Melt the butter in a medium-sized heat-proof bowl. Add the honey and pour in the kefir, if the mixture is warm, whisk in the yeast (if it’s cold, warm it up a bit so it’s warm to touch). Whisk the mixture until it’s smooth.

In a stand mixer measure fitted with a dough hook, measure in the flour and add the salt. Pour in the liquid ingredients and knead the dough until it comes together, about 8 minutes (it will be rather sticky and soft, but not sloppy - see the photos).

Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise for about 2 hours (less if your kitchen is very warm). If you like, you can set it in the fridge overnight, this improves the flavor slightly but it will need to rise at room temperature the next morning for a first rise before being rolled out.

Have a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper nearby.

On a floured surface, dust the dough with flour and roll it to about 1inch thickness. Using a donut cutter or a biscuit cutter and a round piping tip, punch out the dough and place it on the prepared cookie sheet. Re-roll it with the scraps as needed, bearing in mind that seconds won’t be as cute (but will be just as tasty and covered with ganache no one will notice).

Cover the dough with a tea towel and set aside for a second rise. When the dough shows visual cues (see the photos, it’ll be almost but not fully doubled in size) it’s ready to fry.

How to fry homemade donuts:

Heat a pot of oil (I like to fill a dutch oven ⅔ of the way with canola oil) until it’s 360 F. It’ll take at least ten minutes to get there so give it time and be mindful with it. Have a plate or pan lined with paper towels and a spider strainer (or a heatproof spatula) ready.

Fry the donuts, not more than four at a time until they are nicely browned on the bottom and then flip them. They won’t be long, just a few minutes on each side. Move onto prepared paper towel to drain excess oil.

When the donuts are completely cool they can be glazed.

How to make the chocolate ganache:

Chop the chocolate very finely and place it in a heat-proof bowl. Warm the heavy cream until it’s bubbling at the sides but just hot to touch (not scorching). Pour it over the chocolate and stir until you have a smooth ganache. Dip the donuts face down into the ganache. If you are adding any toppings like sprinkles, do it while the ganache is wet. For flaked sea salt, add it when the ganache is slightly, but not fully firm.