Baked Cinnamon Donuts

Donuts. At the sound of that word my knees go weak and my vision starts to blur. I love donuts. Although our small town of Prattville does not have a Krispy Kreme or Dunkin' Donuts, we have something that is equally as good: Donut Heaven...very appropriately named. Almost everyday in the summer after completeing a nice three hour swim practice, I would make my way to Donut Heaven, which is conviently placed only a mile away from the pool. I always got the same thing too: Apple Fritter. Cinnamony, fried, warm, and filled with apple chunks. Maybe the best donut I've ever had. I don't think anyone can recreate my favorite Apple Fritter, but I have made something that will tide me over until summer time comes again.


If you don't have a donut pan, you aren't living. When I saw it in the store I thought "Hey, homemade donuts...this could be fun"...little did I know that buying a donut pan was one of the best decisions I've ever made.  Although frying donuts is still an option, baking them is healthier (if there is such a thing) and very easy. I didn't know if I would like them baked though since one of the reason donuts are so good is because they are fried...or is it? These donuts really proved themselves a strong competitor with fried donuts. I was only going to make one pan of them, but after the first batch I got pleas from everyone to make more. My brothers and I always taste test what I make together, and when we bit into theses donuts all that could be heard was "mmm...mmm...mmmm...MMM." They passed the taste test. 


Baked Cinnamon Donuts
Adapted from: Iowa Girl Eats

Ingredients:
For donuts-
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 6 Tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 6 Tablespoons buttermilk
- 1 egg
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 Tablespoon butter, melted

For the glaze-
- 1/2 cup or more powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Water

- Cinnamon-Sugar


Directions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees. Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a bowl. Add buttermilk, egg, vanilla and butter. Whisk to combine.

2. Transfer dough to a ziplock bag. Snip off a corner of the bag and pipe dough evenly into a 6-cup doughnut pan. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until dough is set (it won’t be golden brown, but should be springy.)

3. In a separate bowl, mix together powdered sugar and vanilla. Begin adding water 1 teaspoon at a time. Stir until desired thickness of glaze is achieved. 

4. Glaze doughnuts while warm or cool and dip in cinnamon sugar.

-Sarah-