These festive donuts are cookie-sized, easier to make and lower in fat by being baked in a mini donut pan (see note **). Dip them in multiple colors of icing and top with colored sprinkles, chopped nuts, crushed Oreos…whatever ou fancy! Adults and kids alike will love these on a holiday morning, or any day! Of course, for Christmas, use Christmas-colored icing and sprinkles, and you can change up the colors for any holiday or event.
Ingredients
- For the donuts
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly-grated if possible
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk (see note * for substitutes)
- For the glaze
1 recipe Powdered Sugar Icing I and/or Chocolate Glaze
various colors of food coloring (optional)
various colored sprinkles (optional)
Directions
- Make the donuts
- Preheat oven to 350F and grease two mini donut pans ** (this recipe makes 18 donuts, so if you have two 12-donut pans, you will have enough to fill one pan completely and one only half way) . In a large mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer whip together butter and sugar until slightly pale and fluffy. Stir in eggs one at a time then blend in vanilla. Stir in half the flour mixture and mix just until combined. Then stir in half buttermilk and mix just until combine. Repeat this process until all buttermilk and flour mixture are incorporated. Avoid beating this too much…it is preferable for the batter to remain slightly lumpy at this point. Stop using the electric mixture and gently stir with a silicone spatula to mix the mixture more evently. Avoid over-mixing. Place the batter into a into large piping bag fitted with a medium round tip. Alternately, put it into a large zip-loc freezer baggie and snip off a corner with a scissors. Pipe into prepared doghnut pans, filling cavities about 2/3 full. Bake until toothpick inserted into donuts comes out clean, about 7 – 9 minutes. If you are re-using a pan a second time, allow it to cool thoroughly, clean it out and re-grease it before you use it again. Allow donuts to cool completely on a wire rack.
- Make the glaze
- Prepare the Powdered Sugar Icing I or Chocolate Glaze (or both!) according to directions. For a look similar to the photo, separate the white icing into small bowls and color it different food coloring, as desired. With a fork stuck into the side, dip each donut into icing and place back on wire rack. If using, apply sprinkles while icing is still wet. Once all donuts are glazed, you can use the extra icing to drizzle over donuts. To do this, scrape each color of remaining icing into a zip-loc baggie and slice of tiny tip of a corner; drizzle over donuts. Allow icing/glaze to set before serving. Store at room temperature in airtight container.
Notes
- * if you don’t have any buttermilk on hand, just use 1/2 of regular milk, and stir in 1-1/2 teaspoons of white or apple cider vinegar or lemon juice. Allow to sit for about 5 minutes until it starts to curdle, then use in your recipe.
- Recipe source: inspired by and adapted from a recipe from Cooking Classy who was in turn inspired by a recipe on Allrecipes.
- ** a mini donut pan is inexpensive and can be found at your local store that offers kitchen goods, occasionally even the dollar store. If shopping local is not an option, they can be easily found at Amazon or Walmart.