Cooking Baking Eating

Just like Homer Simpson, I love donuts. However, I don’t really eat them very often because they are really greasy and sugary. I’ve been toying with the idea of baking donuts, I even picked up one of those donut pans from the local thrift store but just haven’t tried it yet.

Now that I am finally feeling better from this evil-death-flu that has been going around the nation, even though it only took a whole month out of my life, I finally have the bug to start cooking again.

I always know when I’m feeling better when I start wanting to cook again. So I bit the bullet and decided to do it.

I made the baked donuts I’ve been wanting to make. It’s basically the same recipe that is used for making the yeast donuts, but instead I baked them.

I didn’t have any frosting handy so I dipped them in butter and then in cinnamon sugar. My husband already has deemed that he likes them, but would rather have a frosting or a glaze on them.

The recipe makes quite a few, almost 2 dozen donuts, not to mention all of the donut holes that I made as well.

I do have to say that the next time I make them I’d rather have them ALL be the donut holes. The perfect bite sized snack. I also can imagine myself making these and having a donut party, letting everyone dress their own donuts. I think that would be a blast!

There is a difference texturally between the baked donuts and the fried ones. The baked version is a little heavier than the traditional ones, but still quite yummy. They also took forever to rise, I kept thinking that I didn’t do them right or something happened with the yeast, but as soon as they got put in the oven they really blew up!

Ok, on to the recipe:

Baked Donuts
Makes 2 dozen donuts or hundreds of donut holes.

• 3 teaspoons instant active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup warm water (110 degrees F.)
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar (divided)
• 1 cup warm milk (110 degrees F.)
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 eggs, room temperature and beaten
• 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions:

1. Mix the warm water, yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in a bowl and let sit for 10 minutes.
2. In a bowl, mix together all remaining ingredients until a soft dough forms. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until the dough becomes elastic and soft – about 10 minutes. Form into a tight ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl, turning to coat. Cover with plastic or a damp tea towel and let rest for 20 minutes. (Or add all ingredients to a 2lb bread machine and put on the dough cycle.)
3. Pull out dough and roll out to roughly 1/3″ thick. Using a floured donut cutter (or one 3″ cutter and one 1″ cutter for the center) and cut out donuts. Place cut donuts on parchment lined cookie sheets.
4. Let donuts rise, covered in plastic, for roughly 45-60 minutes or until doubled in size. Don’t worry if yours don’t rise after an hour, cook as normal.
5. Bake in a preheated 375F oven for 7-8 minutes, or until the BOTTOMS are just golden brown. Remove from oven and let sit for 1-2 minutes (or until just warm)
6. Top with frosting or dip in melted butter then cinnamon sugar.