Tag Archives: doughnuts

Powdered Doughnuts

Hello there. Sorry for the unexplained absence. I had planned to post this recipe last week, but the protests in the wake of recent murders of Black people by the police made me pause. It seemed tone deaf to post recipes while people were out in the streets not just in my city or my borough, but literally in front of my building, demanding action against injustice. And so, I went silent on here and joined the movement because I had to. I couldn’t not. I attended rallies, donated money, continued examining my own white privilege, and used my social media accounts to amplify Black voices.Black Lives MatterI’ve made a point of keeping this blog apolitical over the years because I didn’t want to offend anyone. I wanted this site to be neutral on everything but quality baked goods. Even after our current president was elected, I kept my mouth shut. But I will not keep quiet about racism.* I won’t. I simply don’t care if it offends you.

*Also intersectional feminism, LGBTQIA rights/marriage, and pretty much any other human rights issue.

I want to make it clear that I heartily believe Black Lives Matter and am doing my best to listen to Black voices, and support BIPOC-owned businesses and anyone doing their part in the fight against injustice. There is no room for hate here–this is only the beginning and there is much to do.

If you are moved to leave a comment denying the existence of white privilege in any way, please don’t. It’s a waste of time and energy, and I’ll probably just delete it. Instead, please educate yourself on the systems in place that allow you to turn a blind eye without personal consequence.Powdered Doughnuts
Powdered DoughnutsSo…what do Powdered Doughnuts have to do with anti-racism? I’m not exactly sure, but they were supposed to be on the blog last week.

These are pure comfort food—the sort of thing my mom served for breakfast the morning after my sister and I had hosted a slumber party. Until I started testing fresh Powdered Doughnuts, I’d only ever had the packaged kind (I almost always go yeast-raised in doughnut shops), but now I’m a convert.Powdered DoughnutsPowdered DoughnutsPowdered DoughnutsPowdered DoughnutsI mean, can you blame me? These crispy-fried sour cream cake doughnuts are great by themselves, but double coated in powdered sugar (confectioner’s sugar), they’re…beyond. So. dang. good.Powdered DoughnutsThe doughnuts themselves are made with the same formula I’ve been using for a few years now. The dough comes together quickly and only needs a 15 minute rest (to let the gluten relax) before cutting and frying. Once they’re nice and golden, they get a dip in powdered sugar and—voila!—they’re ready to eat.Powdered DoughnutsFluffy on the inside and sugar-dusted on the outside, these are pretty irresistible. Sure, Powdered Doughnuts a bit messy, but almost all wonderful things are.Powdered DoughnutsTake a note from my mom and serve these on leisurely weekend mornings, or make a batch to share while you figure out your next step in finding equality for all. This is only the beginning and there is much to do.Powdered Doughnuts

Powdered Doughnuts
makes 15 2 1/2-inch doughnuts

2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 cup (4 oz) full-fat sour cream
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
vegetable or canola oil, for frying
3-4 cups confectioner’s sugar, for coating

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.

Combine sour cream and butter in a small bowl. Microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between, until butter is totally melted. Let mixture cool a few minutes, until warm to the touch but not uncomfortably hot (if it’s too hot, it could scramble the eggs).

In a small mixing bowl, use a whisk to beat eggs. Whisk in sour cream/butter mixture, followed by vanilla. Use a silicone spatula or wooden spoon to fold wet ingredients into dry. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. Dough will be a bit soft.

Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment.

Liberally flour a surface and rolling pin. Uncover dough and transfer it to the floured surface. Roll it out to 1/2-inch thickness. Use a doughnut cutter (or graduated cookie cutters) to cut doughnuts. Place cut doughnuts on prepared pan. Re-roll dough as needed.

Pour about 2 inches of oil into a large heavy-bottomed pot and heat to 350F. Line a rimmed sheet pan with two layers of paper towels and set a cooling rack over the top.

Once oil reaches frying temperature, slip 2-3 doughnuts into the pot. Fry 1-1.5 minutes per side, until golden and cooked through. Remove to rack. Continue frying in batches of 2-3, letting the oil return to temperature in between.

Once all doughnuts are fried and cool enough to be handled, place confectioner’s sugar in a pie plate or shallow bowl.

Working with a couple of doughnuts at a time, dip them into the confectioners sugar, then flip them with a fork. For more coverage, flip again. Return finished doughnuts to the rack. Let set for a few minutes before serving.

