Photo by Madalyn Cox on Unsplash

Anyone who has ever been to the United States is likely familiar with Krispy Kreme's iconic hot-out-of-the-oven glazed donut.

This delicious morsel of pastry goodness can be found in shops and convenience stores all across America, and it is often cited as one of the country's favorite snacks.

But what many people may not know is that there is a recipe for making these at home, and it's actually quite simple!

So if you're feeling like indulging in a little piece of Americana, why not try making your own Krispy Kreme don'ts at home?

In the 1950s, Vernon Rudolph bought an old doughnut recipe from a New Orleans chef who used to work in one of his stores in North Carolina. It was just four ingredients: flour, sugar, yeast, and water. Vernon tweaked the recipe a bit to create what we now know as Krispy Kreme's hot-out-of-the-oven glazed doughnut.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup milk

1/4 cup vegetable shortening

1/2 cup sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

1/4 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)

2 eggs

1 teaspoon salt

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

vegetable oil for frying

1 cup confectioners' sugar

1/4 cup water

Directions:

Scald the milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until it just begins to boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the shortening until it is melted. Pour the milk mixture into a large bowl and let cool to lukewarm.

In another large bowl, combine the sugar, yeast, and 1/4 cup of warm water. Stir gently and let sit for 5 minutes or until the mixture becomes foamy.

Add the eggs and salt to the milk mixture and stir gently until combined. Add 2 cups of flour to the milk mixture and stir until well blended. Slowly add 1 more cup of flour, constantly stirring, until a soft dough forms.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes, adding flour as necessary until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Punch down the dough and turn it out onto a floured surface. Roll the dough out to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut out doughnuts with a floured doughnut cutter.

Place the doughnuts on a greased baking sheet, cover, and let rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until it reaches 365 degrees F (185 degrees C). Fry the doughnuts in the hot oil, a few at a time, until they are golden brown, turning once. Drain on paper towels.

Combine the confectioners' sugar and 1/4 cup of water in a small bowl and stir until smooth. Dip the top of each warm doughnut into the glaze. Place the doughnuts on a wire rack with a sheet of waxed paper or parchment paper underneath to catch the drips. Let the glaze set for about 5 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!