NYC-Style Doughnuts: 7 Easy Homemade Recipes to Try

NYC-style doughnut magic is now yours in under 60 minutes no subway, no line. Warm, pillowy, and bursting with real Big Apple flavor, these 7 beginner-friendly recipes (tested by me, a Brooklyn mom) cost less than $1 each. Classic glazed, chocolate Brooklyn blackout, lemon-ricotta Bronx vibes all the iconic corner-shop taste, zero fancy tools. Your kitchen just became the best doughnut spot in the city.

What Makes NYC-Style Doughnuts So Special

NYC-style doughnuts are iconic for their light, pillowy texture and crisp exterior, achieved through a yeasted dough that demands patience but delivers big on flavor. Unlike dense cake doughnuts, these are airy and versatile, perfect for soaking up glazes or holding creamy fillings. As a Brooklyn home cook, I’ve learned the yeast’s slow rise creates air pockets for that signature bite. From sugar-dusted classics to bold flavors inspired by Queens’ diverse food scene, these doughnuts are a love letter to NYC’s bakery culture.

The Perfect NYC-Style Base Dough Recipe

This foolproof dough is soft, stretchy, and rises beautifully, creating that authentic NYC texture. It’s your canvas for endless flavor combos.

NY-Style Doughnut Base Dough

Versatile, fluffy NY-style doughnut base for endless customization.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 45 minutes mins

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Servings 12 doughnuts

Calories 250 kcal

Equipment

• Stand mixer with dough hook (or hand-knead with a wooden spoon)
• 3-inch doughnut cutter (or a glass and bottle cap for DIY)
• Heavy-bottomed pot for frying
• Candy thermometer to keep oil at 375°F
• Cooling racks for draining
• Slotted spoon or spider strainer for safe frying
• Rolling pin and baking sheets for shaping
• Piping bags for fillings (a zip-top bag works too)

Ingredients

  

• 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (1 standard packet)
• ¾ cup warm milk (110°F)
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
• 2 quarts vegetable oil, for frying

Instructions

 

• Warm milk to 110°F and stir in yeast. Let sit 5 minutes until foamy.
• Mix in sugar, salt, eggs, and melted butter until combined.
• Gradually add flour, mixing until dough pulls away from bowl sides.
• Knead 5-7 minutes until smooth and elastic.
• Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise 1 hour until doubled.
• Roll out dough to ½-inch thickness, cut into shapes, and let rise 30 minutes.
• Heat oil to 375°F. Fry doughnuts 1 minute per side until golden.
• Drain on paper towels, then glaze or fill as desired.

My Kitchen Trick: A thermometer ensures perfect frying too hot, and your doughnuts burn; too cool, and they’re greasy.

Why It Works: Yeast fermentation creates air pockets for fluffiness, while butter and eggs add richness. I’ve tested this recipe countless times, and patience with the rises is key.

Expert Insight

NYC pastry chef Maria Rodriguez, with over a decade at her Manhattan bakery, shares: “Proofing is the heart of NYC-style doughnuts. Let the dough rise slowly in a warm, draft-free spot for flavor and texture. The second rise after shaping ensures that airy bite.” Maria recommends weighing flour (4 cups = 480g) using high-quality options like King Arthur All-Purpose for consistent results.

Nutrition Information

Approximate nutritional breakdown for the base doughnut (per doughnut, unglazed, unfilled):

Note: Values vary with glazes or fillings. Use MyFitnessPal for precise calculations.

Ingredient Substitutions

Running low on ingredients? Here are tested swaps:

• Yeast: Use 1¾ tsp instant yeast or ¾ oz fresh yeast for one packet.
• Milk: Swap for 2% milk, oat milk, or almond milk (warm to 110°F).
• Butter: Use vegan butter or coconut oil for dairy-free.
• Eggs: Replace with ¼ cup applesauce + 1 tbsp cornstarch per egg or flax eggs.
• Flour: Substitute half with whole wheat pastry flour for fiber.

Samantha’s Tip: Test substitutions in a small batch to ensure texture.

