Old-Fashioned Buttermilk Doughnuts

I made two dozen old-fashioned buttermilk doughnuts for a small Sunday-morning Tilford-family breakfast. Cake-style doughnuts with buttermilk in the batter, fried in oil, dipped in a vanilla glaze. Reimbursement $40.

The recipe is below.

Old-Fashioned Buttermilk Doughnuts

Prep Time: 25 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Total Time: 45 min (plus 1 hr chilling) | Servings: 18 doughnuts

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Vegetable oil, for frying (about 2 quarts)
• 1 cup powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)

Instructions

1. Make the dough. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, whisk together sugar, eggs, buttermilk, melted butter, and vanilla until smooth. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir with a wooden spoon until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms — do not overmix.
2. Chill. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently bring it together into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight. Cold dough is much easier to roll and holds its shape in the oil.
3. Roll and cut. On a well-floured counter, roll the chilled dough to about 1/2-inch thickness. Cut with a 3-inch doughnut cutter (or a large round cutter plus a 1-inch cutter for the holes). Re-roll scraps once. Place cut doughnuts on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
4. Heat the oil. Pour vegetable oil into a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven to a depth of about 3 inches. Heat over medium-high heat to 350°F. Use a thermometer — temperature control is everything for old-fashioned doughnuts.
5. Fry. Working in batches of 3–4, carefully lower doughnuts into the hot oil. Fry for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes per side, turning once, until deep golden brown and cooked through. Fry the doughnut holes for about 1 minute per side. Maintain oil temperature between batches.
6. Drain and finish. Transfer fried doughnuts to a wire rack set over a paper-towel-lined baking sheet. Let drain for 2 minutes, then dust generously with powdered sugar while still warm. Serve immediately.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 210 | Protein: 4g | Fat: 8g | Carbs: 31g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 180mg