Easy Homemade Doughnuts

(from largomason’s recipe box)

One roll of “Buttermilk” biscuits yields ten small (about 2 1/2-inch inches in diameter) doughnuts and ten tiny doughnut holes. You’ll need a 1/2-inch round cutter to punch out the holes. One roll of “Grands Homestyle Buttermilk” biscuits yields eight large (about 3 1/2 inches in diameter) doughnuts and eight doughnut holes. You’ll need a one-inch round cutter to punch out the holes.

Chopsticks are the best tool to use for turning the doughnuts, but you can use the ends of two wooden spoons if you don’t have any on hand. If you don’t have round cutters, use a bottle cap or the back of a pastry tip that fits the measurements provided.

The glaze recipes below make enough for one batch of large doughnuts. If making small ones, cut the recipe in half.

Serve the doughnuts warm.

Ingredients

  • Doughnuts:
  • 1 roll biscuits (see notes above)
  • 8 cups vegetable oil
  • Plain Glaze:
  • 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Orange-Cardamom Glaze:
  • 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated zest plus 6 tablespoons juice from 2 oranges
  • Brown Butter Glaze:
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
  • 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Chocolate Glaze:
  • 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • Pink Glaze:
  • 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/4 cup strawberry-flavored milk

Directions

  1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven or large skillet with high sides over medium-high heat until temperature registers 350°F. (Oil should be 1- to 1 1/2 inches deep). Pop open biscuit container. If any of the biscuits look irregular, gently pat them down to even rounds and even thickness. Cut out doughnut holes.

  2. Add half of the doughnuts and half of the doughnut holes and fry until the bottoms turn golden brown, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes for small doughnuts and 2 to 2 1/2 minutes for large doughnuts. Using chopsticks, turn the doughnuts and holes and fry for until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes longer.

  3. Transfer doughnuts to a paper towel-lined plate and allow to cool slightly, 1 to 2 minutes before dipping in glaze. Serve warm.

  4. For the plain glaze: Place confectioners’ sugar and salt in medium bowl. Add melted butter, milk, and vanilla extract and whisk until smooth. Dip doughnuts and serve immediately.

  5. For the orange-cardamom glaze: Place confectioners’ sugar, cardamom, salt, and orange zest in medium bowl. Add orange juice and whisk until smooth. Dip doughnuts and serve immediately.

  6. For the brown-butter glaze: Melt the butter over medium-high heat in a small stainless steel saucepan. Cook the butter until browned, 5 to 8 minutes, swirling the pan occasionally. The butter will begin to foam; the subsiding foam is an indicator that the butter is almost done. Once the solids are caramel brown remove pan from heat and immediately pour butter into a medium bowl, scraping in all the solids. Add the confectioners’ sugar, salt, milk, and vanilla extract and whisk until smooth. Dip doughnuts and serve immediately.

  7. For the chocolate glaze: Place confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, and salt in medium bowl. Add milk and whisk until smooth. Dip doughnuts and serve immediately.

  8. For the pink glaze: Place confectioners’ sugar and salt in medium bowl. Add melted butter and milk and whisk until smooth. Dip doughnuts and serve immediately.

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