How to Make Valentine's Day Heart Donuts
Craft tender, heart-shaped yeast donuts topped with vibrant pink strawberry glaze and festive sprinkles, perfect for a romantic Valentine's Day homemade treat.
This guide shows how to make valentine's day heart donuts in 2.5 hours. Start with activate yeast and knead enriched dough; follow the safety notes and step checkpoints below.
Visual step map
See the full sequence before you start, then check off each step as you go.
0 of 6 steps checked
Materials and cost planner
Select the items you plan to buy, adjust any estimated price, and calculate the selected total.
Editable rough U.S. retail estimates. Estimated all listed: $124.00. Prices are planning estimates, not quotes — tax, store, brand, size and quantity will change them.
Time and finish planner
Estimate active working time from the number of steps in this guide.
Pan area and batter scaler
Compare a pan with the pan in the recipe, then estimate how much to scale the batter.
Pan area is only a rough guide. Keep batter depth similar and use the doneness test in the recipe; do not rely on this calculator to set baking time.
- Read the tools, materials, safety notes, and steps below for free.
- Tap See 20-second demo if you want to understand it first.
- Tap Start Camera Coach when you want hands-free help, or Voice-only if you do not want to use the camera.
- Allow camera and microphone. Point your phone at the work; the coach watches your progress and tells you the next step.
🧰 Required Tools & Equipment
- ✓ Heart-shaped cookie cutter (3-inch)
- ✓ Deep-fry thermometer
- ✓ Heavy-bottomed Dutch oven
- ✓ Stand mixer with dough hook
- ✓ Wire cooling rack and baking sheet
- ✓ Spider strainer or slotted metal spoon
- ✓ Rolling pin
📦 Materials & Supplies
- ✓ 3 cups all-purpose flour
- ✓ 1 packet (2 1/4 tsp) active dry yeast
- ✓ 3/4 cup warm whole milk (110°F)
- ✓ 1/3 cup granulated sugar and 2 large eggs
- ✓ 4 tbsp unsalted butter (softened)
- ✓ 2 cups powdered sugar with 2 tbsp strawberry puree or pink gel color
- ✓ 2 quarts neutral frying oil (canola or peanut)
- ✓ Valentine's sprinkles
⚠️ Safety Checkpoints & Warnings
- • Monitor oil temperature constantly with a clip-on thermometer to prevent smoking or ignition.
- • Never drop wet dough pieces into hot oil; gently slide them in close to the surface to avoid hot oil splashing.
- • Keep a snug metal lid nearby in case of oil flare-ups; never use water to extinguish an oil fire.
📋 Step-by-Step Guide (6 Steps)
Activate Yeast and Knead Enriched Dough
Whisk warm milk, yeast, and 1 tablespoon of sugar in your mixer bowl, letting it sit for 7 minutes until frothy. Add the remaining sugar, eggs, softened butter, and flour, then knead on medium-low speed with the dough hook for 6 to 8 minutes. The dough should transform from sticky to smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky to the touch.
- • Yeast mixture forms a thick foam layer after resting
- • Dough clears the sides of the mixer bowl and passes the windowpane test
- • Using milk hotter than 115°F which kills the yeast
- • Adding excess flour instead of allowing kneading to develop gluten
First Proof and Roll Dough
Transfer the dough ball to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp towel, and let rise in a warm spot for 1 hour until doubled in volume. Punch down the dough gently to release large air bubbles and transfer to a lightly floured surface. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out to an even 1/2-inch thickness.
- • Dough visibly doubles in size and rebounds slowly when pressed with a finger
- • Even 1/2-inch slab with smooth top surface
- • Rolling the dough thinner than 1/2-inch, resulting in flat, crispy donuts
- • Using too much bench flour, which burns in the frying oil later
Cut Heart Shapes and Secondary Proof
Press a floured 3-inch heart cutter straight down into the dough without twisting to create clean edges. Place cutouts onto parchment squares arranged on a baking sheet, spacing them 2 inches apart. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise for 30 to 40 minutes until puffy and pillowy.
- • Sharp heart silhouettes with cleanly defined edges
- • Cutouts inflate to roughly 1.5 times their original thickness and feel airy
- • Twisting the cutter, which seals the edges and prevents an even rise
- • Over-proofing until the dough collapses when touched
Heat Oil and Fry Donuts
Pour neutral oil into a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven to a depth of 2.5 inches and heat over medium to 350°F (175°C). Lower 2 to 3 heart cutouts into the oil at a time, peeling away the parchment as they enter the oil. Fry for 60 to 75 seconds per side until golden brown, then transfer with a spider strainer onto a wire rack.
- • Deep-fry thermometer stays steadily between 345°F and 355°F
- • Donuts develop an even golden-brown crust with a pale ring around the center
- • Crowding the pot, which drastically drops the oil temperature and makes donuts greasy
- • Frying in oil hotter than 365°F, burning the exterior while leaving the center raw
Whisk Pink Strawberry Glaze
In a shallow, wide bowl, whisk powdered sugar with strawberry puree (or whole milk mixed with a tiny drop of pink gel food coloring) and a splash of vanilla extract. Whisk vigorously until no lumps remain and the glaze falls in a thick, ribbon-like consistency. If the glaze is too runny, add powdered sugar 1 tablespoon at a time; if too thick, whisk in a few drops of milk.
- • Opaque, glossy pink glaze that coats the back of a spoon smoothly
- • Ribbon of glaze holds its shape on the surface for 2 seconds before melting back
- • Glaze is too thin, resulting in a transparent glaze that soaks directly into the donut
- • Adding liquid too quickly, causing watery glaze
Dip, Decorate, and Set
Wait until the fried donuts are warm to the touch but no longer hot before glazing. Invert each heart donut halfway into the glaze, twist gently, lift, and let excess glaze drip back into the bowl for 3 seconds before flipping upright. Immediately scatter Valentine's sprinkles over the wet glaze and allow 15 minutes on the wire rack for the glaze to crust and set.
- • Smooth, opaque pink coating covering the top face of each heart
- • Sprinkles adhere firmly to the glaze without sinking or melting
- • Glazing piping-hot donuts, which melts the glaze off completely
- • Waiting too long to add sprinkles after glazing, causing them to roll off the dry crust
Credit: inspired by an original tutorial by foodiebeats — watch the original on YouTube.
Don’t have everything?
- No Heart cookie cutter? Cardboard heart stencil cut to size and a sharp paring knife
- No Candy or deep-fry thermometer? Wooden skewer end dipped in oil (steady, active bubbling indicates correct frying temp)
- No Spider strainer? Wide metal slotted spoon or heatproof metal tongs
- No Stand mixer with dough hook? Hand kneading on a lightly floured surface for 10 to 12 minutes