Is there anything better than a batch of warm, fresh, homemade donuts? Yes- Strawberry Matcha Brioche Donuts! They are so worth the effort to prepare.

If you follow me on Instagram, you may have spotted the occasional mind-blowingly delicious donut post. I can’t take credit for those- that goes to my husband, who has turned his love of the classic treat into an actual labor of love- his local artisan donut company, Hook & Press Donuts.

I thought it would be fun to to team up with him for a post, so we made you these Strawberry Matcha Brioche Donuts as a way to formally introduce you to his whimsical, seasonally inspired creations, made with the highest quality ingredients like organic flour, organic milk, organic cultured butter and organic, pasture raised eggs.

If you haven’t had a brioche donut, you simply haven’t lived. Yes, it requires making the dough, proofing it overnight, cutting the donuts, proofing them again for another couple of hours, frying them in small batches, and then adorning them with your desired glaze or filling before finally getting to sink your teeth into one. But the finished product- light-as-air, buttery with just a hint of yeasty tang- doesn’t even compare to the tough little doorstops baked in donut pans that you might commonly come across in online recipes.

THESE ARE THE REAL DEAL, PEOPLE.

John has tested SO. MANY. donut doughs over the years, tinkering like a mad scientist in our kitchen in an attempt to perfect his proprietary yeasted dough recipe. He’s got several tricks up his sleeve, and while I’m not going to give away his master recipe here (the brioche dough we used for this recipe is adapted from The Washington Post), he has graciously agreed to share some of his top tips for at home donut success!

TIPS TO ENSURE STRAWBERRY MATCHA BRIOCHE DONUTS SUCCESS (straight from the Donut Man himself):

• The recipe below is calculated in both weights and cup measurements for convenience, but the best way to get good, consistent results with yeasted donuts is by weighing your ingredients with a digital scale.
• Use your oven as an at-home proofing box when doing your second proof of the donuts- if you turn the oven light on it will provide a bit of extra warmth.
• A large Dutch oven works great for frying, and wooden chopsticks are ideal donut flipping tools when frying (just don’t use plastic ones!).
• Set up your stations  for frying and glazing in advance- Dutch oven, chopsticks, skimmer, thermometer, cooling racks and glaze bowls at the ready. That way the frying and decorating process goes as smoothly as possible.
• Glaze your donuts no later than 15 minutes after frying for optimum freshness.

Yes, brioche dough is labor intensive, but the outcome is well worth the effort. The wonderful, complex bread-y flavor in the dough is unmistakeable, and lots of air pockets keep the donuts feeling light. Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet.

If you make these Strawberry Matcha Brioche Donuts, snap a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #LePetitEats so I can see them! And if you love donuts as much as we do, give Hook & Press Donuts a follow while you’re there!

5 from 2 votes

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Strawberry Matcha Brioche Donuts

Is there anything better than a batch of warm, fresh, homemade donuts? Yes- Strawberry Matcha Brioche Donuts! They are so worth the effort to prepare.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword homemade donut recipe, strawberry donuts

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 4 minutes

Rising 3 hours

Total Time 3 hours 24 minutes

Servings 1 dozen

Calories 400 kcal

Author Denisse

Ingredients

FOR THE BRIOCHE DOUGH:

• 113 1/2 grams organic whole milk (1/2 cup)
• 10 1/2 grams active dry yeast (1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon)
• 10 1/2 grams warm water (1 tablespoon plus 1/4 teaspoon) 105 degrees
• 375 grams flour (2 3/4 cups plus 1 1/4 tablespoons) plus more for rolling
• 56 1/2 grams granulated sugar (1/4 cup)
• 7 grams kosher salt (1 1/4 teaspoons)
• Scrapings of 1/2 vanilla bean
• 3 large eggs plus 5 large egg yolks (about 240 grams total)
• 142 1/2 grams unsalted butter (10 1/4 tablespoons) room temperature
• 1 quart vegetable shortening for frying

FOR THE MATCHA GLAZE:

• 2 cups powdered sugar sifted
• 1/4 cup milk plus more as needed
• 1 tablespoon butter melted
• 1/4 teaspoon matcha powder
• Pinch of salt

FOR GARNISH:

• 12 whole strawberries sliced, but not through the stem

Instructions

1. Warm the milk in a small saucepan over low heat to 105 degrees. Remove from the heat and sprinkle the yeast over the milk. Add the water and let the mixture sit for about 15 minutes, until thickened.

2. Combine the flour, granulated sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the yeast mixture, vanilla bean, eggs and egg yolks. Beat on medium-low speed to form a shaggy mass with no visible dry ingredients.

3. Add the butter in three additions, waiting until each one is incorporated before adding the next. Beat until the dough looks somewhat smooth.

4. Switch to a dough-hook attachment. Knead on medium-low speed for about 10 minutes. At this point the dough should look smooth and most of it will gather around the dough hook as it mixes. 

5. Grease a large bowl with cooking spray. Scrape the dough into the bowl and cover with greased plastic wrap directly on the surface. Let sit for 30 minutes, then fold over to smooth the surface. Re-cover and refrigerate for 6-15 hours.

6. Uncover and transfer the dough to a floured work surface. Flour the rolling pin. Press down the dough on the work surface and roll into rectangle that’s about 9 by 10 1/2 inches; the slab should be about 1/2-inch thick. Let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes.

7. Use a 3-inch round donut cutter to cut 9 doughnuts, as close together as possible. Place donuts and holes on a baking screen, Gather together the scraps and re-roll to a thickness of 3/4 inch (thicker than the first roll); cut 3 more doughnuts and corresponding holes.

8. Cover with greased plastic wrap and let rise for at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours, in a draft-free spot, such as a turned off oven; the donuts should almost double in height.

9. Meanwhile, make the glaze. Combine the powdered sugar, milk, butter, matcha, and salt in the bowl, whisking to form a thick glaze. If glaze is too thick, add more milk, 1 tablespoon at a time. Cover with plastic wrap until ready to use.

10. Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed Dutch oven over medium to medium-low heat (325 degrees). Working with two or three at a time, slide the doughnuts on their papers into the hot oil; use tongs to pluck out the papers, which should float free within seconds. Flip the doughnuts right away; then turn them a total of four times over a total of 4 minutes, until golden brown and puffed.

11. Use a Chinese skimmer to transfer the doughnuts to a wire rack set over paper towels to cool for 5 or 10 minutes. Repeat with remaining donuts, monitoring the oil temperature and adjusting the heat as needed.

12. Once cooled, dip one side of donuts into the matcha glaze. Garnish with a strawberry in the center.
    

Recipe Notes

This recipe is adapted from The Washington Post.

Want more Matcha?

Matcha Mint Churros

Raspberry Matcha Chia Pudding