These Valentines Donuts are light and airy, and dipped in a sweet vanilla glaze and topped with festive sprinkles! These fried crullers are surprisingly easy to make and will make your Valentine’s Day brunch extra special.
If you need some more ideas for treats to make your Valentine, check out ourHeart Shaped Chocolate Chip Cookies , Heart Jam Cookies ,or for the chocolate lovers our Cream Cheese Brownies!
We don’t do a lot of frying at our house but I will take out the oil for homemade donuts! These Valentines Donuts are fried heart shaped crullers and I love making them for Valentine’s Day or any special day for my boys! They make a great display paired with my Mini Donuts Recipe or these Valentine’s Sugar Cookie Bars and are perfect to bring to a Valentine’s Day party.
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Recipe Highlights
- Festive and Fun: Heart shaped donuts decorated with pink glaze and sprinkles for Valentine’s Day!
- Crispy and Light: These fried crullers are perfectly golden on the outside with a soft, airy interior. The are made with a delicious choux pastry, or pâte à choux that comes together quickly with simple ingredients.
- Customizable Glaze: The classic vanilla glaze can be tinted with a little food coloring if desired. I love a blush pink for Valentine’s Day, Anniversaries or even a bridal shower. You can customize with any color for your event.
- Beautiful Presentation: These donuts are visually stunning on a buffet table or breakfast charcuterie board.
Ingredient Notes
- Flour: We use all-purpose flour for this recipe.
- Milk and Water: These wet ingredients make a rich, tender dough with the perfect consistency.
- Butter: Adds delicious buttery flavor.
- Granulated Sugar: Slightly sweetens the dough and helps to create the beautiful golden color.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the overall flavor.
- Eggs: Use large eggs.
- Vanilla Extract: Provides delicious, aromatic flavor for the simple dough.
- Powdered Sugar & Heavy Cream or Milk: Used to create the sweet and decorative glaze.
- Valentine Sprinkles: The perfect way to add color and a festive touch to the donuts.
How to Make Valentines Donuts
- Step 1: Bring butter, sugar, milk, salt and water to a gentle boil.
- Step 2: Add flour and mix until sides pull away from the pot.
- Step 3: Next, add eggs one at a time mixing with a wooden spoon until combined.
- Step 4: Add in vanilla.
- Step 5: Mix dough until smooth.
- Step 6: Transfer dough to a piping bag and pipe heart shapes onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Chill for 30 minutes.
- Step 7: Fry 3-4 donuts at a time in oil that is 325 degrees.
- Step 8: Cook until golden on the outside and cooked through on the inside about 3 minutes per side.
- Step 9: Transfer fried donuts to a paper towel lined plate to absorb excess oil.
- Step 10: Add glaze ingredients to a bowl.
- Step 11: Mix glaze until smooth.
- Step 12: Apply glaze to donuts and allow then to set.
Tips for making the best Heart Shaped Donuts
- Chill the Dough: This step helps the crullers hold their shape when fried.
- Monitor the Oil Temperature: Keep the oil at 325°F to avoid donuts browning too quickly or staying raw inside.
- Fry in Small Batches: Fry 4 at a time to avoid lowering the oil temperature.
Recipe Variations
- Chocolate Glaze: Swap the vanilla glaze for a rich chocolate glaze. Simply mix melted chocolate with a splash of heavy cream until smooth.
- Cinnamon Sugar Donuts: Skip the glaze and toss the donuts in cinnamon sugar while they’re still warm.
- Powdered Sugar: A simple dusting of powdered sugar while warm is another delicious way to serve these donuts.
Recipe Substitutions
- Gluten-Free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.
- Dairy-Free: Substitute plant-based milk and dairy-free butter.
Storage Tips
- Room Temperature: Store unglazed crullers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- Glazed Crullers: Best enjoyed the same day, but you can store leftovers for 1 day in an airtight container.
Recipe
Valentines Donuts
These Valentines Donuts are light and airy, fried crullers, dipped in a sweet vanilla glaze and topped with festive sprinkles! They are easy to make and perfect for Valentine’s Day brunch!
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup whole milk
- ½ cup 1 stick unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
For the Vanilla Glaze:
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Optional: Pink gel food coloring
- Valentine sprinkles
Instructions
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In a medium saucepan, combine the water, milk, butter, sugar, and salt. Heat over medium until the mixture reaches a rolling boil.
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Reduce the heat to low and add the flour all at once. Stir quickly and continuously with a wooden spoon until the dough forms a smooth ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan. Remove pan from heat.
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Let the dough cool for about 5 minutes.
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Beat in the eggs one at a time, making sure each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next. Next mix in vanilla. The dough should be thick and smooth.
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Fill a piping bag with the dough fitted with a large star tip. Pipe the heart shaped donuts on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Chill the donuts in the fridge for 30 minutes or the freezer for 15 minutes.
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While the dough chills, heat oil in a deep skillet or heavy-bottomed pot to 325°F.
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Carefully place the hearts into the hot oil, frying 4 at a time. Fry for about 3 minutes on each side or until they turn golden brown.
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Use a slotted spoon to transfer the donuts to a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.
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For the glaze, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth in a medium bowl. If desired, stir in a few drops of pink gel food coloring for a festive touch.
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Dip each cruller into the glaze, letting the excess drip off. Place on a wire rack and immediately decorate with Valentine sprinkles.
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Let the glaze set for 10 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 186kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 3gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 65mgSodium: 66mgPotassium: 52mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 288IUVitamin C: 0.01mgCalcium: 26mgIron: 1mg
I hope you love these Valentine Donuts. If you make this recipe, leave a comment and a rating! I’d love to know how you liked it. Enjoy, xoxo!
