At Home Donut Shop

Here is everything I did to plan, prep and host an At Home Donut Shop for my husband’s birthday! It was complete with all homemade treats like chocolate chip cookies and, of course, lots of donuts all in a vintage meets French bakery inspired setting.

Within this blog post you can find everything you need from suggested timelines, supply/decor links, the menu with full recipes, my planning thought process and more!

At Home Donut Shop

Helpful Links

Watch the donut shop come to life in video form by clicking the links below:

• Part 1 – the planning
• Part 2 – recipe testing and development
• Part 3 – DIYs, setting up and recipe prep
• Part 4 – the morning of and the “opening” of the donut shop!

Supply/Decor Roundup:

• Click here for what I used to prepare/decorate!

Note: anything not linked was likely a HomeGoods find, second hand, something I’ve had for awhile or thrifted!

The Theme

With the month of September comes my favorite person’s birthday, my husband Matt! So this month, I really wanted to throw him a casual, cozy birthday party at home where he could relax with our family and friends.

Every year on the morning of Matt’s birthday I get him donuts, but this year I got to thinking… what if I made them from scratch and developed my own recipe? From there, the wheels were turning and quickly led me to the thought of turning our house into a “donut shop” where all our family and friends could hang out for the day while enjoying treats and coffee like they would if they were to go to a bakery!

For the decor and overall theme, I of course wanted there to be pops of color to lean into the birthday element, but I also thought it would be fun to get inspired by a vintage meets French bakery style. Matt and I used to love to travel, but ever since bringing two cats into our lives, we can’t bring ourselves to leave because we want to be home with them! So instead of traveling, I thought I’d bring our travels to us through the decor and overall setting.

I hosted the “donut shop” on a Saturday afternoon and it was complete with all of Matt’s breakfast favorites (with the addition of chocolate chip cookies, which we don’t limit to a certain time of day in this house). He was able to watch the Ohio State game and be surrounded by his loved ones and it was so special for me to plan this for him.

The Timeline

Hosting and parties of all kinds can seem intimidating or stressful, but I make sure to plan for them in a way that creates the most low stress hosting experience possible so I can actually enjoy the event alongside my guests. Here is a rough outline of how I would recommend preparing for this specific themed party!

Month-Week Prior:

• Invite your guests (of course! The sooner the better!)
• Draft a menu and grocery list, inclusive of dietary needs and taste preferences of your guests
• Take inventory of decor, DIY materials, serve ware, kitchen/cooking equipment, etc. to ensure you’re covered based on the amount of guests, your menu and any crafts you plan to carry out
• Order any supplies, decor and/or ingredients that need to be purchased online
• Test out your recipes
• Complete any DIYs, which in this case would be:
  • designing a logo to turn into a vinyl decal, custom stamp (for napkins, coffee sleeves and to go bags) and stickers (for iced coffee cups) (all optional, just what I did!)
  • creating an on theme countertop out of a large wooden board, marble contact paper, curtain rods and cafe curtains
  • making food labels as everything will be self serve
  • preparing the fabric covered pendant lights using a plug in pendant kit and vintage napkins

Week Of:

• Finish any DIYs and organize all decor that you’ll be using for the party
• Main grocery shop of everything that can be purchased in advance (the earlier in the week, the better!)
• Gather, organize and label all serve ware and table items so that everything is ready to be set out
• Steam or iron any linens you’re planning to use

One Day Before:

• If needed, secondary grocery shop as soon as the store opens to get any final needs and so you have as much time as possible
• Make the cookie dough and allow to chill in the fridge overnight (you can bake the cookies as well to save time on the day of, if you wish!)
• Make the donut holes
• Juice the oranges for orange juice
• Any final decor DIYs/touchups
• Measure out all ingredients you can for the donuts to save time in the morning
• Clean up around the house!

Morning Of:

• Make the donuts first thing as they take the most time!
• Bake the cookies if you didn’t get a change to the day before
• Set out the food into the “shop”
• Any final set up that needs to be done

During:

• Take coffee orders and make the coffees
• Enjoy!

Bonus Tips:

• Have food made in advance throughout the week that you can eat while prepping because you probably won’t want to be cooking when prepping multiple dishes for your party, plus it saves time!
• Run and empty your dishwasher before the party so you can load everything instead of hand washing and taking up counter space. The easier the cleanup the better!
• Clean your spaces the night before hosting then do last minute touch ups prior to guests arriving. Also, clean as you go to avoid a huge mess before guests arrive!

