Gorgeous Rose Brioche Donuts coated in pink sugar! These ultra fluffy brioche rose-shaped donuts are fried to perfection and then coated in a delicious strawberry sugar. A special treat that will surely impress!
Mother's Day is around the corner and what better way to celebrate than with a dozen show-stopping Rose-Shaped Brioche Donuts! These donuts are also so festive for birthdays, Valentine's Day or any special occasion!
If you’re looking for more irresistible donut recipes, check out my Nutella Donuts, Raspberry Cheesecake Donuts and Heart Shaped Donuts!
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Ingredient notes
Here are some notes about all the ingredients used. Quantities and full instructions are in the recipe card below!
Brioche Donuts
- Bread Flour & All-Purpose Flour. I like using a combination. Bread flour has a higher amount of protein, which will add structure to your donuts. If you’re unable to find bread flour, you can use all-purpose.
- Dry Milk Powder. This is optional, but highly recommended. It makes the donuts super soft and enhances the flavor. I use this one.
- Milk. For best results, use whole milk.
- Yeast. I am using dry active yeast for this recipe.
- White Sugar. A little bit of sugar will be used to feed the yeast when we activate it and ⅓ cup will be added to the dough.
- Unsalted Butter. We’ll be using softened butter.
- Eggs + Yolk. Adds richness and structure. We want the eggs to be at room temperature here. To quickly bring your eggs to temp, submerge them into a bowl of hot tap water for about 15 minutes.
- Rum. This is optional, but you can use light or dark rum.
- Vanilla Paste or Vanilla Extract. Adds flavor.
Coating
- White Granulated Sugar - You can also use sparkling sugar.
- Freeze-dried Strawberries - Adds flavor and a beautiful pink hue.
*See recipe card for quantities.
Step By Step Instructions
Here are step-by-step photos and instructions on how to make these Rose Donuts! Please find detailed instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.
Step 1. Combine bloomed yeast mixture, flours, butter, sugar, milk powder, eggs, rum and vanilla into the bowl of your stand mixer.
Step 2. With a spoon or spatula, mix until a shaggy ball of dough forms.
Step 3. Fit your stand mixer with the hook attachment and knead the dough on medium speed for about 20 minutes or until it passes the window pane test.
Step 4. Form dough into a ball and place into a well oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise at room temperature for an hour.
Tip! To perform the window pane test, take a small ball of dough and stretch it into a small square. It should be stretched thin enough to let light pass through without tearing it. If it tears, knead for an additional 1 to 2 minutes.
Step 5. Divided dough into 30 even pieces and roll into tight balls. Use a digital scale to ensure they are as even as possible.
Step 6. Roll the dough balls into flat round discs to about ⅛ inch (3.1 mm) thickness.
Tip! Weigh your dough after the first rise and then divide that number by 30. For example, my dough weighed 953 grams. After dividing it by 30, it came out to 31.1 grams. So each dough ball weighs between 31 and 32 grams.
Step 7. Shape your rose donuts; see photos and video for reference (video is in the recipe card at the end of the post). Start by overlapping 5 discs of dough on top of one another in a straight line. Place a chopstick on its side and press it down the middle of the dough (lengthwise) to help fuse the pieces together. Flatten the edges of the dough with your finger tips, then tightly roll into a log. Finally, with a sharp knife, cut the log into 2 pieces. Repeat with the remaining dough balls. You should have a total of 12 rose donuts.
Step 8. Place donuts on parchment paper squares and transfer to a large baking tray. Allow to rise for about 30 minutes or until it passes the “poke” test.
Hint: How to perform a “poke” test! Gently press your pointer finger on to the dough and if it springs back slowly and leaves a slight indentation, then it’s ready to be fried. If the dough bounces back immediately, then it needs more time.
Step 9. Optional - After the dough has proofed and is ready to be fried, gently pinch and flatten the edges to create a more distinct rose shape.
Step 10. Fry donuts for 1 minute and 20 seconds on each side. Set a timer! It’s ready when they are golden brown.
Tip! When frying brioche donuts, use a thermometer to monitor the oil's temperature. You’ll want it to be between 350ºF to 360ºF (176ºC to 182ºC). If the oil gets too hot, just turn the burner to low or off to bring the temperature down. Alternatively, if it dips too low, turn the burner up and then proceed with frying once it’s to temp.
Step 11. Make coating by combining sugar and freeze-dried strawberry powder together in a shallow bowl.
Step 12. Coat donuts in strawberry sugar mixture. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Substitutions
- Yeast – I almost always only use Active Dry Yeast, but you can also use instant yeast in this recipe. If using instant yeast, there is no need to bloom or activate it in the wam milk. Just combine all of the ingredients into the bowl of your stand mixer and proceed as written.
