Instructions

• In a small saucepan, combine ½ cup heavy cream, ½ cup whole milk, and ¼ cup granulated sugar. Heat over medium, stirring occasionally, until the mixture comes to a simmer. Remove from heat and cool the mixture to below 110°F.
• Stir 1 teaspoon active dry yeast into the cooled cream mixture. Let the yeast bloom for 10–15 minutes, until the mixture becomes puffy and foamy.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, add 2 cups all-purpose flour and ¾ teaspoons kosher salt and stir briefly to combine.
• Pour the yeast-cream mixture into the flour mixture. Attach the dough hook and knead on speed 2 for about 5 minutes, until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
• Lightly oil a glass bowl and oil your hands. Scrape the dough out of the mixing bowl, shape it into a ball, and place it seam-side down in the oiled bowl. Turn the dough once so the top is lightly oiled.
• Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rise in a warm place until it is a little more than double in size, about 1 hour.
• Line a work surface with a little flour. Turn the risen dough out and roll it to about ½-inch thickness. Use a 3-inch round cookie cutter to cut out donuts and a 1½-inch round cutter to cut out donut holes.
• Gather scraps, reshape into a ball, and let the dough rest for 10–15 minutes before rolling again. Repeat cutting until you’ve used all the dough (or stop and keep the donut holes if you prefer).
• Pour oil for frying into a heavy pot to a depth that allows the donuts to float (use a thermometer). Heat the oil to 360°F and maintain a frying temperature between 350–375°F throughout cooking.
• Fry 3–4 donuts at a time (depending on pan size) without crowding. Fry until golden brown, flipping once halfway through cooking so both sides brown evenly. Fry donut holes the same way in batches.
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer fried donuts and holes to a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain excess oil, or place briefly on paper towels. Let them cool slightly until warm but not hot before glazing.
• To make the vanilla glaze: in a small mixing bowl whisk together 1 cup + 6 tablespoons powdered sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 tablespoons milk, and a pinch of salt until smooth and pourable. Add a drop more milk if needed to reach dipping consistency.
• To make the chocolate glaze: in a small mixing bowl whisk together ½ cup powdered sugar, ¼ cup dutch-processed dark cocoa powder, a pinch of salt, ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract, and 7 teaspoons whole milk until smooth and pourable. Adjust by whisking until the glaze has a consistency suitable for dipping.
• Dip each warm donut into the glaze of your choice, letting excess drip back into the bowl, then place glazed donuts on a wire rack set over a baking sheet to catch drips. Allow the glaze to set before serving.