Description
Delicious homemade maple donuts with a tender, fluffy texture and a rich maple glaze. These cake donuts are lightly spiced with nutmeg and cinnamon, fried to golden perfection, and optionally topped with crispy bacon for added flavor and crunch.
Ingredients
Scale
Donut Ingredients:
- 3 cups all purpose flour, plus more for rolling
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Pinch ground cinnamon (a scant ⅛ teaspoon)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons (¼ cup) melted, unsalted butter
- ¾ cup half & half
- Neutral oil, for frying (about 6 cups)
- 4 strips bacon (optional, for garnish, crisped and chopped)
Maple Glaze Ingredients:
- 2 ¼ cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup milk or half & half
- ½ teaspoon maple flavor
- ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, ground nutmeg, and ground cinnamon until well blended and aerated. Set aside.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, use a hand mixer on medium-high speed to beat the granulated sugar and eggs together until thick and pale, about 2-3 minutes. Add the vanilla extract and melted butter, mixing again until incorporated.
- Combine Ingredients Gradually: Add about one-third of the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until just incorporated. Pour in half of the half & half and mix again. Repeat by adding another third of dry ingredients, then the remaining half & half, and finally the last of the dry ingredients, mixing gently until everything is combined. Be careful not to overmix; the dough should be soft and slightly sticky.
- Chill Dough: Cover the dough directly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour to firm up, making it easier to roll and cut.
- Prepare Maple Glaze and Bacon: While the dough chills, whisk together powdered sugar, milk (or half & half), maple flavor, and vanilla extract in a medium bowl until smooth, thick, and glossy. Cover and keep at room temperature. Crisp the bacon in a pan, drain on paper towels, then chop finely and set aside for optional garnish.
- Roll and Cut Dough: Flour your work surface and rolling pin. Roll the chilled dough out to about ½ inch thickness. Using a 3-inch donut cutter, cut out donuts, then use a 1-inch cutter for the holes if desired. Place donuts on a parchment-lined baking sheet sprinkled with flour. Re-roll scraps gently to cut more donuts.
- Heat Oil: Pour neutral oil into a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot to about 2 inches deep and heat slowly to 365°F (use a thermometer for accuracy).
- Fry Donuts: Fry donuts in batches of 3 at a time. Cook each side for about 1 minute until lightly golden and puffed. Remove with tongs and drain on paper towel–lined cooling racks. Fry donut holes for about 30 seconds, turning occasionally, until golden, and drain similarly.
- Cool Donuts Slightly: Allow fried donuts to cool to room temperature or slightly warm before glazing.
- Glaze Donuts: Dip each donut into the maple glaze, lifting and letting excess drip off. Place on wire racks and let the glaze set for a few minutes.
- Add Bacon Garnish: Immediately after glazing, sprinkle chopped crispy bacon over donuts for a savory contrast that sticks to the glaze.
Notes
- Use all-purpose flour for the best classic donut texture.
- Freshly ground nutmeg and a pinch of cinnamon add classic donut flavor.
- Half & half enriches the dough; substitute whole milk if needed but texture will be less rich.
- Melted unsalted butter adds flavor and tenderness.
- Do not overmix the dough to keep donuts light and tender.
- Chilling dough makes rolling and cutting much easier.
- Use extra flour on surfaces and cutters to prevent sticking.
- A 3-inch donut cutter and 1-inch hole cutter are ideal sizes for classic donuts and holes.
- Use a neutral oil like vegetable or safflower oil with a high smoke point for frying.
- Fry donuts in small batches (3-4 at a time) for even cooking and easier handling.
- Drain donuts on paper towels to reduce greasiness.
- Allow donuts to cool slightly before glazing to prevent glaze from melting off.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 donut
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 230mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 55mg
