Sugar Doughnuts Recipes

BAKED CINNAMON SUGAR DONUTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray 9 cavities of a 12-cavity doughnut pan with cooking spray.
• Combine sugar, butter, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl; beat with an electric mixer until well combined. Add egg and mix until incorporated.
• Combine flour and baking powder in a small bowl. Add flour mixture to butter mixture in batches, alternating with milk, beating batter briefly after each addition. Pour batter into a large resealable plastic bag. Snip off one corner of the bag and pipe batter into the 9 prepared cavities of the doughnut pan, filling each halfway.
• Bake doughnuts in the preheated oven until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean, 7 to 9 minutes.
• While the doughnuts are baking, place melted butter for topping in a shallow bowl. Mix together 2/3 cup sugar and cinnamon in another shallow bowl. Roll warm doughnuts in melted butter and then in cinnamon sugar to coat.

SUGAR DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl. Whisk together 1 cup sugar, buttermilk, butter, and eggs in another bowl, then add to flour and stir until a dough forms (dough will be sticky).
• Turn out dough onto a well-floured surface and knead gently 8 times. Flour dough and a rolling pin, then roll out dough into a 12-inch round (about 1/3 inch thick). Cut out as many doughnuts as possible with floured 3-inch doughnut cutter and transfer to lightly floured baking sheets. Gather scraps, reroll, and cut more doughnuts in same manner.
• Heat oil in a 5-quart heavy pot until thermometer registers 375°F. Working in batches of 3, slide doughnuts into oil and fry. Once each doughnut floats to surface, turn over and fry 50 seconds, then turn again and fry 50 seconds more. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Cool slightly and dredge in remaining 1 1/4 cups sugar.

THE BEST OLD-FASHIONED DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• Whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, 1 1/4 teaspoons of the salt and the nutmeg in a large bowl until completely combined. Whisk together 2/3 cup of the buttermilk, the sour cream, eggs, yolks, 1 tablespoon of the vanilla paste and the oil in a medium bowl until completely combined. Fold the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients just until a soft and sticky dough comes together (do not overwork).
• Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and liberally dust with flour (about 1/3 cup).
• Scrape the dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Dust your hands and the top of the dough with more flour, then gently pat the dough to 3/4-inch thick.
• Working on the baking sheet, punch out as many rounds as you can with a 3 1/4-inch cutter. Then use a 1 1/4-inch cutter to punch out the center of each round. Dip the cutters in flour before each cut to avoid sticking. Gather the dough scraps and gently re-roll without overworking the dough. Repeat cutting until all the dough has been used (you should have 8 doughnuts).
• Set a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet and line a second rimmed baking sheet with several layers of paper towels. Fit a large heavy pot with a deep-fry thermometer and pour in oil to a depth of 3 inches. Heat over medium-high until the thermometer registers 375 degrees F.
• Fry the doughnuts in batches until deep golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to the wire rack and let cool slightly. Fry the doughnut holes until deep golden brown, about 90 seconds per side. Transfer to the wire rack and let drain for 1 minute. Then transfer to the paper-towel lined baking sheet to cool for 10 minutes before glazing. (This two-step process gets a lot more oil out of the doughnuts than using only one method.) Repeat with the remaining dough, making sure the oil returns to temperature between batches.
• Whisk together the confectioners' sugar, the remaining 6 tablespoons buttermilk, the remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla paste and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl until the glaze is smooth and the consistency of honey; add more confectioners' sugar or buttermilk if necessary.
• Dip each doughnut into the glaze on one side (we like the craggy side, it has more texture for an appetizing appearance), letting the excess drip back into the bowl, then return it to the wire rack. Toss the doughnut holes in the glaze to coat completely and return to the wire rack. Let the glaze set for 10 minutes before serving.

CINNAMON BAKED DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray 2 doughnut pans well.
• Into a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, melted butter, and vanilla. Stir the wet mixture into the dry ingredients until just combined.
• Spoon the batter into the baking pans, filling each one a little more than three-quarters full. Bake for 17 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then tap the doughnuts out onto a sheet pan.
• For the topping, melt the 8 tablespoons of butter in an 8-inch saute pan. Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Dip each doughnut first in the butter and then in the cinnamon sugar, either on one side or both sides.

