By MCAT day. I woke at 5 a.m. I ate eggs and toast. I drove to the testing center and sat in the parking lot for fifteen minutes thinking about MawMaw Shirley on the step stool, about the roux, about DeAndre who should be alive, about Daddy rebuilding the house, about Mama screaming at good news, about Jada's white coat drawing. Then I went inside.
Seven and a half hours. Four sections. Biological Sciences was mine — questions falling into place like ingredients into a pot. Chemical and Physical Sciences: manageable. Psychology: nuanced, real. Critical Analysis: natural, because I am a writer and writers read under pressure the way swimmers breathe underwater.
I finished. I stood in the parking lot. I called Mama. She said, "How do you feel?" I said, "Like I just made a four-hour gumbo." She said, "Then it's perfect." I drove home and made red beans and rice. Not because it was Friday. Because red beans are what I make when the world shifts and I need something solid. The beans did not know it was Tuesday. They were perfect anyway.
I made the red beans because that’s what my hands knew to do — but after I ate, after I called Jada and Daddy and sat quietly with MawMaw Shirley’s memory, I wanted something that matched the feeling I couldn’t quite name yet. Not relief. Not pride. Something sweeter than both. These donuts are what I made the next morning, standing in my kitchen in socks, thinking: I did it. Some wins want beans and rice. Some wins want something warm, golden, and dusted in sugar — the kind of thing you make when you finally, finally let yourself believe it.
Winning Donuts
Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Total Time: 40 min (plus 1 hour rise time) | Servings: 12 donuts
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (1 packet)
- 3/4 cup warm whole milk (110°F)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
- 2 large eggs
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- Vegetable oil, for frying (about 4 cups)
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 3–4 tbsp milk or heavy cream (for glaze)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (for glaze)
Instructions
- Activate the yeast. In a large bowl, combine warm milk, 1 tsp of the granulated sugar, and the yeast. Stir gently and let sit 5–10 minutes until foamy and fragrant.
- Make the dough. To the yeast mixture, add the remaining sugar, eggs, melted butter, vanilla, and salt. Whisk to combine. Add flour one cup at a time, stirring until a soft dough forms. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead 5–6 minutes until smooth and slightly tacky but not sticky.
- First rise. Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with a clean towel or plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm spot for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
- Cut the donuts. Punch down the dough and roll out on a floured surface to about 1/2-inch thickness. Using a 3-inch round cutter (or a glass), cut out rounds. Use a 1-inch cutter or bottle cap to cut the center holes. Re-roll scraps for donut holes. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and let rest 15 minutes.
- Heat the oil. In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat 3–4 inches of vegetable oil to 350°F. Use a thermometer — consistent temperature is the difference between golden and greasy.
- Fry the donuts. Working in batches of 2–3, carefully lower donuts into the hot oil. Fry 1–2 minutes per side until deep golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a wire rack set over paper towels. Fry donut holes 60–90 seconds, turning once.
- Make the glaze. Whisk together powdered sugar, 3 tbsp milk or cream, and vanilla until smooth and pourable. Add more milk 1 tsp at a time to reach your preferred consistency.
- Glaze and serve. Dip the top of each warm donut into the glaze, letting the excess drip back into the bowl. Set on the rack for 5 minutes to set. Serve warm. Share if you feel generous. You’ve earned every single one.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 290 | Protein: 5g | Fat: 11g | Carbs: 42g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 115mg