These Crispy Milk Donuts are coated in a light tempura-style batter and fried until the outside is shattery and crisp. Inspired by the ones in Taipei, they’re finished with sweet milk powder for that signature milky flavour and soft, tender interior. A fun and easy donut to make at home with simple ingredients!
Table of Contents
What are Crispy Milk Donuts?
Crispy milk donuts are a Taiwanese-style donut that’s coated in a light tempura-like batter and fried until the exterior becomes shattery, airy, and extra crisp. Instead of relying on a heavy glaze, they’re finished with a sweet milk powder coating that gives them their signature milky flavour and melt-in-your-mouth finish. The contrast is what makes them so addictive—crunchy and delicate on the outside, soft and tender on the inside. They’re a fun alternative to classic yeast donuts and have quickly become popular for their unique texture!
Ingredients and Substitutions
Here are the main ingredients you’ll need:
How to Make Crispy Milk Donuts
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Enjoy! If you make this Crispy Milk Donuts recipe, I’d love to hear what you think! Leave a comment and rating below, and if you share it on social media, tag me on Instagram @Okonomikitchen. I can’t wait to see your creations!
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Crispy Milk Donuts
- Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: 6 donuts
Description
Crispy Milk Donuts are soft, pillowy Taiwanese-style donuts coated in a tempura-like crispy batter.
Ingredients
Donut Dough
- 1/2 + 1/3 cup (170 g) bread flour
- 1/4 cup (30 g) cake flour
- 2 tbsp (24 g) sugar
- 1 tbsp (8 g) milk powder
- 1/3 cup + 1 1/2 tbsp (92 ml) water
- 2/3 (32 g) large egg
- 1 + 2 tsp (24 g) butter
- 2/3 tsp (3 g) salt
- 2/3 tsp (3 g) yeast
Crispy Batter
- 6.5 tbsp (50 g) cake flour
- 1.5 tbsp (17 g) potato starch
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/3 cup + 1.5 tbsp (100 ml) water
- 2 tbsp (25 ml) oil
Milk Sugar Coating
- 1/3 cup (40 g) powdered sugar
- 1.5 tbsp (12 g) milk powder (preferably whole milk)
Instructions
- Mix the Dough
- Stand Mixer: Combine all dough ingredients except butter in the mixer bowl. Mix on low speed for 2–3 minutes until a rough dough forms. Add the butter and continue to mix for 7-8 minutes until a smooth dough forms.
- Hand Kneading: In a large bowl, mix all ingredients except butter until a sticky dough forms. Turn the dough onto a clean work surface. Knead until the dough becomes less sticky and smoother. It will gradually separate from the surface. Add butter into the dough and continue kneading until a smooth dough forms, about 8-10 minutes.
- Primary Fermentation: Place the dough in a bowl and cover to prevent drying. Let it rise at 28-30°C for 60 minutes, or until doubled in size.
- Divide: Gently press the dough to release excess gas. Divide dough into 6 equal pieces using a kitchen scale.
- Rolling and Bench Time: Roll each piece into a smooth ball. Cover with plastic wrap and rest for 10–15 minutes.
- Shaping: Use your finger to make a hole in the center of each dough ball and gently stretch to form a donut shape. Place on a parchment-lined baking tray cut into 10 cm squares.
- Final Fermentation: Cover the donuts. Let them rise at 30°C for 30–45 minutes, until the donuts increase in size by x1.5.
- Prepare the Crispy Batter: Mix cake flour, potato starch, baking powder, water, and oil until smooth. The batter should be slightly runny but coat the back of a spoon.
- Heat oil to 170°C (338°F). Gently hold each fermented donut and coat evenly in the batter. Fry 2 minutes 30 seconds per side, until golden brown. Maintain a temperature of 160-170°C (320-338°F). Transfer onto a wire rack.
- Milk Sugar Coating: Combine powdered sugar and milk powder. While donuts are still slightly warm, toss them in the sugar mixture until fully coated. Serve and enjoy!
- Prep Time: 120 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Taiwanese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 donut
- Calories: 285
- Sugar: 11.2 g
- Sodium: 305 mg
- Fat: 12.8 g
- Saturated Fat: 6.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5.9 g
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 37 g
- Fiber: 0.9 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 43 mg
Made this for my partner after we went to Taiwan together and couldn’t get enough of the milk donuts over there. These ones are crispier than the Taiwanese ones and hold their crispyness for longer. The flavour and texture on these were unbelievable. A few things about the recipe that are good to note however:
1. Donut batter in general is very sticky. Minimise contact with different surfaces, as you’ll lose dough a lot, and use scrapers and knives where possible to handle dough
2. Be sure to soften but not melt it in order to make sure the butter mixes with the dough better
3. This links to point 1 but don’t worry about shaping it earlier on, shape it right after battering and put on a spider skimmer to put in oil.
Donuts came out amazing! Reminded me of when I had them back in Taiwan