Shelly’s Friday Favourites: How to make homemade doughnuts

I know it’s the beginning of January and I know we’re all still drinking smoothies and juices to ditch those Christmas extras we picked up, but I’d like to take a few moments today to talk about something that I’ve been thinking about a lot lately: doughnuts. No, it’s not the healthiest thing to think about, but you can’t deny that doughnuts are both delicious and a lot of fun.

Doughnuts have come a long way from the simple cake or chocolate dipped variety we had when I was a kid. These days, one doughnut does not fit all. If you’ve ever been to Voodoo Doughnuts in Portland or anywhere that serves unique doughnuts you’ll have tried them dripping with Fruit Loops, sprinkled with bacon, and maybe even tossed with everything but the kitchen sink. The weirdest donut I ever tried had bacon, Oreos, and pretzels crumbled on top of an apple cider vinegar glaze. I don’t know how it’s possible, but it tastes like magic.

If you’re giving yourself a treat day, you can’t beat a fresh doughnut, and although store-bought are great, homemade doughnuts are even better.

I’ve got three tested recipes you can use to make unique doughnuts at home, but before you get started, you might want to consider having some of these ingredients on hand. You never know how creative you’re going to want to get.

• Crushed up cookies
• Crushed up chocolate bars
• Crushed up cereal like Apple Jacks, Fruit Loops, Captain Crunch, or your favourite
• Bacon bits and strips of bacon
• Fresh fruit
• Sea Salt

Brown Butter Baked Doughnuts with Chocolate Glaze

This recipe from the Joythebaker.com is so good, I’d recommend it before any other doughnut recipe I’ve tried. I’ve made these and added all sorts of toppings to the glaze, but they are great as is too. Photo and recipe from Joythebaker.com.

Directions

Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Lightly grease a doughnut pan and set aside.

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

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt butter until its brown. Remove from heat and immediately transfer browned butter to a small bowl.

In a small bowl whisk together egg, buttermilk, and vanilla extract.  Measure out 2 tablespoons of browned butter and whisk into the wet ingredients.

Add the wet ingredients all at once to the dry ingredients.  Stir together until no flour bits remain and all of the ingredients are well combined.  Try not to overmix the batter.  That might create rubbery doughnuts.

Use a small spoon to dollop batter into the prepared pan.  Smooth out and fill each doughnut in the pan three-quarters full with batter.

Place in the oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes.  Keep an eye on them and try not to over-bake them.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.

While the doughnuts cool, make the glaze.

To make the glaze, in a medium bowl whisk together powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and salt.  I didn’t sift my powdered sugar.  I was able to whisk the lumps out.  If you have stubborn powdered sugar, sifting before is best.

Add 2 tablespoons of milk and vanilla extract.  Whisk to combine.  Add more milk as necessary to create a thick but still just pourable glaze.

Once the doughnuts are completely cool, dip top-side-down into the chocolate glaze.  Return to the wire rack and sprinkle with toppings.  Allow to set for about 30 minutes before stacking or serving.

Strawberry Baked Doughnuts

Because these are made with whole wheat flour and real strawberries, you won’t feel quite as guilty about eating them. You could toss a few fruit loops on them if you’er feeling adventurous. Photo and recipe from plantfoodfabulous.com.

Directions

Preheat oven to 375º.

Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl.

In a medium size bowl combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs and vanilla and mix well.

Add the wet to the dry and mix until just combined.

Add the vinegar and mix thoroughly.

Stir in ½ cup strawberries.

Fill a pastry bag or a plastic pag with the corner snipped, and pipe into the prepared doughnut pan.

Bake for 12-13 minutes until golden.

 
Maple Sea Salt Doughnuts

Eating gluten-free doesn’t mean you have to give you everything, and that includes doughnuts. This recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan, so it covers all the bases while still tasting great. Photo and recipe from Edibleperspective.com. For more doughnuts, check out her cookbook ‘Baked Doughnuts for everyone.’

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease your doughnut pan.

Combine the oat flour, sweet rice flour, almond meal, cane sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl, mixing until well combined.

In another bowl, whisk the eggs together, then add the milk, applesauce, maple syrup, oil, and vanilla extract. Whisk until well combined.

Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir with a large wooden spoon until just combined, being careful not to overmix (stop when you no longer see dry flour).

Spoon the batter into the doughnut molds filling to just below the top of each mold, 1/8” to 1/4” from the top.

Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until lightly golden brown around the edges. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve enjoyed having a little doughnut break. January is such a gloomy month, and filling the house with the smell of baking doughnuts is a great way to kill the winter blues.

If you need a few supplies so you can cook doughnuts, check out these doughnut must-haves for your kitchen:

You’ll avoid cooking your doughnuts in oil when you have a a doughnut pan

Bite-sized mini-doughnuts are a great way to get sugar-fix without going overboard

Serve up your doughnut snack with some delicious doughnut coffee