Baked Cinnamon Sugar Doughnuts

 

They're fluffy, golden, sweet. . .

 

 

And completely delicious.  

Did I mention that they are baked, rather then fried, making them infinitely more healthy (and easy to prepare) then the average fried doughnut?  Not that I can honestly call these healthy. . . but it sounds very good just to mention.

 

 

Recipe found at Honey & Jam.  An absolutely wonderful and breathtakingly beautiful cooking blog, by the way!

 

Baked Doughnuts
From Doughnuts by Lara Ferroni

(a book that looks quite deliciously and fatally tempting, by the way;)
makes 10-14 doughnuts

 

1 egg
1/4 cup superfine sugar
1 cup whole milk, heated to 115F
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 to 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour, divided, plus more for kneading

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, cut into 1 inch cubes

for topping:
1 stick butter, melted
1 cup superfine sugar + 2 tablespoons cinnamon (more or less, depending on your taste), mixed together

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the egg and sugar on medium speed until blended, about 1 minute. Add the milk, yeast, salt and vanilla, and stir to blend. With the machine on low speed, add 2 cups of flour, about 1/2 cup at a time, and beat until the dough is thick and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

Switch to the dough hook. With the machine on medium speed, add the butter one piece at a time, and beat until no large chunks of butter are left in the bottom of the bowl, 3-5 minutes. Reduce speed to low and add the additional flour until the dough gathers around the hook and cleans the sides of the bowl. It will be soft and moist, but not overly sticky.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead gently until the dough no longer sticks to your hands. Lightly grease a large mixing bowl.

Transfer the dough to the bowl and turn to coat. Cover with a damp tea towel and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

Punch down the dough and roll out to 1/2 inch thick. With a doughnut or a cookie cutter, cut out 3 inch diameter rounds with 1 inch diameter holes.

*(My doughnut cutter is in storage at the moment, but I used a mason jar lid and a small bottle lid to cut out my doughnut shapes.  It worked splendidly!)*

Preheat the oven to 400 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the doughnuts at least 1 inch apart on the baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm spot until nearly doubled in size, about 20 minutes.

Bake until the doughnuts are light golden brown, 5 to 8 minutes, being very careful not to overbake them.

Immediately out of the oven, dip into butter, then directly into cinnamon sugar mixture.

Best eaten fresh and warm.  

 

Oh yes.