What the heck is this?
Listen, I need you to sit down for this one. These aren’t just donuts — they’re buttery, pillowy clouds of brioche heaven that get fried to golden perfection and then drizzled with burnt honey glaze that tastes like liquid caramel had a baby with the most expensive honey you’ve ever tasted. The burnt honey thing sounds scary, but trust me — it’s just honey that’s been cooked until it gets all deep and complex and magical. These donuts are what Sunday mornings were meant to be. Fair warning: once you make these, you’ll never look at Dunkin’ the same way again.
Why These Will Become Your New Obsession
Brioche dough = the butteriest, richest donut base you’ve ever experienced
Burnt honey glaze tastes like fancy restaurant dessert but costs basically nothing
They’re yeasted, so they’re incredibly light and airy (not dense like cake donuts)
The contrast between the sweet glaze and slightly bitter burnt honey is chef’s kiss
Perfect for impressing brunch guests or just treating yourself like royalty
They freeze beautifully, so you can have fancy donuts whenever the craving hits
The Good Stuff You’ll Need
For the Brioche Donut Dough:
3 1/2 cups bread flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 packet (2 1/4 tsp) active dry yeast
1 tsp salt
3 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup whole milk, warmed
6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Burnt Honey Glaze:
1/2 cup honey
4 tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 cup powdered sugar
Pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
For Frying & Finishing:
Neutral oil for frying (vegetable or canola)
Powdered sugar for dusting
Extra honeycomb pieces or toffee bits (optional but gorgeous)
Let’s Make Magic Happen
Step 1: Brioche Dough (The Foundation of Dreams)
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. In another bowl, whisk eggs, warm milk, and vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until it forms a shaggy dough. Now here’s where it gets fun — add that softened butter piece by piece while kneading (by hand or with a dough hook) until you have this silky, elastic dough that’s slightly sticky but smooth. It takes about 8-10 minutes of kneading, but it’s so worth it.
Step 2: First Rise (Patience, Young Grasshopper)
Put the dough in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm spot for about 1-2 hours until doubled. This dough is rich, so it takes its sweet time — use this as an excuse to clean the kitchen or binge-watch something.
Step 3: Shape Those Beauties
Roll the dough out to about 1/2 inch thick on a floured surface. Use a donut cutter or two round cutters (3 1/2 inch and 1 1/2 inch) to cut your donuts. Save those donut holes — they’re little nuggets of joy. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets, cover lightly, and let rise for another 45 minutes until puffy.
Step 4: The Burnt Honey Revelation
While they’re rising, make your burnt honey. Heat honey in a small saucepan over medium heat. It’ll bubble and foam, then turn amber, then a gorgeous deep golden brown — this takes about 5-8 minutes. Don’t walk away! When it smells nutty and caramelized, whisk in butter, then cream. Remove from heat and whisk in powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
Step 5: Fry Time
Heat oil to 350°F in a heavy pot or deep fryer. Fry donuts 2-3 at a time for about 2 minutes per side until golden brown. They puff up like little pillows — it’s the most satisfying thing ever. Drain on paper towels and let cool for just a minute.
Step 6: Glaze and Glory
While still warm, dip each donut face-down in the burnt honey glaze, letting excess drip off. Place on a wire rack and dust with powdered sugar. Top with honeycomb pieces or toffee bits if you’re feeling extra fancy.
Pro Tips That’ll Make You a Donut Legend
Temperature matters: Use a thermometer for the oil. Too hot = burnt outside, raw inside. Too cool = greasy donuts.
Don’t overwork the dough: Brioche should be smooth but still slightly sticky when you’re done kneading.
Make-ahead hack: You can make the dough the night before and let it do its first rise in the fridge overnight. Just bring to room temp before shaping.
Glaze consistency: If your glaze is too thick, add a splash of cream. Too thin? More powdered sugar.
Switch It Up
Cinnamon Sugar Version: Skip the glaze and toss warm donuts in cinnamon sugar
Chocolate Drizzle: Add melted dark chocolate over the honey glaze
Lavender Honey: Add a pinch of dried lavender to the honey while it’s cooking
Orange Zest: Add orange zest to the dough for a citrus twist
Real Talk Q&A
Q: Can I bake these instead of frying?
