt, either.

    Reply

  48. Becca-cookie jar treats

    These look so tropical; I love it! Love is very nice, even if it’s not for a person. Like yeast, I love the smell of yeast and the things it does to bread ( like make it grow to incredible sizes) and especially the taste it gives to bread:) YUM!

    Reply

  49. Living The Sweet Life

    It’s pretty awesome to be in love with life (now that’s cheesy …. but so true). Once you realize you life is worth falling in love with, everything changes. Little things matter so much more, you laugh more, you learn more. You are more :)

    Also, your pink doughnuts – – they rock my socks … really.

    Reply

  51. Jennifer Duncan

    I made doughnuts for the first time for my youngest son’s birthday last week. It was an adventure and an act of love. 1. We were in the middle of the desert. 2. I’d never made doughnuts before. 3. I didn’t have any regular flour left, just my gf flour for me. So we made gluten-free doughnut holes, rolled them in sugar and stuck them on kabob sticks. I got major points for being an awesome mom; and we all decided the recipe needed a little work! :) But it was an adventure.

    Homemade doughnuts totally say love to me, so I think they are a fabulous thing to do for Valentine’s Day!

    Reply

  53. BP

    Pink. Donuts. Coconut. I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but if you start to get any cooler I’m going to have to move in HALP ME GOOD GRAVITY. These look so good.

    Reply

  61. tj

    …You’re as cute as these donuts! You had me laughing thruout this post. Thank you for that. :o)

    …Am I bad if I think the donuts looks delicious when they’re that big ol’ blob of dough? Holy Yum!

    …And btw, your 1st & 2nd photos? *swoons*sigh* Love.

    …Thank you for sharing this Miss Joy! You bring so much joy to our lives. You’re like a little Valentine’s Day gift every day. Seriously. ;o)

    …Have a wonderful weekend!

    …Blessings

    Reply

  62. signalfire

    You’re killing me here, girl. Think you could do a site just for those of us trying to be good on a ‘raw vegan’ or ‘juicefast’ diet?

    Yikes… must. stay.. away…from….kitchen…..

    Reply

  64. Jessica

    I think what I’m in love with is you Joy! making these for valentines and will think of you when i eat them. In a completely non-stalker way of course…

    Reply

  65. Anne

    I love you and I love these doughnuts. I don’t even care how that sounds, I just wish these pink little beauties could be in my face right now!!

    Reply

  67. Angel

    I totally freaked over the overuse of the word “mixed” – j/k Love the pink donuts! And I love Valentine’s Day! I couldn’t agree more – we must be in love with life!

    Reply

  75. Tori (@eatori)

    I am in love with writing like this that always makes me smile, with layering apples up in a tall vase when I’ve run out of flowers and the fact that it’s Oscars season. And, just generally, with life.

    Reply

  84. Chelsea

    Either that lump of whipped cream or pavlova that you’re topping with strawberries and pistachios looks FANTASTIC. The doughnuts look totally awesome, too!

    Reply

  88. Lucia

    Today was not a pink day at all. It was one of those days that you spend forgetting how beautiful life is. Then pink doughnuts come. And everything changes colour. Thanks for pink, Joy.

    Reply

  90. Annie

    Joy, these look fantastic!! I love all your talk about being in love with life, I find it very inspiring and a good reminder ;) It’s the little things that make life special. Life is good, and we should be in love with it daily!! I can’t wait to make these…I’ve been talking about making doughnuts for a long time :)

    Reply

  93. Naomi A.

    Joy… this may be the pregnancy hormones… but I seriously, honest-to-God teared up a little looking at these and at your pretty donut party. I am so making these.

    Reply

  97. Melissa

    I made donuts for the first time on Dec. 30th, because my husband randomly decided he needed donuts in his mouth right then and there. Not just any donuts, but maple syrup donuts (we live in Canada, can you tell?). I ended up finding a yeast donut recipe that only called for 30 minuts of rise time, but there’s so much yeast in it that if you don’t drown your donuts in maple syrup (like we did) then there’s a serious yeast flavor going on. All of that said, we fell in love with homemade donuts, and made them again 2 days later. I never thought I’d made donuts at home, because it seemed like so much work, so I was really happy to find that’s not the case at all! I can’t wait to try your recipe, and maybe this time do something other than maple syrup bathed donut holes, though, I highly recommend that too. It’s pretty darn scrumptious!

    Reply

  98. Lilian

    Joy! Valentines Day has ALWAYS been my favorite holiday for this exact reason- being in love with LIFE and just a general month of affirmations. I think its so important for people to use this month as a reminder to express gratitude for whats around them :) I LOVE your blog, and especially love this post. WOOHOO DONUTS, and PINK <3

    Reply

  99. Penny @ Big Spoon, Little Spoon

    Unfortunately, I can attest to the ill-advised stupidity of trying to take photos while cooking doughnuts in hot oil. Glad you didnt do it Joy!

    Question: can you re-roll and use the remaining dough for additional doughnuts in this recipe? Some recipes the additional dough is fine, others…. turn out like bricks with cement filling. Another thing I can attest to.

    Reply

  103. Helen

    I need to have a homer simpson moment with these doughnuts immediately!! And where on God’s Green Earth did you find that beautiful dish-come-cake stand?? Love it.

    Reply

  107. Shea B.

    Oohh! These look delectable! Tell me, what is going on in the background of the shot of the table. I must know what is in the green dish.

    Reply

  111. Hilary

    Those are GORGEOUS! I want one right now and I’m not even hungry. They look that good.
    What kind of coconut did you use? That might be a stupid question but it’s obviously not my standard shredded coconut I use!

    Reply

  112. muddledmom

    I had the best Valentine’s Day one year and it was a home-cooked dinner with a bunch of friends. Now my husband and I do the same sort of thing with our kids. Share the love, right? Fun. These doughnuts are way fun. Lovely.

    Reply

  113. fatpiginthemarket

    I think I’m feeling the life love ever since you listed mechanical pencils which are totally on my list along with donuts of all sorts. Top Pot rocks but when the donuts are homemade you can guarentee that you’ll get a warm one. Thinking about warm donuts just made me love life to some crazy degree.

    Reply

  122. Marie

    I come to your web site to find great recipes and be inspired and sometimes to be lifted up on a down day (your name says it all). Today your message was just what I needed! The pink donuts are a bonus!! Thanks Joy xo

    Reply

  125. Lynne @ 365 Days of Baking

    Oh, Joy! These doughnuts look absolutely perfect! I could use a REALLY good tasting doughnut right now with a nice, tall cup of java.
    I’ve never had one with coconut of top, and I LOVE how you used the flakes and not shredde. It just looks so pretty!

    Reply

  133. Jamie

    My dad used to take my sister and I to the doughnut shop every Saturday morning. We’d go before they opened and watch the bakers making them from a little window at the front of the shop. When they finally opened, my sister and I got to pick out two doughnuts. I always got a pink cake doughnut. These looks exactly like the ones I ate as a kid (with a grown up twist of coconut…yum). Thanks for bringing back a wonderful memory. And you are right…there’s no better way to spread love than with doughnuts!

    Reply

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