Vanilla Cardamom Brown Sugar Yeast Doughnuts

Aug 22, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Pastries doughnuts Origin: Madagascar Vanilla: Extract Medium

Vanilla Cardamom Brown Sugar Yeast Doughnuts on a cooling rack

These yeast-raised doughnuts fry up light and airy, with a tender crumb and golden crust. Brown sugar adds flavor and texture. Best with Madagascar vanilla (rich, creamy, classic); any pure vanilla works.

Prep 40 min

Cook 25 min

Cooling 15 min

Total 3 hr 10 min

Yield 16 doughnuts

Diet —

Ingredients

Adjust yield

doughnuts

3.0 cups (360.0 g)all-purpose flour
3 ¼ tbsp (40.0 g)granulated sugar
½ tsp (3.0 g)fine sea salt
2.0 tsp (6.0 g)instant yeast
¼ tsp (0.5 g)ground nutmeg
1.0 (50.0 g)large egg
1.0 cup (227.0 g)whole milk
2.0 tbsp (28.0 g)unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1.0 tsp (5.0 ml)VanillaGoods vanilla extract

For frying

neutral frying oil
½ tsp (1.0 g)ground cardamom

Flavor Accent

2 ¼ tsp (10.0 g)light brown sugar, packed

Make it at home

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Instructions

Stir the light brown sugar into the granulated sugar until evenly blended with no clumps; use this mixture wherever the recipe calls for sugar.
Whisk the ground cardamom, flour, sugar, salt, yeast, and nutmeg together in the bowl of a stand mixer.
Add the egg, milk, melted butter, and vanilla. Mix with the dough hook on low until no dry flour remains, then knead on medium-low for 6 to 8 minutes. The dough should become smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky but should pull away from the sides of the bowl.
Cover the bowl and let the dough rise until roughly doubled in volume, about 60 to 75 minutes. A fingertip pressed gently into the dough should leave an indentation that slowly fills back in.
Roll the dough about 1/2 inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Cut rings with a 2 1/2-inch round cutter and a 1-inch center cutter, then place them on parchment squares. Re-roll scraps only once and fry the holes separately. The ring count is approximate and depends on rolling thickness. Re-roll scraps only once so the last doughnuts do not become tough.
Cover loosely and let the shaped doughnuts rise for 30 to 40 minutes. They should look puffy and feel light when gently lifted.
Heat 2 to 3 inches of neutral oil to 350°F (175°C). Fry a few doughnuts at a time for about 60 to 90 seconds per side. Keep the oil near 350°F; the doughnuts should turn deep golden without browning before the centers cook.
Drain the doughnuts on a rack set over a sheet pan and let them cool before serving or finishing.

Tips

Optional finish, cocoa dusting (1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder): sift the finishing cocoa through a fine sieve in a light, even cocoa dusting over the fully cooled doughnuts just before serving. The finish should stay on the surface without melting into the dessert.
Optional finish, cream cheese glaze (3 oz cream cheese, softened, ¾ cup confectioners' sugar, 1 tbsp whole milk): beat the softened cream cheese until smooth, then gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar and milk. Drizzle or spread over the fully cooled doughnuts.
Optional finish, honey glaze (¾ cup confectioners' sugar, 1½ tbsp honey, 1 tbsp whole milk): whisk the confectioners' sugar, honey, and milk until smooth and pourable. Drizzle over the fully cooled doughnuts.
Optional finish, maple glaze (¾ cup confectioners' sugar, 2 tbsp pure maple syrup): whisk the confectioners' sugar and maple syrup until smooth and pourable. Drizzle over the fully cooled doughnuts.
Optional finish, vanilla glaze (1 cup confectioners' sugar, 1½ tbsp whole milk, ½ tsp VanillaGoods vanilla extract): whisk the confectioners' sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Drizzle over the fully cooled doughnuts.
Add any glaze or dusting only after the doughnuts have cooled completely, about 30 minutes.
Vanilla bean paste swaps 1:1 for the extract and adds visible vanilla seeds; for a whole bean, use the seeds of 1 bean in place of 2 teaspoons of extract.
Best vanilla for this: Madagascar (rich, creamy, classic), or Mexican (spiced, warm, woodsy). Any pure vanilla works.

Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make vanilla cardamom brown sugar yeast doughnuts?

Plan on 40 minutes of prep and 25 minutes of cooking, plus 2 hours 5 minutes to rest, chill, or cool. It makes 16 doughnuts.

Can I use a different form of vanilla?

Vanilla bean paste swaps 1:1 for the extract and adds visible vanilla seeds; for a whole bean, use the seeds of 1 bean in place of 2 teaspoons of extract.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 16 servings this recipe makes.

122 Calories / serving

2.4g Fat

21.2g Carbs

3.3g Protein

3.9g Sugar

Whole recipe (16 servings): ~1952 cal · 38g fat · 339g carbs · 53g protein · 62g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.

Per serving · 122 calories

What it takes to burn one serving

Brisk walking 23 min·1.3 mi·~2700 steps
Walking uphill or incline treadmill 17 min·0.9 mi·~1700 steps
Moderate cycling 12 min·2.4 mi
Swimming laps 17 min
Jogging 12 min·1.0 mi·~1900 steps
Stair climbing 11 min·~1000 steps
Dancing 20 min
Bodyweight circuit training 12 min
Cleaning, errands, or playing with the dog 28 min

Rough estimates for one serving, based on standard MET values at about 155 lb. Your own burn depends on body size, effort, and fitness. Shown for context only — food is not something you have to earn.