The Oil Trick For Getting Powdered Sugar To Stick To Your Donuts

National Donut Day is coming in hot. Whether you're a Dunkin' devotee or a Krispy Kreme connoisseur, mark your calendar for the first Friday of June, which this year falls on Friday, June 2. The big-name chains hand out free treats all day. But if you want to skip the lines, it's not so hard to make a batch of donuts at home to celebrate the big occasion, too. All you need to make donuts at home is a good donut recipe, a sturdy Dutch oven or high-heat resistant pan for frying the dough, and a plan for decorating.

If you've made donuts at home, you know that getting powdered sugar to stick to homemade confections doesn't always come out like the treats you can get at the store. The secret to perfectly powdered donuts isn't magic, however — all you need is some vegetable oil or baking spray. Once you get the moves down, you'll be making sugar-dipped donuts anytime the mood strikes.

You don't need a special occasion to make donuts, but National Donut Day is a great excuse to give it a try. Started in 1938 by the Salvation Army, the hole-y holiday was started as a fundraiser to help needy people during the Great Depression.

The key to making homemade powdered donuts that are worth celebrating is to dip them in the sugar before they cool and the surface of the donut becomes crispy. When you fry a donut, you're using the Maillard reaction to brown and caramelize the sugar in the batter on the outside of the donuts, just like when sugar is burned on a crème brûlée. When the surface cools, however, it isn't sticky, and powdered sugar won't adhere (or will only stick in uneven patches). You don't have to settle for naked donuts, however. Grab your favorite cooking oil and brush a thin glaze on with a pastry brush, or use an oil atomizer or sprayer. You can also use a little bit of a neutral baking spray, such as avocado oil. (Just don't use olive oil; it has a strong flavor.)

By putting a light glaze of oil on the donut's surface, you'll give the powdered sugar a surface to stick to without compromising the crispy exterior.

It's tough to get homemade donuts to look as perfect as the ones you can get from a professional bakery. So if you're not happy with your powdered donuts, don't get discouraged. 

If your powdered sugar isn't sticking the way you want it to, and you don't have anything to spread a little oil on the surface, just make a quick glaze with the sugar and a little milk, cream, or non-dairy milk. Mix the two ingredients together with a whisk until it's nice and smooth, and then dip the hot donuts in after they're cooked.

The best plan, however, is to make a few of each (powdered and glazed donuts). You can also dip a few in granulated sugar mixed with cinnamon while you're at it, which will also stick better with a little glaze of oil. If you have a donut-making party, you can set up all the garnishes and let your guests choose their adventure. Just be sure to have a little oil on hand to make sure everything is picture-perfect.