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Thanksgiving Brioche Donuts

Thanksgiving brioche donuts with a pillowy, golden-fried texture and three autumn glazes—pumpkin spice, maple, and cranberry. Made with a rich brioche dough, proofed until airy, then fried at 350°F and glazed while warm.
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Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
rise 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours 5 minutes
Servings: 12 donuts
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 340
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For brioche donut dough
  • 0.75 cup warm whole milk Warm to the point it feels comfortable, not hot.
  • 2.25 tsp yeast Use instant or active dry yeast.
  • 0.25 cup sugar
  • 3 eggs At room temperature.
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter, softened Softened for easy kneading.
  • 3.5 cup bread flour Bread flour gives structure for brioche texture.
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 Vegetable oil for frying Use enough to maintain steady frying temperature.
For glazes
  • 1.5 cup powdered sugar Used for all three glazes; measure separately as needed.
  • 3 tbsp pumpkin puree For pumpkin spice glaze.
  • 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice For pumpkin spice glaze.
  • 2 tbsp milk For pumpkin spice glaze.
  • 3 tbsp maple syrup For maple glaze.
  • 1 tbsp milk For maple glaze (amount used from the milk total above).
  • 3 tbsp cranberry sauce For cranberry glaze.
  • 1 tbsp milk For cranberry glaze (amount used from the milk total above).
  • 1 Fall sprinkles and edible decorations Optional toppings; have ready before dipping.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Make the brioche dough
  1. Activate the yeast in warm whole milk, then add the sugar and eggs and mix until combined.
  2. Knead in the bread flour, salt, and pumpkin pie spice for 6 minutes until the dough comes together.
  3. Gradually knead in the softened unsalted butter and continue for 8 more minutes until the dough is smooth and slightly tacky.
Proof and shape
  1. Rise the dough for 1 hour until puffy.
  2. Roll the dough to about 1/2-inch thick and cut 3-inch circles.
  3. Rise the cut donuts for 30 to 45 minutes until visibly swollen.
Fry, glaze, and decorate
  1. Heat vegetable oil to 350°F and fry each donut for 90 seconds per side until golden.
  2. Drain the donuts briefly, then dip while warm into the glazes of choice.
  3. Decorate with fall sprinkles and edible decorations right after glazing, before the coating sets.

Notes

Pro tip: Keep the dough slightly tacky—if it feels dry, knead a splash of milk only if needed to maintain elasticity. Store glazed donuts covered in the refrigerator up to 2 days; rewarm briefly for best texture. Freezing is not recommended after glazing, but you can freeze shaped, un-fried donuts after the first rise and thaw, then rise again before frying. For a dairy-light option, use lactose-free milk and plant-based butter sticks in the same softened state.