Buttermilk Doughnuts

By jab120638

Make breakfast or brunch special with these homemade buttermilk donuts. This is a great recipe because you don't need to wait for yeast to rise, or dough to cool. Eat 'em while they are warm!

Ingredients

• DOUGHNUTS:
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup (that's 1/2 a stick) unsalted butter, melted, and cooled
• Vegetable oil for frying
• BUTTERMILK GLAZE:
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 cup buttermilk (you may not need to use the entire amount)

Details

Servings 8
Preparation time 20mins
Cooking time 130mins

Preparation

Step 1

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, and another large baking sheet with two layers of paper towels.

In a very large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and ginger; Set aside.

In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, and sour cream until combined. Add the melted, cool, butter and whisk to combine.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the buttermilk mixture into the center. Using a large rubber spatula, slowly fold the flour into the liquid center until the mixture forms a sticky, cohesive dough. (Note: It may seem like the dough will never come together, but just keep mixing, gently, until most of the dry patches are gone. It's okay to use your hands and knead it a few times- just don't over-work the dough.)

Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface. Sprinkle the top of the dough with flour and pat it out until it's about 1/2-inch thick. (Note: My dough was very sticky...be sure to flour the surface as needed.)

Use two round cookie, or biscuit cutters (about 3 1/4-inch and 1 1/2-inch for large doughnuts; or 2 1/2-inch and 1-inch for smaller doughnuts). I used the small end of a wide piping tip to make the doughnut holes. Dip larger of the cutters in flour and press out as many rounds as possible. Dip the smaller cutters (or pastry tips, if using) in flour and cut out the center of each round- saving the centers for doughnut holes. Arrange the doughnuts and doughnut holes on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Pat the scraps back together and repeat until all the dough has been used up. (Note: If you run out of dough toward the end, just make doughnut holes.) Chill the dough while the oil heats up.

Pour enough oil into a large, deep skillet to make a layer that's approximately 1 to 1 1/2 inches deep. Slowly heat the oil over med-high heat until it reaches 365 to 370°F.

As the oil is heating, prepare the glaze.

BUTTERMILK GLAZE:

Place the confectioners' sugar into a large, heat-proof mixing bowl. Slowly begin whisking in the buttermilk - about 1 tablespoon at a time- until you're left with a slightly thick, yet drizzly glaze. (It should move around the bowl freely when tilted and have a loose paste consistency.) Set aside.

Grab the paper towel-lined baking sheet and place it next to the skillet. Once the oil reaches the proper temperature, gently place the chilled doughnuts into the hot oil. Don't fry too many all at once- three or two at a time is easy to handle. Once the doughnuts have browned on one side (about 2 to 3 minutes), carefully turn them over with tongs or a slotted spoon and continue to cook for another minuter or two- until golden brown. (Note: Don't walk away from the skillet as the doughnuts are frying, they can burn quite fast once they turn brown.) Using a slotted spoon (or the tongs), transfer the doughnuts to the paper towel-lined baking sheet. Repeat the process with the remaining doughnuts and doughnut holes. (Note: The doughnut holes will fry much faster, so keep a close watch.)

When all the doughnuts and holes have been fried, work quickly and dip each one into the buttermilk glaze. I just placed each doughnut into the glaze until they were completely coated. Set the glazed doughnuts onto a plate or serving platter until set. Once the doughnuts have cooled off, the glaze will harden.