Mardi Gras Donuts Colored Sugar (Printable)
Fluffy, festive donuts with vibrant colored sugar reflecting Mardi Gras spirit.
# What You Need:
→ For the Donut Dough
01 - 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/3 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
04 - 1/2 tsp salt
05 - 3/4 cup warm milk (110°F)
06 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
07 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
08 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
→ For Frying
09 - 4 cups vegetable oil for deep frying
→ For the Icing
10 - 2 cups powdered sugar
11 - 3–4 tbsp milk
12 - 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
→ For the Colored Sugar
13 - 1/3 cup granulated sugar, divided into three bowls
14 - Purple food coloring
15 - Green food coloring
16 - Yellow (gold) food coloring
# Directions:
01 - In a small bowl, combine warm milk and yeast. Let sit for 5 minutes until foamy.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt.
03 - Add melted butter, eggs, vanilla, and the yeast mixture. Mix until a shaggy dough forms.
04 - Knead by hand or mixer with a dough hook for 6–8 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic.
05 - Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
06 - Add a few drops of each food coloring to each bowl of sugar and rub with fingers until evenly colored. Set aside.
07 - Turn dough onto a floured surface. Roll out to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut out 3-inch rounds with a donut cutter.
08 - Place donuts on parchment-lined trays, cover lightly, and let rise for 30 minutes.
09 - Heat oil in a large, heavy pot to 350°F. Fry donuts in batches, about 1–2 minutes per side, until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
10 - Whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth.
11 - Dip warm donuts into icing, allowing excess to drip off.
12 - Immediately sprinkle with colored sugars in sections or stripes to create a traditional Mardi Gras effect. Let set for 10–15 minutes before serving.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- These donuts bring the electric energy of New Orleans straight into your kitchen
- The texture is impossibly light, with a cloud-like interior that makes you wonder how something fried can feel so airy
- Watching people discover which color section they will bite first never gets old
02 -
- Oil temperature drops every time you add new donuts, so let it recover between batches
- These are best eaten within hours but can be stored overnight in an airtight container
03 -
- Use a kitchen thermometer for oil temperature because guessing leads to either greasy or raw donuts
- Line your cooling racks with paper towels underneath to catch the inevitable sugar fallout