Baked Vanilla Doughnuts

Standing and frying doughnuts or sufganiyot at Chanukah time is a labor of love that I have chosen to forgo. After serving doughnuts that were raw in the middle on too many occasions, I abandoned my deep fryer and joined the line that snaked out the door of my local bakery. Twenty-five different flavors of sufganiot including Oreo crumb-covered donuts, Boston cream and salted caramel versions, are sold only at this time of the year. However, if standing in line for a donut isn’t your idea of holiday fun, there’s no need to feel deprived.

Baked Vanilla Doughnuts

This recipe for baked doughnuts by Erin Jeanne McDowell published in Fine Cooking Magazine, is made from a batter that is leavened with baking powder. The batter is piped into a doughnut pan and baked. No standing and frying. The doughnuts can be glazed and decorated with colored sprinkles or, rolled in icing sugar or cinnamon sugar, to recreate your favorite supermarket treats. Taste-tested by several panels of experts, these doughnuts were awarded top marks by all the judges (a special thanks to Uncle Larry and Auntie Shaindy). And unlike sufganiyot from the bakery, you can enjoy these doughnuts not only during Chanukah, but all year round. Happy Chanukah!

Assemble your ingredients. Position a rack in the center of the oven, and preheat the oven to 425 F. Lightly grease the cavities of two standard doughnut pans with nonstick spray.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream the butter/margarine, oil, and sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing on medium speed to combine. Mix in the vanilla, and scrape the bowl well.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add half of the flour mixture to the butter/margarine mixture, and mix on low speed until incorporated. Add half of the milk (plant-based milk is fine), and mix until combined. Repeat, adding the remaining flour until incorporated, then the remaining milk until the batter is smooth.

Transfer the batter to a pastry bag or a heavy-duty zipper lock bag with a corner cut off. Carefully pipe the batter into each cavity of the prepared pans, filling each cavity to just under the top rim. (You can also carefully spoon the batter into the cavities if you prefer.) Rap the filled donut pan sharply on the counter 2 or 3 times to get rid of any air bubbles. Bake the doughnuts until a toothpick inserted into the center of a donut comes out clean, 9-10 minutes. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes then flip onto a cooling rack.

To Finish the Doughnuts:

If you’re finishing the doughnuts with sugar:

While the doughnuts are still warm brush the top of the doughnut with melted butter or margarine and toss them in confectioner’s sugar or cinnamon sugar until well-coated.

If you’re glazing the doughnuts:

Let the doughnuts cool for another 1/2 hour. Place a wire rack over a baking sheet. Working one at a time, dip each doughnut top side down into the glaze and lift up, allowing the excess glaze to drip back into the bowl. Set the glazed doughnut on the cooling rack and allow the glaze to set. If you’re adding sprinkles or other toppings to the glazed doughnuts, apply them while the glaze is still wet so that they stick.

To make baked chocolate doughnuts:

Use 2 1/3 cups flour and 1/3 cup cocoa power. Omit the cinnamon and nutmeg.

Print Recipe

Baked Vanilla Doughnuts

Cookies, Cakes, Pies and Desserts

By Erin Jeanne McDowell, Fine Cooking – Serves: 12

Prep Time: 20 minutes – Cooking Time: 10 minutes – Total Time: 30 minutes

Baked doughnuts that feature a delicious, crisp crust and tender interior can be dressed up in any way you can dream of, from simple sugar finishes to eye-catching glazes and toppings galore.

Ingredients

• Doughnuts
• 6 tablespoons butter/margarine, at room temperature
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 3/4 cups (12 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• pinch ground cinnamon
• pinch ground nutmeg
• 1 cup whole milk at room temperature (plant-based milk is fine)
• To finish the doughnuts:
• 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar whisked with 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon melted butter or margarine for brushing on the doughnuts immediately before rolling in sugar
• OR
• 1 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 tablespoon melted butter or margarine for brushing on the doughnuts immediately before rolling in sugar
• OR
• Vanilla Glaze
• 3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 cup heavy cream (plant-based is fine)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• pinch of sea salt
• Chocolate Glaze
• 3 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/3 cup cocoa
• 1/3 cup whole milk (plant-based milk is fine), more as needed
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• pinch of sea salt

Instructions

Doughnuts:

1

Position a rack in the center of the oven, and preheat the oven to 425 F. Lightly grease the cavities of two standard doughnut pans with nonstick spray.

2

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream the butter/margarine, oil, and sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing on medium speed to combine. Mix in the vanilla, and scrape the bowl well.

3

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add half of the flour mixture to the butter/margarine mixture, and mix on low speed until incorporated. Add half of the milk (plant-based milk is fine), and mix until combined. Repeat, adding the remaining flour until incorporated, then the remaining milk until the batter is smooth.

4

Transfer the batter to a pastry bag or a heavy-duty zipper lock bag with a corner cut off. Carefully pipe the batter into each cavity of the prepared pans, filling each cavity to just under the top rim. (You can also carefully spoon the batter into the cavities if you prefer.) Rap the filled donut pan sharply on the counter 2 or 3 times to get rid of any air bubbles.

5

Bake the doughnuts until a toothpick inserted into the center of a donut comes out clean, 9-10 minutes. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes then turn onto a cooling rack.

To Finish the Doughnuts:

If you're finishing the doughnuts with sugar:

6

While the doughnuts are still warm brush the top of the doughnut with melted butter or margarine and toss them in confectioner's sugar or cinnamon sugar until well-coated.

If you're glazing the doughnuts:

7

Let the doughnuts cool for another 1/2 hour. Place a wire rack over a baking sheet. Working one at a time, dip each doughnut top side down into the glaze and lift up allowing the excess glaze to drip back into the bowl. Set the glazed doughnut on the cooking rack and allow the glaze to set. If you're adding sprinkles or other toppings to the glazed doughnuts, apply them while the glaze is still wet so that they stick.

Notes

To make baked chocolate doughnuts: Use 2 1/3 cups flour and 1/3 cup cocoa power. Omit the cinnamon and nutmeg.