Here's What You Can Use If You Don't Have A Donut Cutter

Whether you grab them from your local bakery or a national chain, there's nothing quite like a donut to go with your morning coffee. And while their picture-perfect appearance may lead you to believe otherwise, it's surprisingly simple to make something like classic glazed donuts at home. All you need are basic baking ingredients and something to form the dough into the iconic ring shape. While they do produce donut cutters for this exact task, they're not necessary, as you can shape your homemade donuts using tools you probably already have in your kitchen.

Making donuts requires two tools when cutting the dough: One for the initial large circular cut, and another to punch out the donut hole. To create the first shape, after you proof the dough, you can use a cup, a jar, a small bowl, or any other open vessel with a circular shape. Just make sure that the edge of whatever you use is thin enough to cut through the dough rather than smashing it. For the donut hole, grab the cap of a soda, wine, or liquor bottle and press it into the center of your dough circle.

Whatever cup or bottle cap you use to cut the dough, just make sure it's at least a half inch deep, since that's about how thick the dough should be when you cut into it. Of course, your donuts don't all have to be circular, the same size, or have holes. Using a funky-shaped bowl or container to punch out the dough will make your donuts unique. You could even just cut out different shapes with a butter knife, and if you make a mistake, you can always just reroll the dough and try again.

There's also the option of forming the dough into rings using your hands. If you opt for this method, just be sure to note that when it's time to proof the dough again, it will need to rest longer than if you rolled and cut out the dough.

Baking your favorite treats should be something everyone feels empowered to do, even if they lack the "official" equipment. After implementing various kitchen tools to shape your donuts, as well as taking a look at some of these donut-making tips, you'll be glad you made at least a dozen donuts. It will be impossible to eat just one!