Halloween Vampire Donuts Recipe

Halloween Vampire Donuts are cute and delicious sweets, inspired by the famous classic donuts, perfect for ending your Halloween dinner menu in style. They are fluffy and soft fried donuts, covered in melted dark chocolate and milk glaze, garnished with sugar eyes and monstrous teeth dipped in raspberry jam.

Brought to the table with other delicious and scary Halloween sweets , they will help make the witches' night truly unforgettable and will surprise adults and children alike.

What Are Halloween Vampire Donuts?

The "vampire donuts" are a fun, Halloween-themed variation of classic American donuts, decorated with raspberry jam "blood" and plastic vampire teeth for a spooky look. Halloween desserts like these have a long tradition, tied to the holiday's association with treats and playful scares. Fun fact: Halloween candy sales began booming in the 1950s with the rise of trick-or-treating. Today, creative desserts like these vampire donuts continue the tradition of combining sweet treats with eerie, playful designs for the holiday.

Pro Tips for The Best Halloween Vampire Donuts

• Ensure the dough is well-kneaded for a fluffy texture.
• Let the dough rise properly in a warm environment to achieve light, airy donuts.
• Fry the donuts at a consistent temperature to avoid uneven cooking.
• Use fresh, quality oil for frying to maintain the donuts' flavor.
• Let the donuts cool before decorating to prevent the jam and frosting from melting.

Where Can I Buy the Teeth and Vampire Eyes?

You can find edible eyes and plastic vampire teeth for decorating these donuts in most stores that sell baking supplies, especially around Halloween. They are often available at craft stores, large supermarkets, or online retailers like Amazon.

What Else Can I Use as Decorations for These Donuts?

If you wish, you can replace the jam with a royal icing mixed with red food coloring, and the melted chocolate with a chocolate glaze; if you do not have a planetary mixer, you can mix them in a normal bowl, but the operation will require good manual skills.

Can I Make Them in The Oven or The Air Fryer Instead?

Of course, they'll be lighter this way! For the oven, bake at 180°C (360°F) for about 10-12 minutes until golden. In an air fryer, cook at 180°C (360°F) for around 8-10 minutes, checking for doneness. This will make the donuts lighter and less oily.

Why Are The Donuts so Soggy?

Donuts might turn out soggy if they are fried at too low a temperature, causing them to absorb too much oil. Another reason could be overproofing the dough, which makes it absorb more grease during frying. Make sure the oil is heated to around 180°C (360°F) and the dough has risen correctly before frying to avoid sogginess.

Do I Eat Them Warm or Cold?

Vampire donuts can be enjoyed both warm or cold, depending on your preference. Warm donuts are softer and more fragrant, while cooling them allows the decorations to set properly. If you plan to add decorations like jam and vampire teeth, it's best to let them cool slightly to avoid melting the toppings.

Can I Make These Ahead of Time?

Luckily, yes! You can prepare the donuts and store them in an airtight container for up to two days. It's best to add the decorations like jam and vampire teeth just before serving to keep them fresh and prevent sogginess.

Do These Donuts Freeze Well?

Once again, they do! To freeze them, let the cooked donuts cool completely, then place them in an airtight container or wrap them tightly in plastic wrap. When you're ready to eat, thaw the donuts at room temperature and warm them slightly if desired. However, it's best to freeze them without decorations like jam or vampire teeth, which should be added fresh after thawing for the best results.

How to Store Halloween Vampire Donuts

If you have any left over, you can store them in the refrigerator, in an airtight container, for about 2 days.

How to Make Halloween Vampire Donuts

Place the two flours in the bowl of the mixer and add the dry yeast and granulated sugar.

Pour the warm milk; if you use fresh yeast, you can crumble it and let it dissolve in the milk, mixing well with a spoon.

Mix the ingredients with the leaf hook.

Break the eggs directly into the mixture.

Scented with vanilla extract and mix well.

At this point, fit the dough hook and gradually incorporate the soft butter in cubes.

You should obtain a smooth and compact dough, detached from the sides.

Transfer it onto a lightly floured pastry board and work it vigorously with your hands.

Form a smooth and elastic dough.

Place it in a large bowl and cover it with cling film, then let it rise in a warm place for about 2 hours, or until it has doubled in volume. If the environment is cold, you can put it in the oven with the light on.

Once the rising time has elapsed, take the dough which has now doubled in size.

Gently deflate the dough and roll it out with a rolling pin to obtain a sheet of pastry about 1 centimeter thick.

Using an 8cm diameter pastry cutter, cut out 12 discs.

Using a smaller cookie cutter, with a diameter of 4 centimeters, make the holes for the donuts; keep the scraps aside and fry them to obtain excellent donut holes to enjoy with granulated sugar or decorate as you prefer.

Gently separate the donuts and place them on squares of baking paper.

Cover the donuts with a damp cloth and let them rise for about 40 minutes.

Heat plenty of peanut oil in a narrow, high-sided pan and immerse one or two donuts at a time.

Fry them until they are puffed up and golden, turning them with the help of a spoon.

Once ready, drain them with a slotted spoon, and place them on a tray lined with kitchen paper so that they dry thoroughly.

Melt the dark chocolate in a bain-marie or in the microwave.

Prepare the milk icing: pour the icing sugar into the warmed milk and mix with a whisk to dissolve it, then place on low heat and stir the icing until it takes on a thick consistency; once ready, let it cool completely.

Dip half the donuts in melted dark chocolate.

Place them on a rack placed on a sheet of baking paper, so that the excess chocolate can drip off without dirtying the surface. Repeat with the other half of the donuts and the milk glaze.

Dip the vampire teeth in raspberry jam to simulate blood.

Place your dentures on the donuts and apply the sugary eyes; proceed in the same way for all the donuts, then let them rest for at least 20 minutes, so that the glazes can solidify.

Enjoy!