Halloween Monster Donuts with Candy Eyes
Vibrant yeast donuts dipped in colored glaze and decorated with piped icing, sprinkles, and candy eyes. A festive treat featuring warm, fluffy fried donuts transformed into playful monsters with food coloring options in green, pink, and yellow.
Ingredients
- 2 cup powdered sugar, sifted
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- food coloring, vibrant green, or pink or yellownatural food coloring1:1dietary
colors less vibrant
- decorating icing, black, and white recommended
- Halloween sprinkles
- candy eyes
- vegetable oil
- 2 ¼ teaspoon active dry yeast, 1 packet
- ⅝ cup milk, warm, 110°F or 109°F
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
- 2 large eggs
- 4 cup all-purpose flourgluten-free 1-to-1 flour1:1gluten-freegluten-free
similar texture
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- 1
Combine warm milk with a pinch of sugar in a small bowl.
- 2
Sprinkle yeast over warm milk and let sit until frothy, about 5-10 minutes.
- 3
In a large bowl, combine the activated yeast mixture, sugar, melted butter, and eggs.
- 4
Gradually add flour and salt while mixing until a soft dough forms.
- 5
Knead dough on a floured surface for about 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- 6
Place dough in a greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for 1-1.5 hours until doubled in size.
- 7
Roll out dough on a floured surface to about 1/2-inch thickness.
- 8
Cut out donuts using a donut cutter, round cookie cutter, or the mouth of a glass.
- 9
Place cut donuts on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- 10
Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise for another 30 minutes to an hour until puffy.
- 11
Heat vegetable oil to 350-375°F in a deep, heavy-bottomed pot with enough oil to submerge donuts.
- 12
Carefully add donuts to hot oil a few at a time, avoiding overcrowding.
- 13
Fry each side for 1-2 minutes until golden brown.
- 14
Remove donuts with a slotted spoon or tongs and place on a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
- 15
Whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- 16
Divide glaze into bowls and add food coloring drops to each.
- 17
While donuts are still warm, dip about 3/4 of each donut into desired glaze.
- 18
Place on a wire rack to allow excess glaze to drip off.
- 19
Use a piping bag with small tip to create icing drizzles on different donut parts.
- 20
Add sprinkles or other toppings as desired.
- 21
Place two small dots of icing above the hole in each donut to help candy eyes stick.
- 22
Carefully place two candy eyeballs over the icing dots.
Tips
Use a thermometer to maintain oil temperature at 350-375°F for even frying.
Keep donuts warm before glazing for better coating adherence.
Prepare glaze and icing colors before frying donuts to work quickly while donuts are still warm.
Good to Know
Store cooled decorated donuts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Undecorated fried donuts can be frozen for up to 1 month.
Prepare and fry donuts up to 1 day ahead. Glaze and decorate on the day of serving for best visual appeal.
Serve at room temperature or slightly warm. Arrange on a Halloween-themed platter or cake stand for display.
Common Mistakes
Do not skip the yeast activation step to avoid dense, flat donuts.
Do not overfill the pot with donuts to avoid uneven cooking and oil splashing.
Do not use oil cooler than 350°F to avoid greasy, soggy donuts.
Do not apply candy eyes to warm donuts to avoid melting or sliding off.
Substitutions
Dairy-Free Swaps
Vegan Options
Gluten-Free Swaps
similar texture
General Alternatives
colors less vibrant