Origin & NYC Bakery History

NYC-style doughnuts trace their roots to the city’s diverse immigrant communities, blending European baking traditions with American innovation. In the early 20th century, Jewish and Italian bakeries in neighborhoods like the Lower East Side and Brooklyn introduced yeasted doughnuts, inspired by Eastern European sufganiyot and Italian zeppole. By the 1950s, shops like Junior’s and Peter Pan Donut & Pastry Shop elevated doughnuts to a New York staple, with bold glazes and fillings reflecting the city’s melting pot. Today, from Queens’ matcha-infused treats to the Bronx’s Latin-inspired flavors, NYC doughnuts embody the city’s culinary creativity, which I’ve channeled into these recipes.

Source: Peter Pan Donut & Pastry Shop history.

7 NYC-Inspired Doughnut Recipes

1. Brooklyn Blackout Chocolate Doughnut

Inspired by Brooklyn’s iconic blackout cake, this is a chocolate lover’s dream.

Special Ingredients:

• ½ cup cocoa powder (for dough)
• Chocolate glaze (2 cups powdered sugar, ½ cup cocoa, 3-4 tbsp milk, 1 tsp vanilla)
• Chocolate pudding filling (2 cups milk, ½ cup sugar, ¼ cup cornstarch, ¼ cup cocoa, 1 tsp vanilla)
• Crushed chocolate cookies

How I Make It:

1. Add cocoa to base dough.
2. Fry without holes.
3. Pipe in chilled pudding.
4. Dip in glaze and sprinkle with cookie crumbs.

Samantha’s Tip: Chill pudding overnight to avoid spills.

Source: Inspired by Junior’s Bakery.

See Recipe

2. Matcha Sesame Doughnut

This East Village-inspired treat blends earthy matcha with nutty sesame.

Special Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp culinary-grade matcha powder
• Matcha glaze (2 cups powdered sugar, 1 tbsp matcha, 3-4 tbsp milk)
• 2 tbsp toasted black sesame seeds (plus 1 tbsp white sesame)

How I Make It:

1. Dissolve matcha in 1 tbsp warm water, mix into dough.
2. Add black sesame seeds.
3. Fry, dip in matcha glaze, sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Samantha’s Pro Advice: Use high-quality matcha for vibrant flavor.

Source: Inspired by Cha-An Teahouse.

See Recipe

3. Maple Pecan “Upstate” Doughnut

This captures cozy upstate New York with maple syrup and pecans.

Special Ingredients:

• ¼ cup pure maple syrup (for dough)
• Maple glaze (2 cups powdered sugar, ¼ cup maple syrup, 2 tbsp milk)
• 1 cup toasted pecans, chopped
• ½ tsp cinnamon (for dough)

How I Make It:

1. Swap ¼ cup sugar for maple syrup, add cinnamon.
2. Fry, dip in maple glaze, top with pecans.

Samantha’s Pro Advice: Dark Grade B maple syrup adds bold flavor.

See Recipe

4. Dulce de Leche Churro Doughnut

This Queens-inspired doughnut evokes Latin American street food.

Special Ingredients:

• Cinnamon sugar (1 cup sugar, 2 tbsp cinnamon)
• 1 can dulce de leche
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (for dough)
• Zest of 1 orange (for dough)

How I Make It:

1. Add vanilla and orange zest to dough.
2. Fry without holes, roll in cinnamon sugar.
3. Pipe in dulce de leche.

A tip from My Brooklyn Kitchen: Add a pinch of star anise to cinnamon sugar.

See Recipe

5. Halva Tahini Doughnut

Inspired by Lower East Side bakeries, this blends tahini and halva.

Special Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp tahini paste (for dough)
• Tahini glaze (2 cups powdered sugar, 3 tbsp tahini, 3-4 tbsp milk)
• ½ cup crumbled halva
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds (optional)

How I Make It:

1. Mix tahini into dough.
2. Fry, dip in tahini glaze, top with halva and sesame seeds.

Samantha’s Tip: Source halva from Middle Eastern markets.

See Recipe

6. Lemon Ricotta Doughnut

This Bronx-inspired doughnut is light and zesty.

Special Ingredients:

• ½ cup ricotta cheese (drained, for dough)
• Zest of 2 lemons (1 for dough, 1 for glaze)
• Lemon glaze (2 cups powdered sugar, 3 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp milk)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (for dough)

How I Make It:

1. Drain ricotta for 30 minutes.
2. Add ricotta, lemon zest, and vanilla to dough.
3. Fry, dip in lemon glaze, top with zest.

Pro Tip: Draining ricotta prevents sticky dough.