A: You can, but they won’t be the same. Bake at 375°F for 12-15 minutes, but you’ll miss that crispy exterior.
Q: Help! My honey burned and tastes bitter.
A: Start over — there’s no saving truly burnt honey. Watch it like a hawk next time!
Q: Can I use instant yeast?
A: Yes! Use 3/4 the amount and mix it directly with the flour.
Q: How do I store these beauties?
A: Best eaten same day, but they’ll keep covered for 2 days. Reheat briefly in the oven to crisp up.
Make-Ahead Magic
The dough can be made up to 2 days ahead and kept in the fridge after the first rise. The burnt honey glaze keeps for a week in the fridge — just warm it slightly before using. You can also freeze shaped, unfried donuts for up to a month. Fry straight from frozen, adding an extra minute to the cooking time.
Burnt Honey Brioche Donuts: The Brunch Game-Changer That’ll Ruin You for Store-Bought
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 12 donuts plus holes 1x
Description
Listen, I need you to sit down for this one. These aren’t just donuts — they’re buttery, pillowy clouds of brioche heaven that get fried to golden perfection and then drizzled with burnt honey glaze that tastes like liquid caramel had a baby with the most expensive honey you’ve ever tasted. The burnt honey thing sounds scary, but trust me — it’s just honey that’s been cooked until it gets all deep and complex and magical. These donuts are what Sunday mornings were meant to be. Fair warning: once you make these, you’ll never look at Dunkin’ the same way again.
Ingredients
For the Brioche Donut Dough:
- 3 1/2 cups bread flour
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 packet (2 1/4 tsp) active dry yeast
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup whole milk, warmed
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Burnt Honey Glaze:
- 1/2 cup honey
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For Frying & Finishing:
- Neutral oil for frying (vegetable or canola)
- Powdered sugar for dusting
- Extra honeycomb pieces or toffee bits (optional but gorgeous)
Instructions
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. In another bowl, whisk eggs, warm milk, and vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until it forms a shaggy dough. Now here’s where it gets fun — add that softened butter piece by piece while kneading (by hand or with a dough hook) until you have this silky, elastic dough that’s slightly sticky but smooth. It takes about 8-10 minutes of kneading, but it’s so worth it.
Put the dough in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm spot for about 1-2 hours until doubled. This dough is rich, so it takes its sweet time — use this as an excuse to clean the kitchen or binge-watch something.
Roll the dough out to about 1/2 inch thick on a floured surface. Use a donut cutter or two round cutters (3 1/2 inch and 1 1/2 inch) to cut your donuts. Save those donut holes — they’re little nuggets of joy. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets, cover lightly, and let rise for another 45 minutes until puffy.
While they’re rising, make your burnt honey. Heat honey in a small saucepan over medium heat. It’ll bubble and foam, then turn amber, then a gorgeous deep golden brown — this takes about 5-8 minutes. Don’t walk away! When it smells nutty and caramelized, whisk in butter, then cream. Remove from heat and whisk in powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
Heat oil to 350°F in a heavy pot or deep fryer. Fry donuts 2-3 at a time for about 2 minutes per side until golden brown. They puff up like little pillows — it’s the most satisfying thing ever. Drain on paper towels and let cool for just a minute.
While still warm, dip each donut face-down in the burnt honey glaze, letting excess drip off. Place on a wire rack and dust with powdered sugar. Top with honeycomb pieces or toffee bits if you’re feeling extra fancy.
Notes
Temperature matters: Use a thermometer for the oil. Too hot = burnt outside, raw inside. Too cool = greasy donuts.
Don’t overwork the dough: Brioche should be smooth but still slightly sticky when you’re done kneading.
Make-ahead hack: You can make the dough the night before and let it do its first rise in the fridge overnight. Just bring to room temp before shaping.
Glaze consistency: If your glaze is too thick, add a splash of cream. Too thin? More powdered sugar.
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
Nutrition
- Calories: ~320 kcal per serving
- Protein: 2g