Krispy Kreme Copycat Donut Recipe (2024)

This Krispy Kreme donut recipe creates melt-in-your-mouth donuts that you’ll savor every single bite of. Much like the original, this copycat recipe is topped with a lightly sweet glaze that rounds out the donut perfectly.

If you are in the mood to make donuts, you may also like my simple homemade sugar donuts, this quick fried donut recipe, or even my 15-minute ricotta donuts.

Copycat Krispy Kreme Donut Recipe

I call this a copycat recipe, but I need to be honest with you all…these donuts are better than the original. Way better, in my opinion!

It took some trial and error to get this donut to have that true Krispy Kreme flavor. I will usually make my donuts with butter in the dough, but to nail this copycat recipe I swapped it out for shortening. After another trial round (my job is so hard!) I thought it was still missing somethingand I finally figured out what it was.

Rather than fry these in oil, this copycat Krispy Kreme donut recipe should be fried in Crisco. Sure, if you don’t have Crisco on hand you can use oil, but if you really want that classic Krispy Kreme flavor, you’ll want to use Crisco.

Every bite of this copycat Krispy Kreme donut recipe fills your mouth with fluffy yeast donut. Just like the ones in the shop, these donuts are best when they are still slightly warm.. Yes, your fingers will probably get slightly sticky from the glaze, but it’s totally worth it!

Krispy Kreme Donut Glaze Recipe

Let’s be honest. The other part of what makes these donuts so completely irresistible is the glaze. This Krispy Kreme donut glaze recipe is super simple to make. It’s certainly sweet, but not overpoweringly so. When combined with the yeasty, airy donut, the glaze adds sweetness and flavor.

Plus, the Krispy Kreme donut glaze recipe only has three simple ingredients: confectioners’ sugar, milk, and light corn syrup. Make sure to get the light kind, because the dark syrup will make this glaze taste totally different from the original!

The best way I have found to get these donuts glazed properly is to put the glaze in a shallow bowl. Once the donuts have come out of the oven and cooled enough that the glaze won’t just slide off, you can use tongs to submerge half of the donut into the glaze. Flip it glaze side up, and let it sit on a cooling rack for a few minutes before enjoying it!

How to Make the Krispy Kreme Donut Recipe

For detailed recipe instructions see the recipe card bottom of the post.

Making this Krispy Kreme donut recipe has two separate parts: the donut, then the glaze. Here’s how to make each.

Make the Dough

• Proof the yeast and let it rise until doubled in volume.
• Make the donut dough by mixing together the ingredients and kneading with a dough hook in a stand mixer until the dough is tacky.
• Roll the dough into a ball, then place it into a greased bowl. Let it proof again for 1-2 hours until doubled in volume.
• Punch down the dough on a nonstick, greased surface and roll it out. Then cut out rounds with a donut cutter and set them aside. Take the remaining dough and roll it out once more, then cut out more rounds. Continue until you are not able to cut any more disks out.
• Cover the cut donuts and allow them to rise until they have doubled in size – about one hour.
• Heat Crisco or another shortening or vegetable oil in a pan to 350 degrees. Then carefully drop in the donuts and fry them.
• Let cool on a rack.

Make the Glaze

• Meanwhile, make the glaze by mixing together the sugar, light corn syrup, and milk.
• Once the donuts are cool enough to handle, glaze them in a shallow bowl, then allow them to dry on a wire rack.
• Eat while warm. Enjoy!

Scroll to the bottom for the full recipe with precise ingredient amounts.

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