This Ube Donuts Recipe features simple, delicious, and satisfying donuts that are rich in ube (purple yam) flavor. They are perfect for a filling family breakfast or snacks!
Love Donuts? Try the new fan-favorite Mochi Donuts or the classic Vanilla Donuts (baked)!
What is Ube Donuts Recipe?
This Ube Donut Recipe features simple Filipino donuts made of dough balls with ube halaya (ube jam) that are deep-fried and drizzled with a sweet glaze. It is an easy donut recipe and can be made anytime with simple ingredients that can be found in your pantry and fridge. This ube-flavored donut is easy to make and a delicious treat for breakfast or snacks!
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Health Benefits of Ube (Purple Yam)
- Rich in antioxidants
- Highly nutritious
- Help manage the blood sugar
- Helps lower the blood pressure
- Improves symptoms of asthma
- Promotes gut health
Ingredients
Listed below are all the ingredients you will need:
- water
- instant yeast
- all-purpose flour
- shortening
- granulated sugar
- ube halaya
- salt
- eggs
- coconut milk
- whole milk
- ube extract
- vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
In a cup or bowl, dissolve the yeast in the water, set aside.
In a mixer bowl fitted with a dough hook, add the flour, shortening, sugar, ube halaya, and salt, then mix or whisk until combined. Then, add beaten eggs to the flour mixture:
Slowly add coconut milk, whole milk, and ube extract, yeast mixture, and mix the batter on low speed for 3 minutes until a soft dough forms. Then knead the dough for 10 minutes by hand. Place the dough into an oiled large bowl and seal it with a cling film or plastic wrap and allow it to rise for 1 hour:
Punch down the dough to release the gas. Roll and portion the dough for ½ oz each and form the dough into balls:
Place the balls into a tray covered with cling film and proof for 30 minutes.
In a large saucepan over medium heat, add oil and heat to 345 degrees F, then fry the donuts until golden brown:
Place in a paper-lined plate or wire rack to drain excess oil.
Serve while hot and with your favorite glaze. Yum!
Hint: You may opt to bake the donut in a preheated oven at 350°F for about 12-15 minutes or until they're golden brown instead of deep-frying.
Substitutions
- Unsalted Butter: Substitute shortening with an equal amount of unsalted butter for a richer flavor profile.
- Ube Mochi Donuts: Incorporate sweet rice flour into the dough mixture for a chewier texture reminiscent of traditional mochi donuts.
- Heavy Cream: Replace coconut milk with heavy cream for a creamier texture and richer flavor in your glaze.
Variations
- Gluten-Free Option: Make these Ube Donuts gluten-free by using a gluten-free flour blend in place of all-purpose flour.
- Donut Pan: If you don't have a deep fryer, try baking your Ube Donuts in a donut pan for a healthier alternative.
- Toppings: Top the fried ube donuts with more ube jam, ice cream or the simple powdered sugar.
Storage
- Keep the leftovers in an airtight container or donut box overnight.
- You may chill them in the fridge, then warm to room temperature.
- They can be reheated slightly for warmer donuts.
Top tip
To ensure your Ube Donuts are perfectly fluffy and tender, be sure not to overmix the dough. Mix until just combined to avoid developing too much gluten, which can result in tough donuts.
FAQ
Ube flavor is like a sweet, earthy taste with hints of vanilla and nuttiness. It is mostly used in dessert recipes especially in the Philippines.
During the 19th century, a New England woman named Elizabeth Gregory fried some dough to send with her son on his voyage to sea. She fried the dough with nuts, leading to the name "donut," but her son was the one who put a hole in the center, which gave us the classic donut shape.
No, they are both tubers, but they are two different plants with different flavors. In the Filipino language, purple yam is 'ube' while taro is 'gabi'.
Ube Donuts Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast
- ⅛ cup water
- 2 oz granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 2 oz ube halaya
- 3 oz shortening
- 2 large eggs
- 1.5 oz whole milk
- 3 oz coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon ube extract
- vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- In a cup or bowl, dissolve the yeast in the water, set aside
- In a mixer bowl fitted with a dough hook, add the sugar, salt, flour, ube halaya, and shortening and mix until combined.
- Add beaten eggs to the flour mixture.
- Slowly add whole milk, coconut milk, and ube extract, yeast mixture and mix on low speed for 3 minutes until soft dough forms.
- Then knead the dough for 10 minutes by hand.
- Place the dough into an oiled bowl and seal with a cling film and allow it to rise for 1 hour.
- Punch down the dough to release the gas.
- Roll and portion the dough for ½ oz each and form the dough into balls.
- Place the balls into a tray covered with cling film and proof for 30 minutes.
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, add oil and heat to 345 degrees F, then fry the donuts until golden brown.
- Place in a paper-lined plate to drain excess oil.
- Serve while hot and with your favorite glaze.
Claire M says
Saving this, this looks good! <3
Shawn K says
This was fantastic! I adore ube, and its distinct flavor was unmistakable.