The Menu

Below is everything that I included on the menu. Don’t be intimdated by making the donuts from scratch, I promise they come together so well and are worth every bit of effort put in!

Of course, you can pick and choose what you’d like and leave the rest!

The Drinks:

Salted Maple Cinnamon Lattes (Hot & Iced)

• Ingredients:
  • 2 shots espresso
  • 1 tbsp (give or take based on preference) maple syrup
  • cinnamon, to taste
  • pinch salt
  • 1/2 cup milk, of choice (we like Three Trees almond milk)

• Instructions:
  • Add maple syrup, cinnamon and salt to a glass and brew the espresso over the top
  • Mix together, then combine with milk and pour over ice or add to a mug and top with frothed milk for hot

Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice (with the option to add Champagne!)

I use this juicer (click here) and it is absolutely amazing!

Plus, we had jarred Apple Juice & Water, of course!

The Treats:

Donuts

• Donut Ingredients:
  • 2 tbsp psyllium husk (note: psyllium husk powder will not work here!)
  • 1 cup water, warmed too 100℉
  • 1 ½ cup tapioca starch (I use Bob’s Red Mill)
  • 1 cup brown rice flour (I use Bob’s Red Mill)
  • ½ cup potato strach (I use Bob’s Red Mill)
  • 3/4 cup white granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp xantham gum (I use Bob’s Red Mill)
  • 1 packet instant yeast (I use Fleischmann’s RapidRise Yeast, one packet = 2 ¼ tsp)
  • 2 tsp baking powder (I use Otto’s Naturals)
  • 2 tsp salt
  • ½ cup milk (can use dairy milk or unflavored almond milk for dairy free)
  • 2 eggs
  • ¼ cup avocado oil
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • ~½-1 cup gluten free all purpose flour (I use Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Baking Flour)
  • avocado oil, to fry

• Chocolate Icing Ingredients:
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 3 tbsp cocoa powder
  • 3 tbsp milk

• Vanilla Icing Ingredients:
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 1/2 tbsp milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste 

• Maple Icing Ingredients:
  • 1 cup + 1 1/2 tbsp powdered sugar
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup 
  • 1 1/2 tbsp milk 

• Instructions:
  • Warm your water to 100℉ and in a small bowl, then mix together with the psyllium husk until completely combined. As this sits while you prepare the other ingredients, it will thicken into a gel. The thicker the better!
  • In the bowl of your stand mixer, whisk together the tapioca starch, brown rice flour, potato starch, sugar, xantham gum, instant yeast, baking powder and salt until well combined.
  • Warm the milk to 110℉, then add the warmed milk, psyllium husk gel, eggs, avocado oil and apple cider vinegar to the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix for 6 minutes on medium speed using the dough hook attachment. Two times throughout the 6 minutes, stop the mixer to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula to ensure all of the flour is incorporated.
  • Once a smooth dough has formed, use your spatula to scrape the dough off the sides of the bowl to somewhat form a ball. Then, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
  • Once 30 minutes have passed, generously flour your surface with the gluten free all purpose flour. Scrape your dough onto the floured surface, then sprinkle flour onto the top of the dough as well as all over your hands. The dough is sticky, but after working with it a bit, it will be easier to handle!
  • Knead the dough multiple times then roll into a ball. Feel free to add more flour to your hands or surface if/as needed. This will be messy, but it’s so worth it!
  • Wash your hands, then roll out the dough with a floured rolling pin to about 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch thickness.
  • Cut out the donuts using a large round donut cutter or cookie cutter (I use 3.8 inches for the outside and 1 inch for the inside). The first cut out will likely be sticky. After the first donut, I coat the cutters with flour to help the dough separate easily.
  • Place each donut onto a square of parchment paper and line them up on a large baking sheet. Be sure to leave some room between each as the donuts will expand as they rise! You may need two baking sheets.
  • After making your first cuts of donuts, reshape the remaining dough, including the dough cut out from the center of each, and repeat the process until no dough remains.
  • Place the baking sheet(s) of donuts on top of your oven while set to preheat to 350℉ and cover them with a tea towel The heat will rise and help the donuts to rise and puff up. Allow to rise for 2 hours. Don’t cut the rise time short!
  • Once the two hours has passed, fill a pot with enough avocado oil for the donuts to be able to fry/float in and heat the oil to 350°F.
  • Once the oil has recached 350°F, transfer 2-3 donuts at a time (depending on your pot/pan size) by picking up the parchment paper and setting that along with the donut into the oil. You can remove the parchment paper with tongs immediately and discard once cool.
  • Fry each side for 2 minutes, then using a skimmer or a slotted spoon, remove each donut from the oil and onto a baking sheet lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil and cool. The donuts should have a190-200℉ internal temp.
  • While they cool, mix together your desired icing flavor(s).
  • Dip the top of each donut into your icing, allow the excess to drip off, then place on a wire baking rack to set. If adding sprinkles, add the sprinkles immediately so they can stick.
  • These are best enjoyed day of, but can also be enjoyed next day by reheating them slightly to help the texture.