Doughnuts are best the day they are made.Powdered DoughnutsPowdered DoughnutsPowdered Doughnuts

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Cinnamon Roll Doughnuts

Cinnamon Roll DoughnutsA few weeks ago, there was a Facebook poll going around asking if a cinnamon roll is a doughnut. I don’t know where or why it started, but I compulsively swiped it every time it came up on my feed just to make sure everyone I know understands that cinnamon rolls are not doughnuts.Cinnamon Roll DoughnutsCinnamon Rolls = baked pastry.

Doughnuts = fried* pastry.

*Baked Doughnuts = muffins in disguise.Cinnamon Roll DoughnutsOf course, there are exceptions to every rule and, oh, do I love finding an exception. Today’s recipe, Cinnamon Roll Doughnuts, are exactly what they sound like: fluffy, brown sugary cinnamon rolls made from doughnut dough, fried ‘til golden and dunked in a classic sugar glaze. They are both cinnamon roll and a doughnut and they are exactly as delicious as they sound.Cinnamon Roll DoughnutsThe inspiration for these comes from my childhood doughnut shop, Dale’s Donuts #9.* They made (and I assume that they still make) a version of these, and since I didn’t grow up with much home baking, I just assumed that all cinnamon rolls were doughnuts. As has been established, they are not, but I didn’t know at the time and I don’t think I would have cared…unless there wasn’t one left for me after a Sunday doughnut run.

*I have never encountered Dale’s Donuts #1-#8. If you ever do, please tell me. I would love to know they exist.Cinnamon Roll DoughnutsAnyway…I’ve since learned to make great cinnamon rolls and doughnuts, but the cinnamon roll doughnuts of my youth have eluded me. I’ve looked for something comparable in every doughnut shop I’ve encountered over the years (which has been a lot), but have come up empty-handed…so I figured it out myself.Cinnamon Roll DoughnutsCinnamon Roll DoughnutsCinnamon Roll Doughnuts are as simple to make as any of my other yeasted doughnuts. They begin like many sweet rolls and doughnuts do: by making a dough and letting it rise slowly in the refrigerator overnight. This makes for prime gluten development (critical for softness and chew) and nuanced flavor, and it means you don’t have to get up at 5am to make doughnuts in time for breakfast.Cinnamon Roll DoughnutsThe next day, the dough is punched down, rolled into a rectangle, filled with cinnamon & brown sugar, rolled back up, and sliced.Cinnamon Roll DoughnutsCinnamon Roll DoughnutsCinnamon Roll DoughnutsThen the rolls are then pressed down with the heel of your hand and the ends are secured with toothpicks before a short second rise. These steps will keep them unraveling while rising and frying.Cinnamon Roll DoughnutsAnd speaking of frying, this is when these rolls take a decidedly doughnut-esque turn. Each one is fried in hot oil until golden and fully cooked in the middle. Some filling will escape during frying—that’s the nature of the beast—but trust me when I say your doughnuts will still be plenty cinnamony.Cinnamon Roll DoughnutsCinnamon Roll DoughnutsCinnamon Roll DoughnutsOnce they’re all fried and golden, the Cinnamon Roll Doughnuts get a dip in a sugar glaze. You could spread them with cream cheese frosting instead, but I really love the contrast of soft doughnut, buttery cinnamon filling and shattering sugar glaze.Cinnamon Roll DoughnutsIt tastes like childhood and doughnut victory and a very delicious exception to the rules. The best.Cinnamon Roll Doughnuts

Cinnamon Roll Doughnuts
makes 16 doughnuts

Doughnut Dough:
2 cups bread flour*
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt
1 packet (2 1/4 teaspoons) instant yeast (I used Red Star Platinum)
1 cup buttermilk,* room temperature
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 large eggs, beaten, room temperature
2 quarts shortening or frying oil (like peanut, safflower, or canola), for frying

Filling:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup light or dark brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Glaze:
2 pounds confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
3/4 cup hot tap water

For Assembly:
parchment
wooden toothpicks

Make the dough the night before. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together bread flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, nutmeg, salt, and instant yeast. Set aside.

Combine buttermilk and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Warm until hot to the touch, about 115F. Use a silicone spatula to fold liquid into dry ingredients. Fold in eggs until a sticky, shaggy dough forms. Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead for 6-8 minutes, until dough is smooth. Shape dough into a ball and place in an oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

The next morning, cut a large sheet of parchment into 16 4-inch squares. Place squares on two rimmed baking sheets. Place a separate whole sheet on a third pan.

