SANDRA'S BAKED DONUT HOLES

A delightful and airy confection!

I guarantee you won't be able to stop with just 1, 2, 3 or 4...

Yield: (Appx. 60 Donut Holes)

Prep: 10 Mins.

Bake: 10-12 Mins. per batch

INGREDIENTS

Special equipment: Mini Muffin Tin (24/batch)

Batter:

1 large egg, beaten

1-1/2 cup milk

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

2 teaspoons double-acting baking powder (or regular)

Finishing:

Brush warm donut holes with:

--1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted (in microwave-proof bowl for 30 secs)

--Place in large Ziploc bag (for shaking warm donut holes to coat)

1 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch of freshly ground nutmeg

METHOD

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spot spray with Bakers Joy each mini muffin tin cup; set aside (or with oil then dusted with flour) -- this process will be repeated for each batch to prevent donut holes from sticking.

In a medium bowl, add egg and beat with a fork. Add in milk, vegetable oil and vanilla extract, mix to combine. Add in remaining batter ingredients; and using a wooden spoon mix to just combine. Using a 2-TB-size scoop, fill each cup in mini muffin tin, about 3/4's full.

Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, until they're light golden on top and slightly brown on edges, and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Meanwhile, place 1 cup sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg in a large 

Ziploc bag, shake to combine and set aside. Also, melt 1 tablespoon butter in a small microwave-proof bowl for 30 seconds; set aside with a pastry brush.

Place a clean kitchen towel on counter. While hot, tip muffin tin over on its side so hot donut holes fall out onto kitchen towel. Flip them over and lightly brush tops with melted butter. Gently add warm donut holes, 6 at a time, into Ziploc bag with spice-sugar mixture, shake to coat, then place onto a wire rack to cool. Store completely cooled donut holes in an airtight container. ~ Enjoy!

TIP:

If you'd like to make mini donuts, do so in the same method; same baking time but use a mini non-stick donut pan (I purchased mine through Amazon-Prime).

Chocolate Glaze

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

3 tablespoons milk or water

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract.

In a medium bowl, whisk together powdered sugar and cocoa powder.  Slowly stir in milk and vanilla extract.  Whisk until silky and smooth.  If you need a touch more milk to make this a dippable glaze, add a bit more.

Dip doughnuts in chocolate glaze and let rest to harden slightly.

Doughnuts are best served the day they’re made.  They also freeze just fine!

SANDRA’S THREE VERSIONS of RAISED DOUGHNUTS

Raised doughnuts are best when eaten 
the same day they are made,
although they can be stored in an 
airtight container 
for a day or two just fine...

Yields: (2 Doz. Doughnuts, and 8 Doughnut holes)
Prep: 30 Mins. | 
Rising: About 2 Hrs., total | 
Fry: 2 - 4 Mins.

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup unsalted butter

2/3 cup milk

2/3 cup warm water

2 packages active dry yeast

3/4 cup granulated sugar

4-1/2 cups all-purpose sifted flour (not self-rising)

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon table salt

1 teaspoon organic ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon organic ground cinnamon

½ organic vanilla bean, scraped

--Vegetable oil, for frying

Filling/Toppings:

--1/4 cup jam/jelly (I used homemade Strawberry-Rhubarb-Banana Jam)

--Cinnamon Sugar: 1/2 cup sugar mixed with 1 teaspoon cinnamon

--Glaze: 1 tablespoon milk, ½ teaspoon vanilla, mixed with 1 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar

METHOD

Dough in Stand Mixer

Melt butter in milk, in a saucepan, and cool to lukewarm. Place warm water in stand mixer bowl, and sprinkle in yeast and stir in 2 tablespoons sugar, and let bloom for 10 minutes.  Add to the yeast mixture the milk mixture, remaining sugar, and scraped vanilla bean. Attach the dough hook and slowly add in 2-1/2 cups flour; mix until smooth.  Add the beaten eggs, salt, and spices. Slowly add in remaining flour, as needed, to form a soft but manageable dough. Run mixer to knead 8 minutes.  Turn dough onto a floured pastry board; shape into a ball.  Place dough ball into a sprayed large bowl and turn to coat.  Cover bowl with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm and draft-free area until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.  (I do so in my oven with just the light on, no heat.)

Dough prepped to rise

Dough risen to double in size

After punching down,
split into 
2 dough balls

Punch dough down, and split into two balls.  Place first ball on a lightly floured board, and roll to ½” thick using a floured rolling pin. Cut with a floured doughnut cutter and place 1” apart on sprayed baking sheets, with doughnut holes as well; reserve scraps. Place second ball on a lightly floured board, and roll ¼” thick, and cut in 2-1/2” rounds (no holes) and put 1 teaspoon of jelly in the center of half of the rounds.  Moisten the edges with water, top with remaining rounds, and pinch to seal.  Place 1” apart on baking sheet.  Re-roll scraps to ½” thick and cut into 6”x1/2” strips, twist two strips together and pinch ends, repeat with remaining strips, and place on baking sheet.  Let all the doughnuts rise until doubled, covered, for about 1 hour in a draft-free area.

8 jelly filled;
8 cruller (twisted);
8 regular; and
8 doughnut holes
rising 

Meanwhile, heat 2-inches deep of oil to 375 degrees in a dutch oven, electric skillet, or deep fryer (ensure doughnuts do not touch bottom while frying).  When doughnuts have risen, ease four doughnuts into hot oil, one at a time. Fry, in batches, about 2 minutes per side until doughnuts are golden brown all over, using tongs to turn. Drain on a paper towel lined baking sheets. While doughnuts are warm, roll half of them in cinnamon/sugar topping.  When the remainder have cooled a bit more, use a pastry brush to glaze those. – Enjoy!