Regular Donut Holes

• Donut Holes Ingredients:
  • ⅔ cup full-fat sour cream
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tbsp butter, melted
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup tapioca starch
  • ½ cup brown rice flour 
  • 2 tbsp potato starch 
  • 1 ½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp xanthan gum
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • avocado oil

• Cinnamon Sugar Ingredients:
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 tsp cinnamon

• Glaze Ingredients:
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tbsp milk

• Instructions:
  • In a large pan on the stove, heat a generous amount of avocado oil to 350°F.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the sour cream, sugar, egg, melted butter and vanilla until well combined and smooth.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the tapioca starch, brown rice flour, potato starch, baking powder, xantham gum and salt.
  • Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix everything together into a smooth batter with a similar consistency to a thick cake batter.
  • Drop approximately 1 tbsp portions of the batter into the hot oil using a small cookie scoop. I spray mine with avocado oil so nothing sticks.
  • Fry the donut holes for about 4-5 minutes in total, flipping them halfway through. You should get approximately 35-40 donut holes.
  • Use a skimmer or a slotted spoon to remove the donut holes from the oil onto a baking sheet lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil and cool.
  • Once cool, mix together the powdered sugar and milk to create the glaze or whisk together the sugar and cinnamon, depending on what flavor you’re going with. If wanting to try both, cut the topping ingredients in half!
  • Coat each donut hole in either the cinnamon sugar mixture or the glaze and allow to set on a wire cooling rack.

Chocolate Donut Holes

• Chocolate Donut Holes Ingredients:
  • ⅔ cup full-fat sour cream
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tbsp butter, melted
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup tapioca starch
  • 1/4 cup brown rice flour 
  • 2 tbsp potato starch 
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder (2 tbsp black cocoa, 2 tbsp regular cocoa)
  • 1 ½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp xanthan gum
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • avocado oil

• Glaze Ingredients:
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tbsp milk

• Instructions:
  • In a large pan on the stove, heat a generous amount of avocado oil to 350°F.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the sour cream, sugar, egg, melted butter and vanilla until well combined and smooth.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the tapioca starch, brown rice flour, potato starch, cocoa powder, baking powder, xantham gum and salt.
    • Note: to get a darker color, opt to use 2 tbsp of black cocoa powder and 2 tbsp of regular cocoa powder. If you don’t have black cocoa powder, regular works just fine!
  • Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix everything together into a smooth batter with a similar consistency to a thick cake batter.
  • Drop approximately 1 tbsp portions of the batter into the hot oil using a small cookie scoop. I spray mine with avocado oil so nothing sticks.
  • Fry the donut holes for about 4 minutes in total, flipping them halfway through. You should get approximately 35-40 donut holes.
  • Use a skimmer or a slotted spoon to remove the donut holes from the oil onto a baking sheet lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil and cool.
  • Once cool, mix together the powdered sugar and milk to create the glaze.
  • Coat each donut hole in the glaze and allow to set on a wire cooling rack.

Chocolate Chip Cookies (click here for the recipe!)

Yogurt and Granola

Matt’s favorite yogurt is Brown Cow so we set out a bunch of different flavors in a silver drink bucket filled with ice alongside Purely Elizabeth granola in a serve yourself station!

FOLLOW ALONG!

Be sure to follow me on Instagram and TikTok to see all of the behind the scenes of recipe creation as well as how to videos to watch them come to life! You can also head over to my Pinterest to save all of my recipes in one spot that you plan whip up in the future.

PS – If you make any of these recipes or are inspired to host a similar event, I would be so grateful if you left a review so I can hear what you think! I also am happy to answer any questions you may have on here, but if you want a quicker response, be sure to shoot me a message on Instagram. Thank you so much and talk soon!