Bake Sale Doughnuts Recipe

Add yeast to the warm water in a large mixing bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Stir in the eggs, shortening and granulated sugar until smooth.

Beat in 4 cups of the flour, 1 cup at a time, with an electric mixer on medium speed just until combined. Stir in 2 cups of the flour. Mix in the remaining 2 cups with your hands, adding more as needed to form a soft dough. Cover; let rise 2 hours at room temperature or refrigerate 12 hours.

Punch down the dough; roll out to 1/2-inch thickness on a well-floured board. Cut into doughnuts with a 3 1/2-inch doughnut cutter or biscuit cutter. (If using a biscuit cutter, cut out the center doughnut holes with a 1/2-inch cutter.)

Reroll scraps of dough to cut more doughnut holes. Place on floured baking sheets; let rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.

Heat oil to 375 degrees F in a Dutch oven. Add doughnuts, three at a time. Cook 45 seconds; turn. Cook 45 seconds more. Dip in confectioners' sugar; place on a paper-lined platter.

Add doughnut holes to the oil. Cook, turning in the oil as needed, until lightly brown, about 20 seconds.