I’d never go so far as to say that baked doughnuts are better than fried doughnuts. That’s downright madness. Perhaps we can we all just agree that they’re good… like, really really good. Right?
Baked doughnuts are the real life version of Homer Simpson doughnuts that we get to eat without being cartoons ourselves. They’re emoji doughnuts, in our hands, for our bellies. Just a little bit of magic. That’s all I’m saying.
I do have a history with baked doughnuts. Call me biased. See: Brown Butter with Chocolate Glaze or Double Chocolate Cake or Sweet Apple Cinnamon.
Today I’ve combined my love for cartoon-esque baked doughnuts with my love for Black and White Cookies and a bonus rainbow cloth because we’re worth it.
Let’s doughnut like we always do!
I feel really good about how these brown butter doughnuts come together… mostly because it’s really simple!
Flour + sugar + spice + everything nice (i.e.: nutmeg and buttermilk).
Browned butter is an essential ingredient in these doughnuts. It adds a lovely depth and nuttiness to the cake-y doughnuts.
Browned butter is mixed (browned bits and all) with buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla extract.
Dry ingredients are fluffed together and whisked.
Wet ingredients are whisked up just right and mixed with the dry ingredients. Wet + Dry. Simple cooking math.
… Except please don’t be like me and forget to add the granulated sugar to the dry ingredients…
That’s just real life baking for ya.
I think this baked doughnut pan is one of the better trendy kitchen thing-y things I’ve bought in a long time.
Next up: an individual banana holder. Not really. Not really at all.
Baked up golden brown, these doughnuts are soft and tender and sweet.
Chocolate and vanilla glazes are thick enough to be juuust spreadable. Color sprinkles at the ready!
It takes a bit of willpower to graciously glaze each half of each doughnut without taking a bite out of each one. I wish you luck.
I like sprinkles on one side of the doughnut because that’s just the kind of girl I am.
It’s like the choose-you-own-adventure baked doughnut! Start with the more serious dark chocolate half or dive right not the vanilla sprinkle party half. I always try to eat straight through the center, but that doesn’t usually end gracefully. You may have to eat your way through two or three doughnuts before you get the hang of it. I speak from experience.
That’s all for now! Happy Baking!
Black and White Brown Butter Baked Doughnuts
makes 6 doughnuts
For the Doughnuts:
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter (but we’ll only use 2 tablespoons of browned butter for the recipe)
1 large egg
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the Chocolate Glaze:
3/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
pinch of salt
2 to 3 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the Vanilla Glaze:
3/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
2 to 3 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a doughnut pan and set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and sugar. Set aside.
In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt butter. Butter will begin to crackle and pop as it melts. That’s the water melting out of the butter. Once the water has evaporated the butter will quiet down and begin to brown. Keep an eye on it, it browns quickly. The butter will begin to smell nutty. Remove from heat and immediately transfer browned butter (brown bits and all) to a small bowl.
In a small bowl whisk together egg, buttermilk, and vanilla extract. Measure out 2 tablespoons of browned butter and whisk into the wet ingredients.
Add the wet ingredients all at once to the dry ingredients. Stir together until no flour bits remain and all of the ingredients are well combined. Try not to overmix the batter. That might create rubbery doughnuts.
Use a small spoon to dollop batter into the prepared pan. Smooth out and fill each doughnut in the pan three-quarters full with batter.
Place in the oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Keep an eye on them and try not to over-bake them. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.
While the doughnuts cool, make the glazes.
To make the chocolate glaze, in a medium bowl whisk together powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and salt.
Add 2 tablespoons of milk and vanilla extract. Whisk to combine. Add more milk as necessary to create a thick but still just pourable glaze.
To make the vanilla glaze, in a medium bowl whisk together powdered sugar, milk and vanilla extract to create a thick put still pourable glaze.
Once the doughnuts are completely cool, spread half of the doughnuts with chocolate glaze, and the remaining half with vanilla class. Return to the wire rack and sprinkle the vanilla side with color sprinkles. Allow to set for about 30 minutes before stacking or serving. Doughnuts are best within 2 days.
Meredith
Amazingly delicious!
Laura @ Laura's Culinary Adventures
There is definately a place for baked donuts!
Taylor
If donuts don’t make this day awesome, then I don’t know what will! Making these later for sure!
xoxo
Taylor
Thalia @ butter and brioche
what an awesome recipe for the fourth (or any day really). definitely a recipe i will be trying, thanks!
Cheyenne Wehren
ohhhh my, these look so good! and from the oven! can’t wait to give that a try :)
xo, cheyenne
Erica
Any tips on how to make the outsides crunchier? That’s the part I miss with baked donuts.
fusilliamy
“Look to the cookie, er doughnut!” *seinfeld voice* thank you for giving me another reason to use browned butter.
Jenna
I asked for a doughnut pan for my birthday this year just so I could make all the tasty looking doughnuts you and Tracy post, and I have to say it has changed my life for the better (you know, in that it’s made it more delicious and amazing and doughnut filled). So thank you! :) And I mean, chocolate, vanilla, AND SPRINKLES? Yes. A thousand times yes.
Elyse
I have tried so many times to make baked donuts and have failed miserably each time! I fear it may be my mini donut pan that is at fault as no matter what I grease with they stick horribly. It maybe time to chuck the pan, buy a better one and try again because they look flipping delicious!
Avra-Sha Faohla
Forgetting to add the sugar to the dry ingredients is no biggie. I once forgot to add sugar altogether and only realized after my cookies were baking in the oven!
Also, sprinkles only on one side? You should listen to what Brian Regan has to say on that (in “Donut Lady,” from Brian Regan Live). He jokes that it’s lunacy to want that, and the way he says it is hilarious. But perhaps he isn’t being fair, as it’s really just for looks. Whatever the case, I think you’re okay here since you have two completely different halves anyway. ;)
Lisa
These look amazing!!
L x
http://workingmumy.blogspot.com
Ryan
Uhm YUM! I am ordering a (heartshaped!!) donut pan from Amazon tonight so I can make these.
Question- I just discovered that I can make “flour” from oatmeal+blender (I know, a little late to the party), how do you think that would hold up, possibly half oat flour and half AP or whole wheat pastry flour?
Also, is it weird that I kind of wish I had earrings that looked like those donuts (small… not donut sized earrings… As far as I know, I’m not THAT crazy :P )
Thanks! :)
Joy
oooh heeeelllll no!
Angel Luis
They look good. Really good. I may need to get one of those donut-baking trays.
Ella
Brown butter FTW. Black and white baked goods are the cutest! Thanks for sharing.
https://www.youtube.com/sparklesandsuch26