Homemade Valentine’s Heart Shaped Donuts – Soft, Sweet and Delicious Treat
These Valentine’s Heart Shaped Donuts are simple to make, a little romantic, and instantly set the mood with their glossy chocolate glaze and sweet decorations. Perfect for Valentine’s Day, but honestly, they work anytime you want to show a little extra love.
I don’t know about you, but anytime my kitchen smells like freshly baked donuts, it instantly feels like a special day.
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There’s something extra special about baking treats that feel a little more thoughtful, and these Valentine’s donuts do exactly that. You may also want to check out my Heart Shaped Valentine’s Cake Truffles.
How to Make Valentine’s Heart Shaped Donuts
Here are the ingredients you need to make these heart shaped donuts for Valentine’s Day, plus step by step instructions for how to make them.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1 1/2 – 1 3/4 cups flour
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast
- 1/3 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil for deep-frying
- 2/3 cup white chocolate chips
- 3 drops red food coloring
- 1/3 teaspoon red and gold hearts
- sugar sprinkles
- 2 freeze-dried strawberries
Step by Step Instructions
1. Warm the milk in the microwave until it reaches about 98°F. Pour it into a large mixing bowl and whisk in the sugar, vanilla, and yeast until combined. Stir in 1 cup of flour, then continue adding flour a little at a time, mixing with a wooden spoon, until a dough starts to come together. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until it’s smooth, soft, and no longer sticky.
2. Place the dough in a bowl lightly coated with vegetable oil, turning once to grease the top. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm spot for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
3. Roll the risen dough out to about ¼-inch thickness. Use a heart-shaped cutter to cut out the donuts. Arrange them on a board or baking sheet, cover with a clean cotton towel, and let rest for 30 minutes.
4. Add oil to a nonstick pan and heat it to 356°F. Fry 3-4 donuts at a time, turning as needed, until golden brown on both sides.
5. Remove the donuts from the oil and place them on paper towels folded into quarters to absorb excess oil.
6. Melt the chocolate and coat some of the donuts. Decorate with sprinkles, finely ground freeze-dried strawberry powder, and red hearts. Tint part of the remaining chocolate red and coat the rest of the donuts. Decorate with gold hearts. Let the glaze set completely before serving.
Notes
- Use fresh whole milk for the dough—it creates softer, more flavorful donuts.
- This dough is egg-free, which keeps the texture tender, airy, and uniform rather than dense or springy. Egg-free doughnuts break cleanly, don’t crumble, and have a fine, delicate crumb.
- Choose high-quality wheat flour to ensure a light, soft dough.
- For the glaze, use good-quality white chocolate and gel food coloring for smooth color and finish.
- Fry in a neutral, heat-stable oil to avoid unwanted flavors.
- Decorate creatively with chocolate glaze, sprinkles, freeze-dried strawberry powder, edible hearts, or chocolate drips.
These donuts come out soft, airy, and tender every time, with just enough glaze on the outside to make them feel indulgent without being heavy. I love placing them right in the center of the table and watching everyone smile before taking the first bite. You can serve them for breakfast, add them to a dessert board, or package them up as a homemade gift.
More Valentine’s Day Treats
Valentine’s Heart Shaped Donuts
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1 1/2 – 1 3/4 cups flour
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast
- 1/3 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil for deep-frying
- 2/3 cup white chocolate chips
- 3 drops red food coloring
- 1/3 teaspoon red and gold hearts
- sugar sprinkles
- 2 freeze-dried strawberries
Instructions
- Warm the milk in the microwave until it reaches about 98°F. Pour it into a large mixing bowl and whisk in the sugar, vanilla, and yeast until combined. Stir in 1 cup of flour, then continue adding flour a little at a time, mixing with a wooden spoon, until a dough starts to come together. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until it’s smooth, soft, and no longer sticky.
- Place the dough in a bowl lightly coated with vegetable oil, turning once to grease the top. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm spot for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- Roll the risen dough out to about ¼-inch thickness. Use a heart-shaped cutter to cut out the donuts. Arrange them on a board or baking sheet, cover with a clean cotton towel, and let rest for 30 minutes.
- Add oil to a nonstick pan and heat it to 356°F. Fry 3-4 donuts at a time, turning as needed, until golden brown on both sides.
- Remove the donuts from the oil and place them on paper towels folded into quarters to absorb excess oil.
- Melt the chocolate and coat some of the donuts. Decorate with sprinkles, finely ground freeze-dried strawberry powder, and red hearts. Tint part of the remaining chocolate red and coat the rest of the donuts. Decorate with gold hearts. Let the glaze set completely before serving.
Notes
- Use fresh whole milk for the dough—it creates softer, more flavorful donuts.
- This dough is egg-free, which keeps the texture tender, airy, and uniform rather than dense or springy. Egg-free doughnuts break cleanly, don’t crumble, and have a fine, delicate crumb.
- Choose high-quality wheat flour to ensure a light, soft dough.
- For the glaze, use good-quality white chocolate and gel food coloring for smooth color and finish.
- Fry in a neutral, heat-stable oil to avoid unwanted flavors.
- Decorate creatively with chocolate glaze, sprinkles, freeze-dried strawberry powder, edible hearts, or chocolate drips.
- Serve on a pretty platter, wooden board, or paper cups. Add flowers or ribbons for an extra-special touch.
