No matter how you spell it, I love them! So much that I just recently purchased a doughtnut iphone case!  =)

Much like the cupcake craze, designer doughnuts ( I like alliteration…) have become just as popular.  As much as I love tossing back a few chocolate munchkins or indulging in a nice airy cruller from Dunkin Donuts, nothing compares to what these gourmet doughnut shops are turning out, and well, since we know we can’t always be eating a doughtnuts covered in bacon and caramal everyday (or can we?)…I’ve turned to the baked doughnut as a healthy alternative.

Since the age of about 20, my friends and family know that any type of food gadget or food related item makes a perfect gift for me! Besides getting lost in a book store, supermarkets and specialty food shops are my vice. So, one Christmas my mom put together some fun new gadgets to put under the Christmas tree, one of them being a Doughnut Pan. Baked doughnut recipes were appearing all over Pinterest and other social media, so I was super excited to use it!

This pan quickly became my new favorite baking item in the kitchen. I was baking everything from the vanilla to Mexican Hot Chocolate doughnuts. I then went on to purchase the mini doughnut pan and doughnut hole pan which are equally as great!

Perfect Bite Sized Treat!!

Around the time of my birthday this year, which just so happens to be the day before Cinco De Mayo, I came across a recipe for “Churro Doughnuts.” I was having a few of my friends over to celebrate my birthday, and I thought this would make a perfect dessert addition along side my birthday cake. The recipe called for browning the butter first, which I had never done, and boy did it make the kitchen smell good. They are right when they say you really need to watch it because it does brown quickly! So keep an eye on it and I know what you’re saying as you’re reading this, “Kristen, what do I do if I don’t have this super cool amazing doughnut pan and want to make these?” Well…You can easily make them in a muffin pan or free form the doughnut shape on parchment paper…but I HIGHLY recommend getting one of these pans or adding it to your wish list.

Oh…by the way…it just so happens to be National Doughnut Day!!!! So, even though today is the perfect day to treat yourself to the real thing, why not get in the kitchen and try something new?

Bag O’ Doughnuts!

Baked Churro Doughnuts

Recipe From: 

Home

INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup sugar
¾ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon Kosher salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 large egg
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Churro Coating
½ cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons unsalted butter

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a doughnut pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
• Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Butter will crackle and foam a bit as it browns. Once butter is light brown and smells nutty, remove from heat and immediately transfer to a small bowl. Be careful, it goes from brown butter to black burnt butter quickly.
• In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
• In a small mixing bowl, whisk together egg, buttermilk, and vanilla extract. Measure out 2 tablespoons of the browned butter and whisk into the wet ingredients.
• Add wet ingredients to dry ingredeints. Stir together until ingredients are well combined, but do not overmix.
• Spoon batter into a large ziploc bag and use a scissor to cut about a ½” piece off one corner to create a makeshift disposable pastry bag. Fill each well in the doughnut pan approximately ¾ full. Alternatively, use a spoon to fill donut pan and smooth out batter.
• Place in the oven and bake for 9-12 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into doughnut comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.
• Combine sugar, brown, sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter in another small bowl. Working one at a time, lightly brush doughnut with butter, and roll around in sugar mixture until evenly coated.
• Devour!!

With love and sugar, Kristen xo.