Fill the dough and form the rolls. Remove plastic wrap from dough and punch down. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 14×17-inch rectangle. Use a pastry brush to apply butter to the surface of the dough. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Sprinkle over the surface of the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border on all sides.

Starting with the long edge furthest from your body, tightly roll filled dough toward you, smoothing any seams with your thumbs. Slice dough into 16 rolls. Place each on a square of parchment.

Flour the heel of your hand and press each roll down so that it’s flat and squat. Use toothpicks to secure the end of each roll and use another toothpick to secure the other side of the roll. Do not skip these steps.

Gently lay plastic wrap or a sheet of wax paper over the tops of the pans and allow doughnuts to rise in a warm, draft-free environment* for 45 minutes. Once puffy, remove doughnuts from oven.

Place a cooling rack over a rimmed baking sheet, and set in close proximity to the stove.

Heat shortening or oil to 375F. Working in small batches, fry doughnuts 1.5-2 minutes per side, until deeply golden. Remove to rack. Continue with remaining doughnuts.

Make classic doughnut glaze. In a large mixing bowl, whisk all ingredients together until smooth. Pour glaze into a shallow dish. Dip one doughnut at a time before transferring back to rack. Repeat with all remaining doughnuts. Glaze will set after 15-20 minutes.

Doughnuts are best the day they are made. Leftovers will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for about a day.

Dipped doughnuts are best the day they are made.

Notes:

1. If you do not have bread flour, you may substitute an equal volume of all-purpose flour. Your doughnuts will not have as much chew as those made with bread flour, but they will still be delicious.
2. If you do not have buttermilk, you may make a substitute with lemon juice (or vinegar) and milk. Pour 1 tablespoon of vinegar into a liquid measuring cup. Pour in milk until the liquid reaches the 1 cup mark. Let sit for five minutes before proceeding with the recipe as written. Whole and low-fat milks are fine, but I do not recommend skim or nonfat.Cinnamon Roll DoughnutsCinnamon Roll DoughnutsCinnamon Roll Doughnuts

Friday Favorites: Doughnuts

It’s National Doughnut Day! If you’ve been around here a while, you know I love doughnuts, especially the homemade variety. You won’t find any baked doughnuts in my archives because when I want a doughnut, I want it to be fried until golden and dipped in a drippy glaze. Baked doughnuts are just muffins in disguise, am I right?!

If you’re intimidated by the idea of frying doughnuts at home, know that there’s nothing to fear! As with all the recipes on this site, if you read carefully and work one step at a time, you’ll be rewarded with doughnuts that rival anything you can get at your local shop!

These are some of my favorite doughnut recipes on this site 🙂 Look out for a new one coming your way next week!

Friday Favorites: Doughnuts

Overnight Yeast-Raised Doughnuts

The secret to my favorite yeast-raised doughnuts—if there is one—is that the dough is made twelve or so hours before it’s time to make the doughnuts. This allows for good gluten formation and leads to a more flavorful final product. An overnight rise also means that you can have fresh doughnuts earlier rather than later. These doughnuts are soft with slightly crispy edges, and the chocolate dip and sprinkles make them totally Insta-worthy 🍩🍩🍩

Friday Favorites: Doughnuts

Glazed Doughnut Twists

Twists were one of my favorites growing up! They’re made with my Overnight Yeast-Raised Doughnut dough, but instead of being punched into rings, it’s sliced into strips and twisted up before frying. The doughnuts are finished off with a dip in a classic sugar glaze that shatters when you bite in—a perfect contrast to their fluffy interiors.

Friday Favorites: Doughnuts

Blueberry Doughnuts

These are my take on a doughnut shop staple, but they’re made with real blueberries instead of whatever sketchy goop commercial Blueberry Doughnuts are studded with. These cake doughnuts are raised with baking powder and come together very quickly in comparison to their yeast-raised counterparts. That means you can have fresh doughnuts in less than a couple of hours! Oh, and you can have these anytime of year because they work best with frozen blueberries! Thank me in February 🙂

Friday Favorites: Doughnuts

Funfetti Cake Doughnuts

Funfetti Cake Doughnuts are made with the same base recipe as my Blueberry Doughnuts, but the fruit is swapped for sprinkles inside and out 😍

Friday Favorites: Doughnuts

French Crullers

French Crullers are neither yeast-raised nor cake doughnuts—in fact, they’re made completely without leaveners! Instead, they’re made with pate a choux (pronounced “pat a shoe,” the same dough used for cream puffs) which relies on eggs and trapped steam to create airy centers. The classic French dough may sound scary (or maybe it’s the ridgy piped rings), but as with all the recipes on this list, this Cruller recipe is simpler than it looks!Friday Favorites: DoughnutsHave you made these or any of my other doughnuts? Let me know in the comments or on social media!

