Baked Buttermilk Donuts

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Tender and sweet, Baked Buttermilk Donuts are a wonderful addition to your brunch table.  Flavored with the extract, Fiori di Sicilia, the donuts have a fragrant floral aroma.

This quick and easy recipe takes only 30 minutes so you can have warm, freshly baked donuts for breakfast.  Dip into an easy powdered sugar glaze to create beautiful donuts.

Oven-Baked vs Fried

There are a few differences between oven-baked donuts and fried.

1. Fried donuts are yeast-leavened baked goods.  Therefore, you need enough time to let the dough rise.
2. Baked donuts are a chemical leavened treat.  The batter depends on the reaction of baking powder and/or baking soda and an acid such as buttermilk.
3. Fried donuts need approximately 2 hours to rise.
4. Baked donuts can be ready in 30 minutes.
5. Baked donuts are generally baked in a pan whereas fried donuts are lowered into hot oil.
6. Fried donuts have a light and airy texture.
7. Baked donuts have a cakey texture.

Equipment

Important for this baked donut recipe is a donut pan.  You can find different sizes - 6, 12, or 20 donuts.  Mini donut pans are also available.  I used two 6-donut pans when preparing this recipe.  It is important that the pan be nonstick.  So much easier to remove the donuts.

Quick and Easy Recipe

Similar to a quick bread, the beauty of Baked Buttermilk Donuts is the simplicity of preparation and the almost immediate gratification (if you can wait 30 minutes).

Steps

• Make sure to coat the donut pan with cooking spray or to brush it with vegetable oil.

• Combine the dry ingredients. 

  Make sure to whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together.  It is important to distribute the chemical leaveners throughout the flour.

• Wet Ingredients

• In a larger bowl, mix the brown and granulated sugars - making sure there are no lumps in the brown sugar.
• Add the melted butter and the vegetable oil to the sugars.  Whisk so that the sugars are coated with butter and oil.
• Whisk the buttermilk into the sugar mix.  The batter will start to loosen a bit.
• Add the eggs, one at a time.  Completely incorporate the eggs after each addition.
• The extracts are added next.  Fiori di Sicilia has a floral fragrance with citrus notes.  It can be strong so don't overdo it.    Vanilla extract is a nice compliment to the batter.  If you prefer, you can just use vanilla - increase the amount to 1 ½ teaspoons.
• Add the dry ingredients, a cup at a time to the wet ingredients.  Carefully whisk to incorporate everything to eliminate lumps.

• Don't let the batter sit too long after you have combined the ingredients.   The chemical leaveners are activated as soon as they are combined with the buttermilk.  Have the donut pan waiting to be filled.

• Piping Bag

• When filling the donut pan, I find a piping bag very helpful.  I used a 1A, 13mm tip.  There is less mess and you can be more exact.
• Place the tip in the bottom of the piping bag.  It helps to use a tall glass to hold the piping bag while you fill it.  Place the plastic bag in the tall glass, fold the sides over the top of the glass, and start to add batter.  Once you have the bag filled about halfway, remove it from the glass.  Close the bag by twisting at the point where the batter ends.  Now you can cut the tip of the bag.  Hold the piping bag upside down when you are not piping so it doesn't leak.

• The temptation is to fill the pan to the very top of each cavity.  Resist - otherwise, you will end up with overflowing donuts.  Only fill each donut up to the center circle as the donuts will rise in the oven just enough.
• Bake for 15 minutes in a 350-degree oven.

Decorating

Let the donuts cool in the pan for about 5 minutes.  Gently remove them from the pan and place on a wire rack to cool.

You can leave the donuts plain.  They are perfectly delicious.  A sprinkle of powdered sugar is also a delightful addition.  But if your inner artist is begging for a more embellished donut, you can dip them in a glaze.

Making Donut Glaze

• Mix a cup of powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons of milk.

• You can use 3-4 tablespoons of heavy cream as a substitute.  It will make a thicker glaze.
• If the glaze needs to be thinned, you can add a little milk.
• A drop or two of food coloring can be added to the glaze to make your favorite color!.
• Place the donut in the glaze halfway.

• Place the glazed donuts on a rack set over a sheet pan to catch drips.  Let the glaze dry.

Tips

If you are preparing the donuts in the morning for brunch or breakfast, you can do a little prep the night before.

• Mix the dry ingredients in a medium-sized bowl.
• Pre-measure the powdered sugar for each glaze color you are using.

Breakfast in Bed

If you are looking for a treat for someone special (maybe a Mom), I think breakfast in bed is a fantastic move.

Warm, freshly baked donuts with the aroma of flowers and citrus are a perfect homemade treat.  Show your appreciation with tender and delicate Baked Buttermilk Donuts. 

Another quick and easy recipe for breakfast or brunch - https://tenpoundcakecompany.com/lemon-blueberry-buttermilk-pancakes/