- Milk Powder – You can substitute for malted milk powder. Although it’s not the same thing as dry milk powder, I’ve had great results in the past. Alternatively, you can also omit it completely.
- Rum – If you don’t have rum, you can easily substitute with whiskey or omit completely.
Variations
- Other Coatings – Instead of coating the donuts with strawberry sugar, you can coat them in powdered sugar. You can also dip them in a strawberry or vanilla glaze.
- Other Shapes – You can get pretty creative with donut shapes, like my Chocolate Brioche Croissant Donuts or Heart Donuts. You can also keep it traditional by shaping them into buns, like my Lemon Curd Donuts!
Equipment
- Stand Mixer – While having a stand mixer is helpful, you can also make by hand. Please see directions in the FAQ section.
- Thermometer – Having a thermometer that can clip to the side of the pot is crucial in order to monitor the temperature of the oil.
- Kitchen Scale – It’s helpful to have when measuring ingredients.
Storage
- Homemade donuts are best eaten right away, or within the first day. It starts to dry out the next day.
Expert Tips
For best results I always recommend using a kitchen scale to weigh all your ingredients as it’s the most accurate way to bake. I like using King Arthur’s Weight Chart to convert to grams.
If you are not using a kitchen scale, measure your flour correctly. Fluff and aerate your flour first, then spoon into your measuring cup and finally level off with the back of a butter knife. Do not pack it in as it will add too much flour.
Make sure your yeast is fresh. Whether you use active dry yeast or instant yeast, always activate it by mixing with your warm liquid and a bit of sugar. Nothing is worse than continuing on with a recipe, and then discover later that your yeast is dead.
Your dough is done kneading when it passes the window pane test. To perform the test, take a small (2 tbsp) ball of dough and stretch it into a small square. It should be stretched thin enough to let light pass through without tearing it. If it tears, knead for an additional 1 to 2 minutes.
The best way to know if your donuts are fully proofed is to lightly press them with your finger. If it springs back slowly and leaves a slight indentation, then it’s ready to be fried.
Use a thermometer to consistently check the oil’s temperature. It can rise and lower as you move through the frying process. Keep a close eye on the temperature to ensure it stay between 350ºF to 360ºF (176ºC to 182ºC). If the temperature of your oil is too low, your donuts run the risk of absorbing too much oil and if the oil is too hot, the donuts will brown too quickly and the center can be uncooked.
Be prepared before you start frying. After your donuts are done proofing, this recipe moves quickly. Have your oil heated to temperature, thermometer clipped to your pot, a cooling rack lined with paper towels, and coating ready before you begin frying.
FAQ
Yes! There is no need to activate or bloom instant yeast in warm milk. Just combine all of the brioche ingredients into the bowl of your stand mixer and proceed with the recipe. Make sure your milk is warm though.
Yes, you can! Believe it or not, I used to make all yeast doughs by hand. You will just need to knead the dough by hand for up to 20 minutes. It can get quite sticky, but refrain from adding too much flour. I like to knead the dough with oiled hands and use a plastic bench scraper to help move the dough around. Don’t forget to perform the window pane test to know that it has been properly kneaded.
Proofing refers to the final rise right before frying the donuts. Perform a “poke” test! Gently press your pointer finger into the dough and if it springs back slowly and leaves a slight indentation, then it’s ready to be fried. If the dough bounces back immediately, then it needs more time.
In the simplest of terms, freeze-drying is a process in which 98% of water is removed from a product while also retaining its nutrients and flavor. According to the FDA, freeze-drying or lyophilization removes water by freezing a product at a low temperature and then placing it under a vacuum. This allows the ice to change directly from a solid state to vapor, all while bypassing the liquid phase. This leaves the strawberries dry, light and crisp.
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📖 Recipe
Rose Brioche Donuts
- Total Time: 2 Hrs + 40 Mins
- Yield: 12 Donuts
Description
Gorgeous Rose Brioche Donuts coated in pink sugar! These ultra fluffy brioche rose-shaped donuts are fried to perfection and then coated in a delicious strawberry sugar. A special treat that will surely impress!