See Recipe

7. Apple Cider Doughnut Holes

These evoke fall orchard trips outside NYC.

Special Ingredients:

• ½ cup apple cider, reduced to ¼ cup
• 1 tsp cinnamon (for dough)
• ¼ tsp nutmeg (for dough)
• Cinnamon sugar coating (1 cup sugar, 2 tbsp cinnamon, 1 tsp ground ginger)

How I Make It:

1. Reduce cider, add to dough with spices.
2. Roll into 1-inch balls.
3. Fry, toss in cinnamon sugar.

Pro Tip: Shake in a paper bag for even coating.

Source: Inspired by Union Square Greenmarket.

See Recipe

Pro Tips for Perfect Doughnuts

Dough Tips:

• Warm milk: Keep at 110°F to activate yeast.
• Patience: Let dough double during both rises.
• Gentle handling: Overworking makes dough tough.
• Overnight trick: Refrigerate dough overnight.

Frying Tips:

• Maintain 375°F: Use a thermometer.
• Small batches: Fry 2-3 doughnuts at a time.
• Drain well: Use paper towels.
• Timing: Glaze warm doughnuts; fill cooled ones.

Samantha’s Hack: Prep dough the night before for fresh doughnuts by breakfast.

Source: Adapted from King Arthur Baking.

Troubleshooting Doughnuts

If your doughnuts aren’t perfect, this table has fixes based on my kitchen trials:

Samantha’s Tip: Keep a test doughnut handy to check oil temperature before frying the batch.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

After many kitchen mishaps, here are pitfalls to dodge:

• Overheating milk: Above 115°F kills yeast. Test with a thermometer.
• Skipping second rise: Leads to dense doughnuts. Allow 30 minutes.
• Wrong oil temperature: Below 360°F = greasy; above 380°F = burnt.
• Overfilling pot: Crowding lowers oil temperature.
• Low-quality ingredients: Cheap matcha or imitation maple syrup dulls flavors.

Samantha’s Tip: If doughnuts are greasy, check oil temperature and drain longer.

Healthier Doughnut Hacks

Want lighter doughnuts? Try these:

• Bake, don’t fry: Bake at 375°F for 10-12 minutes, brush with butter.
• Whole grain swap: Use half whole wheat pastry flour.
• Natural sweeteners: Swap sugar for honey or maple syrup.

Try our NYC’s Best Healthy Breakfast: 15 Fluffy Keto Pancakes.

FAQs About NYC-Style Doughnuts

What makes a doughnut “New York-style”? It’s the yeasted dough’s airy texture, crisp exterior, and bold glazes or fillings.

How do I keep doughnuts fresh? Store in an airtight container for 2 days. Freeze unglazed for a month.

Can I make them without a stand mixer? Yes! Knead by hand for 8-10 minutes.

What’s the best frying oil? Canola or vegetable oil at 375°F.

Can I make them vegan? Swap milk for oat milk, butter for vegan butter, eggs for applesauce + cornstarch.

Can I make NYC-style doughnuts in an air fryer? Yes, air fry at 350°F for 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway. Brush with butter.

Bring NYC to Your Table

I’m Samantha, your Brooklyn guide to easy, flavorful recipes that channel NYC’s vibrant food scene. These seven NYC-style doughnut recipes are my love letter to the city’s bakeries. Ready to bring the Big Apple home? Grab your ingredients, try these recipes, and share your creations on Instagram. Craving more NYC breakfasts? Explore our 7 Iconic Bagel Recipes, or Queens Açaí Bowl. Start frying, baking, and savoring today!

About the Author

Samantha is a Brooklyn-based mom and passionate home cook behind Cook Flare Recipes. With years of testing recipes in her tiny NYC kitchen, she specializes in easy, flavorful dishes inspired by New York’s diverse food scene. From recreating corner bakery doughnuts to crafting healthy breakfasts like 15 Easy NYC Breakfast Recipes Even Picky Kids Will Love, Samantha’s mission is to make cooking fun and accessible for busy families. Follow her on Instagram.

Comments & Reviews

Have you tried these NYC-style doughnut recipes? Share your experience below! Did you make the Brooklyn blackout or the apple cider doughnut holes? Any tips or flavor twists to add? Your feedback helps our community grow, and I love hearing how these recipes turn out in your kitchen. Drop a comment or rate the recipe to inspire other home cooks!