Step 1

First warm ½ cup milk and take it in a mixing bowl or pan. Do note that the milk should be warm and not hot.

Step 2

Then add sugar and instant yeast. Mix very well.

Step 3

Next add 1 cup of whole wheat flour.

Step 4

Mix very well with a spoon. Cover the pan with a lid or kitchen towel and allow to leaven for 20 to 30 minutes.

Step 5

After leavening, you will see that the dough mixture has become stringy and has air pockets in it.

Step 6

Then add the remaining 1 cup of whole wheat flour, butter, vanilla extract and a pinch of grated nutmeg.

Step 7

Mix first and then begin to knead the dough. Add ¼ cup more of the milk (milk can be warm or at room temperature). Add milk as required while kneading.

Step 8

Knead to a smooth, soft and supple dough. The dough should be softer than a roti or naan dough. If dough feels tight then add more milk. Note that when you add more milk, it will look like the dough has become sticky and is covered with milk, but continue to knead and the dough will absorb the remaining milk.

Step 9

Do note that the dough has to be soft and supple. If the dough is not soft, then the donuts will also not have a soft texture. Overall I have added ¾ cup milk. Depending on the quality of flour, you can add ¾ to 1 cup milk or more if required.

Step 10

Cover the bowl and keep the dough to leaven for 45 minutes to 1 hour. The dough will double. Warmer temperatures are more conducive for leavening and fermentation.

Step 11

If using dry active yeast or fresh yeast, then keep for 1:30 minutes to 3 hours. Timing will vary depending on the temperature conditions.

Step 12

While donut dough is getting leavened, prepare the glaze toppings.

Step 13

In a bowl, take the powdered sugar or icing sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla extract and milk.

Step 14

Mix very well and keep aside. If the glaze looks very thick, then you can add 1 tablespoon more milk.

Step 15

Take fine or super fine sugar or powdered sugar or icing sugar in a bowl or plate along with the ground cinnamon powder.

Step 16

Mix very well and set aside.

Step 17

Line a tray with parchment paper or butter paper. Alternatively you can grease the tray very well with oil or butter.

Step 18

Gently and lightly knead the dough once more. Then sprinkle some flour and roll the entire dough to a circle having ½ to ¾ inch width.

Step 19

Keep and press the donut cutter on the dough. Do this on all the rolled dough.

Step 20

If you do not have a dough nut cutter, then take a lid and press it on the dough. Then take a small lid and keep in the centre of the cut round dough. Remove the small centre piece and you get the donut shape.

Step 21

Remove gently and keep the donuts on the lined tray. Also keep the small centre pieces.

Step 22

Gather the remaining dough and bring it together. Roll and again cut the dough. Make donuts this way with all of the dough

Step 23

Cover and allow for the second rise for 15 to 20 minutes or until they double in size. With dry active or fresh yeast, keep for 30 minutes to 45 minutes or for more time if needed until the donuts double in size.

Step 24

Before baking donuts, preheat the oven with both top and bottom heating elements on at 180 degrees celsius. Keep the baking tray in the centre of the oven.

Step 25

Bake donuts for 15 to 25 minutes. Timing will vary depending on the oven size, design and actual temperature in the oven.

Step 26

Bake till the tops are golden. Do not over bake as then the texture becomes dry.

Step 27

Remove the baked donuts with a spatula and place on a wired rack. If some donuts have got baked and some are still not, then remove the ones which are baked and keep on a wired rack. Continue to bake the remaining ones for some more minutes

Step 28

Let the donuts become warm or cool slightly. Then proceed to the next step of glazing.

Step 29

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a steel bowl or a steel plate by keeping it on a low flame on the stove top. Do not touch the plate or bowl as it will be hot.

Step 30

Place the donuts upside down in the melted butter.

Step 31

Then place the buttered side in the cinnamon, sugar mixture and gently move the donut on the sugar mixture so that the sugar and cinnamon sticks to the butter. Remove and keep donuts on the wired rack with the sprinkled side facing upwards.

Step 32

For the chocolate glaze, place the doughnut upside down in the glaze and coat evenly.

Step 33

Remove and keep the chocolate glazed side upwards on the wired rack.

Step 34

I also sprinkled some desiccated coconut on a few chocolate donuts. This is an pptional step.

Step 35

Serve donuts warm or at room temperature. Leftovers can be refrigerated. They will become dense once refrigerated. So while serving, you can warm doughnuts in an oven or microwave oven or let them come to room temperature.