Ingredients
Brioche Dough
- ¾ Cup (170g) Whole Milk, warmed 105 to 110ºg (40 to 43ºC)
- 2 ¼ Teaspoons Active Dry Yeast
- ⅓ Cup + 1 Teaspoon (67g + 4g) Granulated White Sugar, divided
- 2 ½ Cups (300g) Bread Flour
- 1 ½ Cups (180g) All-Purpose Flour
- 3 Tablespoons Dry Milk Powder (optional)
- 6 Tablespoons (85g) Salted Butter, softened *see note below
- 2 Large Eggs + 1 Yolk, room temp
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Paste or Extract
- 1 Tablespoon Rum (optional)
Coating
- 1 Cup (200g) White Sugar
- 2 Tablespoons (7g) Freeze Dried Strawberry Powder, **see note below
For Frying
- 2 Quarts (1.89 L) of Oil (canola, vegetable or shortening)
Instructions
- Make your brioche dough. In a small bowl, combine warm milk (105ºF/41ºC), 1 teaspoon sugar and active dry yeast. Allow to "bloom" for about 8 to 10 minutes. The yeast mixture should be frothy. ***See note below for instant yeast.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer, add yeast/milk mixture, ⅓ cup sugar, eggs, yolk, softened butter, vanilla, rum, bread flour, all-purpose flour and dry milk powder. With a spoon or spatula, mix the ingredients together until a rough ball of dough forms (will be shaggy).
- Fit your stand mixer with a hook attachment and knead the dough on medium speed for 20 minutes. The dough should be elastic and is ready when it passes the window pane test (****see note below).
- Coat your hands with oil and lift the dough out of the bowl and form it into a ball. Then oil your bowl (I use the same one) and place the dough back in. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until it doubles in size.
- Gently punch the risen dough down to release gas bubbles. Transfer the dough onto a work surface and divide into 30 equal pieces. *****See note below.
- Grab a piece of dough and press it flat to get rid of any air bubbles. Then gather and pinch the edges together and place it on your work surface. Next, start rolling the dough into a ball with your hand in a “claw” shape. You’ll want the balls to be as tight and smooth as possible. Please watch the video below. Be sure to cover your dough with a damp towel or plastic wrap to prevent them from drying out.
- With a rolling pin, roll the dough balls into flat round discs to about ⅛ inch (3.1 mm) thickness.
- Shape your rose donuts (see photos and video for reference). Start by overlapping 5 discs of dough on top of one another in a straight line. Place a chopstick on its side and press it down the middle of the dough (lengthwise) to help fuse the pieces together. Flatten the edges of the dough with your finger tips, then tightly roll into a log. Finally, with a sharp knife, cut the log into 2 pieces. Repeat with the remaining dough balls. You should have a total of 12 rose donuts.
- Place the donuts on 4x4 inch (10x10 cm) parchment paper squares and then transfer to a large baking tray. Make sure to place them 2 inches apart to give them enough space to proof.
- Loosely cover the tray with plastic wrap and allow to proof for about 30 minutes or until it passes the "poke" test. (******see note below)
- While the donuts are proofing, make your coating! Pulse freeze-dried strawberries into a fine powder and combine with your sugar; set aside.
- Frying and finishing your donuts. Next, get your oil ready so that you can start frying right away. Fill a medium to large sized pot with 2 to 3 inches of vegetable shortening or neutral oil such as canola, vegetable, or avocado oil.
- Optional - When the donuts are done proofing and is ready to be fried, gently pinch and flatten the edges of the rose petals to create a more distinct rose shape. See photo in body of the post for reference.
- Once the oil reaches 350ºF to 360ºF (176ºC to 182ºC), fry 2 to 3 donuts at a time for 1 minute and 20 seconds on each side (set a timer). Try not to overcrowd the pot as it will bring the temperature down. I HIGHLY recommend using a thermometer to monitor the oil.
- Transfer fried donuts onto a cooling rack lined with paper towel. Allow to cool for several minutes and then coat with pink sugar. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
*If you are using unsalted butter, add ½ teaspoon of sea salt to your dough mixture.
**¼ cup of uncrushed freeze-dried strawberries will yield about 2 tablespoons of strawberry powder.
***For Instant Yeast; Combine instant yeast with all the dough ingredients into the bowl of your stand mixer and proceed to step 3. Just make sure the salt and yeast are not touching and that your milk is warm.
****To perform the Window Pane Test, take a small (2 tbsp) ball of dough and stretch it into a small square. It should be stretched thin enough to let light pass through without tearing it. If it tears, knead for an additional 1 to 2 minutes.
*****Dividing Dough - Weigh your dough after the first rise and then divide that number by 30. For example, my dough weighed 953 grams. After dividing it by 30, it came out to 31.1 grams. So each dough ball weighs between 31 and 32 grams.
******How to know when your donuts are done proofing - Perform a "Poke" test! Gently press your pointer finger into the dough and if it springs back slowly and leaves a slight indentation, it's ready. If the dough bounces back immediately, then needs more time.
- Prep Time: 1 Hr
- Rise/Proof Time: 1 Hr + 30 Mins
- Cook Time: 10 Mins Total
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