Blueberry Doughnuts

Blueberry DoughnutsAre you tired of berry recipes yet? I hope not because I’ve got at least a couple more coming this summer…Blueberry Doughnuts…starting with Blueberry Doughnuts.Blueberry DoughnutsOh, yes. We’re talking crispy-edged, fluffy-centered cake doughnuts that are absolutely loaded with teeny tiny blueberries. Real blueberries—not whatever sketchy goop they put in the Blueberry Doughnuts you find at the national chains!

Side note: Sorry for saying “goop” on a food blog/website that does not belong to Gwyneth Paltrow.Blueberry DoughnutsBut back to doughnuts.

As it’s summer and blueberries are in season, you’d probably guess that I use fresh blueberries here, but you’d be wrong. As you can see in my photos, the fresh blueberries in my grocery stores are the size of marbles right now, and that’s just too big to work in these doughnuts. I tried two batches with those and ended up fishing most of them out of hot oil before they burst and spattered all over my kitchen! Hot oil burns are no fun, and neither are Blueberry Doughnuts with only one or two whole blueberries.Blueberry DoughnutsThe secret to quality homemade Blueberry Doughnuts is to use the smallest blueberries you can find. If you have access to tiny wild blueberries and are somehow sick of eating them by the handful, they would work really well here. If, however, you are like me and don’t live anywhere near a wild blueberry patch, the frozen Wild Boreal Blueberries from Trader Joe’s work just fine 🙂 Blueberry DoughnutsBlueberry DoughnutsThe rest of this recipe is just like making any other cake doughnuts. Fold the blueberries into a simple sour cream dough before rolling and cutting your doughnuts & doughnut holes. The frozen blueberries tend to turn the dough a periwinkle color—this dissipates during frying, but it’s kind of fun, right?!Blueberry DoughnutsBlueberry DoughnutsThese doughnuts get a two minute fry in hot oil before being dipped in a classic glaze. If you want to jazz them up a bit, feel free to swap some of the water in the glaze for lemon juice, or even dip them in a creamy glaze like the one I use for Funfetti Cake Doughnuts!Blueberry DoughnutsBlueberry DoughnutsY’all, homemade Blueberry Doughnuts are sooo delicious! You’ll love their golden exteriors and blueberry-studded interiors, not to mention how surprisingly simple it is to make quality doughnuts at home ❤ Make a batch this weekend!Blueberry Doughnuts

Blueberry Doughnuts
makes 16-18 2 1/2-inch doughnuts + doughnut holes

3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 cup (4 oz) full-fat sour cream
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries, thawed and drained
vegetable or canola oil, for frying

Classic Doughnut Glaze:
1 pound confectioners sugar
1/2 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons light corn syrup (or mild honey)
6 tablespoons hot tap water

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.

Combine sour cream and butter in a small bowl. Microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between, until butter is totally melted. Let mixture cool a few minutes, until warm to the touch but not uncomfortably hot (if it’s too hot, it could scramble the eggs).

In a small mixing bowl, use a whisk to beat eggs. Whisk in sour cream/butter mixture, followed by vanilla. Use a silicone spatula or wooden spoon to fold wet ingredients into dry. Carefully fold in blueberries. Cover dough with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. Dough will be a bit soft.

Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment.

Liberally flour a surface and rolling pin. Uncover dough and transfer it to the floured surface. Roll it out to 1/2-inch thickness. Use a doughnut cutter (or graduated cookie cutters) to cut doughnuts. Place cut doughnuts on prepared pan. Re-roll dough as needed.

Pour about 2 inches of oil into a large heavy-bottomed pot and heat to 350F. Line a rimmed sheet pan with two layers of paper towels and set a cooling rack over the top.

Once oil reaches frying temperature, slip 2-3 doughnuts into the pot. Fry 1-1.5 minutes per side, until golden and cooked through. Remove to rack. Continue frying in batches of 2-3, letting the oil return to temperature in between. Fry doughnut holes for 1.5-2 minutes, flipping at around 45 seconds (some may flip on their own).

