The Secret For Bakery-Worthy Donuts With A Crispy Exterior

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Donuts' sweet flavor makes them a special treat, but what sets a good donut apart from the rest is all in its texture: crispy on the outside, and fluffy on the inside. It's easy enough to pick one up at your favorite donut chain, but frying donuts at home just requires a little technique to master this tasty snack.

"That perfect donut crunch comes down to two things: the right oil temp and a little patience," Hannah Taylor, author of "Measure with Your Heart," told Chowhound. "Keep your oil steady at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, so the outside can fry up golden while the inside gets light and fluffy." An unsteady oil temperature impacts the donut's texture because, if too hot, it creates too crispy of a crust, and if too cold, the donut can absorb some grease. "And nobody wants that," Taylor added. An easy way to keep the temperature steady is to avoid overcrowding the pot. The donuts should have enough room that they aren't touching and can easily float around and be flipped over. Frying them is also a great idea if you don't have a donut pan, though you can bake donuts, too.

Properly frying the donuts might be the biggest secret to getting that crispy texture, but there's another secret for keeping them crispy. And it has everything to do with how they're handled outside of the oil. "The real magic is what you do next," Hannah Taylor said. "Set them on a wire rack, not paper towels. Towels trap steam, and steam makes them soggy. A rack lets air circulate, so that crust stays crisp."

To ensure your donuts turn out the best they can, coat them in the frosting or toppings while they're still nice and warm. Taylor refers to it as her "Southern secret," adding that it's "how you get donuts that stay crisp on the outside but melt-in-your-mouth inside." Finally, if you do run into a greasy donut, try coating it in a coarse topping like sugar or even some cereal. This will hide that the texture didn't come out as crispy as you wanted. "Most people are just thrilled you made homemade donuts at all," Taylor said.