The Best Old Fashioned Doughnuts Recipes

OLD-FASHIONED DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat sour cream and buttermilk until smooth. Beat in sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla just until combined. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to buttermilk mixture just until combined (dough will be sticky). Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours., Turn dough onto a well-floured surface; knead for 2-3 minutes or until smooth. Roll out to 1/2-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 2-1/2-in. doughnut cutter., In an electric skillet or deep-fat fryer, heat oil to 375°. Fry doughnuts, a few at a time, for 3 minutes or until golden brown on each side. Fry doughnut holes until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Dust with confectioners' sugar if desired.

OLD-FASHIONED CAKE DOUGHNUTS (DONUTS)

Steps:

• In a large bowl mix the sugar, baking powder, salt and nutmeg.
• Add eggs, milk and melted butter. Beat well.
• Add 3 cups of the flour, beating until blended. Add one more cup of flour and beat well. The dough should be soft and sticky but firm enough to handle. If you feel its necessary, add up to 1/2 cup more flour.
• Cover with plastic wrap and chill for *at* *least* one hour.
• Remove your dough from the fridge and begin heating about 1" of oil to 360F in a large metal skillet.
• Working half the dough at a time, roll it out on a floured surface to about 1/2" thickness. Cut out circles using a doughnut cutter or large biscuit or cookie cutter. For the center, I actually use the cap off my martini shaker ;) to cut the holes.
• Gently drop the doughnuts in batches into the hot oil. Flip them over as they puff and turn them a couple more times as they cook. They will take about 2-3 minutes in total and will be lovely and golden brown all over.
• Remove from the oil and set them on paper towels or brown paper bag (that removes all the fat, you know).
• Douse them with sugar and cinnamon, icing, chocolate dipped with sprinkles or whatever you like.

OLD-FASHIONED YEAST-RAISED DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• Melt butter in milk and cool to lukewarm. Place water in a warm large mixing bowl, sprinkle in yeast, and stir until dissolved; add milk mixture and sugar. By hand, beat 2 1/2 cups flour in until smooth; mix in eggs, salt, and spices. Mix in remaining flour, adding a little extra, if needed, to form a soft but manageable dough. Knead lightly 1 minute on a floured pastry cloth; shape into a ball, place in a greased large bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
• Punch dough down, roll 1/2-inch thick on pastry cloth, using a floured, stockinette-covered rolling pin. Cut with a floured doughnut cutter and place 1 1/2-inches apart on un-greased baking sheets. Reroll and cut scraps. Cover with cloth and let double in bulk.
• Meanwhile, begin heating fat in a deep fat fryer. When doughnuts have risen and fat has reached 375 degrees F, ease 4 doughnuts into fat, 1 at a time. Fry about 2 minutes until golden brown all over, using tongs to turn. Drain on paper toweling.
• While doughnuts are warm, roll in topping.
• Jelly Doughnuts: Prepare as directed, but roll dough 1/4-inch thick instead of 1/2-inch. Cut in 2 1/2-inch rounds and put 1 teaspoonful tart jelly in the center of 1/2 the rounds. Top with remaining rounds, moisten touching edges slightly, and pinch to seal. Let rise, then fry as directed. Roll in confectioners' sugar while still warm.
• Crullers: Prepare as directed, but instead of cutting into doughnuts, cut in strips 8-inches long and 1/2 to 3/4-inch wide; let rise, then twist strips several times and pinch ends. Fry at once and roll in topping while still warm.

TOP POT OLD-FASHIONED DOUGHNUTS RECIPE

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Set aside.
• Mix sugar and shortening in a standing mixer or with a hand-held mixer until sandy-about 1 minute.
• Add the egg yolks and mix until lighter and thicker-about 1 minute.
• Mix in sour cream.
• Stir in flour mixture, being sure to combine dough thoroughly.
• Cover dough and chill for at least 45 minutes and up to overnight.
• Heat a large, heavy pot with at least 2 inches of oil in it to 325 F.
• While oil heats, roll out dough on a well-floured work surface. Roll out to an even 1/2-inch thick. Use a doughnut cutter or a 3-inch circle and a 1/2-inch circle cutter and cut out as many doughnuts (and doughnut holes) as fit.
• Gently knead the remaining dough back into a mass.
• Re-roll to 1/2-inch thick and cut remaining doughnuts.
• Dust off any excess flour from the doughnuts and gently slide a few into the oil. Fry only as many as will fit in the pot without touching.
• Once the doughnuts float to the top of the oil, fry for 15 seconds.
• Gently flip them over and fry until golden brown and cracked-about 90 seconds.
• Flip back over and finish frying until golden and cracked on the second side-about 75 more seconds.
• Transfer cooked doughnuts to a cooling rack (you can set it over a tray or layers of paper towels to catch the grease).
• Repeat with remaining doughnuts.
• Gather the ingredients.
• Whisk the powdered sugar, corn syrup, salt, vanilla, and 1/2 cup hot water in a medium bowl until smooth.
• Dip doughnuts in the warm glaze while they are also still warm.
• Let sit to cool and set up for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.