OLD-FASHIONED CAKE DOUGHNUTS (DONUTS)

Steps:

• In a large bowl mix the sugar, baking powder, salt and nutmeg.
• Add eggs, milk and melted butter. Beat well.
• Add 3 cups of the flour, beating until blended. Add one more cup of flour and beat well. The dough should be soft and sticky but firm enough to handle. If you feel its necessary, add up to 1/2 cup more flour.
• Cover with plastic wrap and chill for *at* *least* one hour.
• Remove your dough from the fridge and begin heating about 1" of oil to 360F in a large metal skillet.
• Working half the dough at a time, roll it out on a floured surface to about 1/2" thickness. Cut out circles using a doughnut cutter or large biscuit or cookie cutter. For the center, I actually use the cap off my martini shaker ;) to cut the holes.
• Gently drop the doughnuts in batches into the hot oil. Flip them over as they puff and turn them a couple more times as they cook. They will take about 2-3 minutes in total and will be lovely and golden brown all over.
• Remove from the oil and set them on paper towels or brown paper bag (that removes all the fat, you know).
• Douse them with sugar and cinnamon, icing, chocolate dipped with sprinkles or whatever you like.

SUGARED-FLOWERED DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• Flowers: Whisk egg white with 1 teaspoon water in a small bowl. Working with one flower at a time, holding it with tweezers or in your fingers and using a small paintbrush, brush egg wash over surface of petals. Sprinkle evenly with superfine sugar. Transfer to a wire rack set over a baking sheet, sugared-sides up. Let stand at room temperature 12 hours.
• Doughnuts: Preheat oven to 425°F. Lightly brush two standard 6-mold doughnut pans with butter. Beat butter with both sugars, baking powder, baking soda, and salt on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, orange zest, and almond extract; beat on medium speed to combine, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Reduce speed to low; add flour in two batches, alternating with milk. Beat just until combined.
• Transfer batter to a piping bag or resealable plastic bag with a 1/2-inch hole snipped in one corner. Pipe mixture into prepared pans, dividing evenly. Bang pans several times on counter to release air bubbles. Bake until doughnut tops spring back when lightly pressed, 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.
• Glaze: In a bowl, whisk together confectioners' sugar, orange-blossom water, and 1/4 cup water until glaze is thick and smooth and has the consistency of honey, adding more water as needed. Dip top of each doughnut in glaze (each should be halfway submerged), rotating to evenly coat. Transfer to wire rack, glaze-sides up. Top with sugared flowers while still wet; let dry completely.

SUPER EASY DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• Stir the vinegar into the milk, and let stand for a few minutes until thick.
• In a medium bowl, cream together the shortening and sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg and vanilla until well blended. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the sugar mixture alternating with the vinegar and milk. Roll dough out on a floured surface to 1/3 inch thickness. Cut into doughnuts using a donut cutter. Let stand for about 10 minutes.
• Heat the oil in a large deep skillet to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Fry doughnuts in the hot oil until golden, turning over once. Drain on paper towels. Dust with confectioners' sugar while they are still warm, and serve immediately.

HOT SUGARED DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• Put the flour, yeast, sugar and 1⁄2 tsp salt into a large bowl, mix, then make a well in the middle. Beat the egg yolks, milk and melted butter together, tip into the well, then bring together with a cutlery knife. The dough will seem wet and rough. Leave to stand for 10 mins, after which it will have firmed a little.
• Oil the work surface and your hands, then tip out the dough and knead for about 5 mins until it looks smoother and feels springy. Keep oiling your hands if the dough sticks. Let it rise in an oiled, covered bowl in a warm place for about 2 hrs or until doubled in size.
• Give the dough another quick knead, then shape into walnut-size balls and place on baking sheets, well spaced. Cover again, then leave to rise for 30 mins-1 hr until risen and the dough no longer springs back when you prod it. Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5.
• Bake for 12-15 mins until risen and dark golden. Can be frozen at this stage for up to 1 month. Defrost, then reheat for few mins in the oven. Melt 50g butter in a pan and put 50g sugar into a large bowl. Let the doughnuts cool for a few mins, then brush with butter and roll in sugar. Spoon a few tbsp jam into a piping bag with a 5mm nozzle. Poke a hole in each doughnut, then push in the nozzle and squeeze in a little jam. Best served warm.