Cinnamon Sugar Baked Doughnuts

Back in January, when I started this whole great adventure, I promised you doughnuts during Brunch Month.  It took me all month, but I can finally deliver!

Here's my deal with doughnuts.  I usually don't eat them.  I don't work in an office these days, and I don't make a habit of driving through Krispy Kreme (only once in my life while I was pregnant, don't tell!).  They just aren't my usual breakfast fare.  But I still think they're a fantastic treat.

Here's my other deal.  Why are they always fried?  Come on, America.  Let's get it together.
I decided to search for a good looking baked doughnut recipe that didn't require a doughnut pan (like lots of baked doughnut recipes out there do).
I think this one is just perfect.

And also- how good are doughnut holes?  I think they're my favorite (higher cinnamon sugar to doughnut ratio).  I ate about a million.



Try not to overbake these little yummies.  You don't want the insides to be dry, okay?

And try to make them to order if you can.  I had a group of my girlfriends over to taste test for me (thanks, girls!), and I made sure to plan ahead so they were ready to pop in the oven upon their arrival.  You just need about two hours ahead of time for the rising (so if brunch is at 10, start them at 8).

I think you'll find that these are just as tasty as those Krispy Kremes (in their own way).
Did I mention there's white whole wheat flour in these babies?
You have my permission to call them healthy.  Go get your brunch on!

Cinnamon Sugar Baked Doughnuts

only slightly adapted from 101 Cookbooks

1 1/3 cups warm milk, 95 to 105 degrees (divided)
1 packet active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
2 tablespoons butter
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
5 cups flour (I used 3 cups all-purpose flour, 2 cups white whole wheat flour)
A pinch or two of nutmeg, freshly grated
1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon

Place 1/3 cup of the warm milk in the bowl of an electric mixer. Stir in the yeast and set aside for five minutes or so. Be sure your milk isn't too hot or it will kill the yeast. Stir the butter and sugar into the remaining cup of warm milk and add it to the yeast mixture. With a fork, stir in the eggs, flour, nutmeg, and salt - just until the flour is incorporated. With the dough hook attachment of your mixer beat the dough for a few minutes at medium speed. This is where you are going to need to make adjustments - if your dough is overly sticky, add flour a few tablespoons at a time. Too dry? Add more milk a bit at a time. You want the dough to pull away from the sides of the mixing bowl and eventually become supple and smooth. Turn it out onto a floured counter-top, knead a few times (the dough should be barely sticky), and shape into a ball.

Transfer the dough to a buttered (or oiled) bowl, cover, put in a warm place (I turn on the oven at this point and set the bowl on top), and let rise for an hour or until the dough has roughly doubled in size.

Punch down the dough and roll it out 1/2-inch thick on your floured countertop. Most people (like myself) don't have a doughnut cutter, instead I use a 2-3 inch cookie cutter to stamp out circles. Transfer the circles to a parchment-lined baking sheet and stamp out the smaller inner circles using a smaller cutter. If you cut the inner holes out any earlier, they become distorted when you attempt to move them. Cover with a clean cloth and let rise for another 45 minutes.

Bake in a 375 degree oven until the bottoms are just golden, 8 to 10 minutes - start checking around 8. While the doughnuts are baking, place the butter in a medium bowl. Place the sugar and cinnamon in a separate bowl. 

Remove the doughnuts from the oven and let cool for just a minute or two. Dip each one in the melted butter and a quick toss in the sugar bowl. Eat immediately if not sooner.

Makes 1 1/2 - 2 dozen medium doughnuts.

 

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