• In a small bowl, whisk together the warm milk, yeast, and 1 teaspoon of sugar. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes, until the surface looks foamy and smells slightly yeasty.
  1 ¼ cups warm whole milk 110°F, 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar for yeast activation
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the remaining ¼ cup sugar, softened butter, eggs, and egg yolks. Mix on medium speed until the mixture looks smooth and creamy—it’s okay if a few small butter pieces remain. Add the activated yeast mixture and mix until combined.
  ¼ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup unsalted butter softened, 2 large eggs room temperature, 2 large egg yolks room temperature, 5 ⅓ cups 725 g bread flour or all-purpose flour plus extra for rolling spooned and leveled, 2 teaspoons salt
• Add the flour and salt, then mix on low speed until a soft dough starts to form. Increase to medium speed and knead for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky but not sticky. The dough should pull away from the sides of the bowl and feel soft and stretchy when pressed with your fingertip. If it feels too sticky, add a tablespoon or two of extra flour as needed.
• Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, turning once to coat. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or up to 12 hours. The slow rise adds flavor and makes the dough easier to work with. If you prefer a same-day version, let the dough rise for 1 hour at warm room temperature instead of refrigerating overnight.
• After chilling, the dough will feel firm from the cold butter—that’s normal. If it’s too stiff to roll, let it rest on the counter for 10 to 15 minutes before rolling. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll it into a large rectangle about ½ inch thick, roughly the height of two stacked quarters.
• Use a 3 ½-inch round cutter to cut out the donuts, then use a 1-inch cutter for the center holes. Re-roll the scraps once to cut additional donuts, being careful not to overwork the dough. Transfer each donut (and holes, if you’d like to fry them too) to a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them a few inches apart.
• Cover the baking sheet lightly with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let the donuts proof at room temperature for about 1½ to 2 hours, or until they’re noticeably puffy and spring back slowly when gently pressed with a fingertip.
• When ready to fry, heat the lard or canola oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven to 325°F. Fry 2–3 donuts at a time, about 1 to 2 minutes per side, until puffed and deep golden brown. If frying holes, they’ll cook in about 45 seconds per side. The donuts should float almost immediately when they hit the oil, and the bubbles should stay gentle rather than furious—that’s how you know your oil temperature is right.
  2 cups lard or canola oil
• Use a slotted spoon to transfer the fried donuts to a paper towel–lined tray to drain. Let them cool for 5 to 10 minutes before glazing so the sugar cookie glaze clings beautifully without melting off.

For The Glaze

• In a large bowl, whisk together powdered sugar and salt. Add melted butter, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Gradually whisk in milk until smooth and pourable — it should be thick enough to coat a spoon but still slowly drip off. Dip the tops of the slightly warm donuts into the glaze, letting any excess drip back into the bowl
  4 cups powdered sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon almond extract, 3 tablespoon melted butter, ⅓ cup milk
• Once the donuts have cooled slightly (you still want them warm, not hot), dip the tops into the glaze, letting any excess drip back into the bowl.
• Immediately top with Christmas sprinkles — they’ll stick best while the glaze is still tacky.
  Sprinkles
• Place the glazed donuts on a wire rack and let them set for 15–20 minutes before serving or storing. The glaze will firm up slightly but stay soft and glossy, just like sugar cookie frosting.