After all doughnuts are fried and cool enough to be handled, make the glaze. In a large mixing bowl, whisk all ingredients together until smooth. Pour glaze into a shallow dish. Dip one doughnut at a time, spooning more glaze over the top as you go. Transfer back to rack. Repeat with all remaining doughnuts. Glaze will set after 15-20 minutes.

Serve immediately. Doughnuts are best the day they are made. Leftovers will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for about a day.
Blueberry Doughnuts

Funfetti Cake Doughnuts

Funfetti Cake DoughnutsThe idea for these Funfetti Cake Doughnuts popped into my head while my parents were in town last week and I was so enthralled by it that I reorganized my baking schedule so I could make them as. soon. as. possible.Funfetti Cake DoughnutsYou’re welcome.Funfetti Cake DoughnutsI mean, are these the happiest doughnuts you’ve ever seen or what?!Funfetti Cake DoughnutsFunfetti Cake DoughnutsFunfetti Cake DoughnutsFunfetti Cake DoughnutsIf you love sprinkles like I do, these doughnuts are for you. They’re loaded with rainbow sprinkles inside and out and full of rich vanilla flavor. And that’s to say nothing of their perfectly crispy edges and fluffy interiors.Funfetti Cake DoughnutsFunfetti Cake DoughnutsFunfetti Cake DoughnutsFunfetti Cake DoughnutsThese doughnuts aren’t just pretty, y’all—they are ridiculously delicious. Like maybe the best cake doughnuts I’ve ever had. I made these twice this week (one batch for testing, one for pictures), and I just can’t get enough. Not only that, but formulating this recipe allowed me to streamline my previous cake doughnuts into a totally manageable, 90 minute, no-mixer operation. It was a total breakthrough.Funfetti Cake Doughnuts

Doughnut breakthroughs are totally a thing.Funfetti Cake DoughnutsNow that I have a go-to recipe, there’s no going back—I have about 17 new cake doughnut ideas floating around in my head right now.Funfetti Cake DoughnutsFunfetti Cake DoughnutsThat’s something to celebrate. Preferably with Funfetti Cake Doughnuts.Funfetti Cake Doughnuts

Funfetti Cake Doughnuts
makes 15 2 1/2-inch doughnuts

2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 cup (4 oz) full-fat sour cream
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon imitation butter extract (optional)
1/3 cup rainbow sprinkles (jimmies)
vegetable or canola oil, for frying

Vanilla Dip:
2 cups confectioners sugar
pinch of fine sea salt (optional)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) heavy cream
1 cup rainbow sprinkles (jimmies or nonpareils), for garnish

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.

Combine sour cream and butter in a small bowl. Microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between, until butter is totally melted. Let mixture cool a few minutes, until warm to the touch but not uncomfortably hot (if it’s too hot, it could scramble the eggs).

In a small mixing bowl, use a whisk to beat eggs. Whisk in sour cream/butter mixture, followed by vanilla and optional imitation butter extract. Use a silicone spatula or wooden spoon to fold wet ingredients into dry. Carefully fold in sprinkles. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. Dough will be a bit soft.

Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment.

Liberally flour a surface and rolling pin. Uncover dough and transfer it to the floured surface. Roll it out to 1/2-inch thickness. Use a doughnut cutter (or graduated cookie cutters) to cut doughnuts. Place cut doughnuts on prepared pan. Re-roll dough as needed.

Pour about 2 inches of oil into a large heavy-bottomed pot and heat to 350F. Line a rimmed sheet pan with two layers of paper towels and set a cooling rack over the top.

Once oil reaches frying temperature, slip 2-3 doughnuts into the pot. Fry 1-1.5 minutes per side, until golden and cooked through. Remove to rack. Continue frying in batches of 2-3, letting the oil return to temperature in between.

Once all doughnuts are fried and cool enough to be handled, make the vanilla dip. In a small bowl, use a fork to whisk together confectioners sugar, salt, vanilla, and heavy cream. Place sprinkles in a shallow bowl.

Working with one doughnut at a time, dip each doughnut halfway into the vanilla dip and then either dip into sprinkles or scatter them over the top. Return finished doughnuts to the rack. Let set for 20 minutes.

Serve immediately. Doughnuts are best the day they are made.

Funfetti Cake Doughnuts