Cardamom Spiced Donuts Honey (Print Version)

Fluffy donuts infused with warm cardamom and topped with a honey glaze for a sweet aromatic treat.

# What You'll Need:

→ Donut Dough

01 - 3 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
03 - ¼ cup granulated sugar
04 - ½ teaspoon salt
05 - 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
06 - ¾ cup whole milk, lukewarm
07 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
08 - ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted

→ Frying

09 - 1 quart vegetable oil

→ Honey Glaze

10 - ½ cup honey
11 - 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
12 - 2 tablespoons milk
13 - ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
14 - Pinch of salt

# How to Make It:

01 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, salt, and ground cardamom until evenly distributed.
02 - In a separate bowl, dissolve active dry yeast in lukewarm milk. Allow to sit for 5 minutes until foamy and activated.
03 - Add room temperature eggs and melted butter to the yeast mixture. Whisk thoroughly to combine all components.
04 - Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix until a soft dough forms, incorporating all flour.
05 - Transfer dough to a floured surface and knead for 5 to 7 minutes until smooth, elastic, and no longer sticky.
06 - Place kneaded dough in a greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in a warm environment for 1 hour or until doubled in volume.
07 - Punch down risen dough and roll out to ½-inch thickness on a floured surface. Cut donuts using a donut cutter or two round cutters (3-inch outer and 1-inch inner).
08 - Arrange cut donuts on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover loosely, and let rise for 30 minutes until slightly puffy.
09 - Heat vegetable oil in a deep pot to 350°F using a thermometer to ensure accurate temperature.
10 - Carefully place donuts in hot oil in batches, avoiding overcrowding. Fry for 1 to 2 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a wire rack.
11 - Whisk together honey, sifted powdered sugar, milk, ground cardamom, and salt until achieving a smooth, pourable consistency.
12 - Dip warm donuts into honey glaze, allowing excess to drip off. Place on a wire rack to set completely.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • The cardamom gives you that warm, almost mysterious depth that makes people ask what's in these the moment they taste one.
  • They're genuinely fluffy inside—not dense or heavy—because the dough rises twice, which means less guilt with every bite.
  • The honey glaze is silky and soaks in just enough to keep them moist for a day or two, if they last that long.
02 -
  • Don't skip the sifting of powdered sugar—I learned this the hard way when my first batch had tiny grainy bits in the glaze that stuck between my teeth.
  • The oil temperature is non-negotiable; I once tried to eyeball it and ended up with donuts that were greasy on the outside and doughy in the middle, which was honestly depressing.
  • Cardamom is intense, so if you've never used it before, taste your dough before frying to make sure you like the flavor intensity—you can't undo it once it's cooked.
03 -
  • Make the dough the night before, refrigerate it, and finish frying and glazing the next morning—it actually tastes better and takes the pressure off your schedule.
  • Keep cardamom pods in a sealed container and grind them as needed, since pre-ground loses its volatile oils within a couple of months and your donuts won't taste nearly as good.
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