Sour Cream Donuts

It's the last few days of August, can you believe it?? I have so many good things coming in these last few months of 2017 and I'm trying my hardest to slow down and savor every single one of them. 

I thought it would be fun to write out some things I've loved this month just to let you know about them, and to help me remember, too! Here we go!

First things first, the That Sounds Fun Podcast with Annie F. Downs. I have been super into podcasts this year, but this one makes me most excited to see when a new episode starts downloading. The topics of conversation are usually Jesus and FUN - it doesn't get any better than that. 

Garden City: Work, Rest, and the Art of Being Human by John Mark Comer. I was introduced to this book when John was on the That Sounds Fun Podcast, and it's been a great read. I highly recommend it!

Whole30. After what I've dubbed "Chaotic August" my body needed a reset, so we're doing another round. Thankfully we'll be finished before our vacation at the end of September!

Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Sakuri Babyfacial has saved my skin after "Chaotic August". My skin flipped out, and I think it was a perfect storm of stress, eating things out of my norm, and hormones. I have reactive skin anyway and the combo of all that wasn't great. Babyfacial is the only thing that helped. 

THESE Donuts! Actually, any donuts, but these turned out really nice and extra pretty. 

These are sour cream donuts, and we glazed them with a brown butter glaze. Did you know that brown butter is one of my favorite smells of all time? See also - lemon zest & sugar, and slightly burnt caramel. So good, all three. 

These donuts have such a great texture, and while they are not a yeast donut, they are fried which I prefer. They turned out so pretty and making a tiny slice around the top of the dough before frying made these look so rustic. Add 10 points for that. 

Sour Cream Donuts with Maple Brown Butter Glaze

Recipe from The Sweet & Simple Kitchen

For the Donuts

3 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 tbsp baking powder1/2 tsp baking soda1 tsp cinnamon1 tsp nutmegpinch of salt1 cup granulated sugar2 eggs1/3 cup butter, melted1 tsp vanilla1 tsp lemon zest1 cup sour cream
Canola oil, for frying 

In a large bowl combine flour, baking soda and powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Whisk to combine and set aside. 

In the bowl of a stand mixer cream together sugar and both eggs, vanilla, and lemon zest. Slowly pour in the melted butter making sure to incorporate fully. Add in half of the sour cream, beating until combined before adding the remaining sour cream and mixing until smooth and creamy. 

Add wet ingredients into the dry and mix together with a spatula until a smooth, sticky dough is formed. Roll dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap and wrap tight. Refrigerate overnight. 

When you're ready to begin frying, remove dough from the fridge and let rest on the countertop while you prepare the oil. In a heavy-bottomed pot, bring about 2-3 inches of oil to exactly 350 degrees. 

While the oil heats, roll dough out onto a flour surface to about 1/2 inch thickness. Using a large cutter, cut dough into 12 rounds, and then cut the centers out with a small cutter. Take a pairing knife and make a shallow cut all the way around the dough to make the extra texture on top of the donut. 

Drop three donuts at a time into the hot oil. Once the donut floats to the top, allow to cook about 1 minute before flipping the donut over and cooking for an additional 1 minute. Remove from oil and allow excess oil to drip off before placing on a cooling rack lined with paper towels. Continue for the remaining donuts and donut holes. 

For the Glaze

3 cups icing sugar
3 tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla
3 tbsp brown butter
3-4 tbsp milk

Combine icing sugar, syrup, vanilla, brown butter, and 2 tablespoons milk in a bowl. Depending on the thickness of your glaze add more milk to desired consistency. 

After donuts have cooled dip donuts in glaze and allow to set for a few minutes before serving. 

ENJOY!

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baked churro donuts

Happy May 5th, or should I say Cinco de Mayo, everyone! I hope you have plans to stuff yourself with lots of delicious Mexican foods today. After you've eaten a glorious feast plan on making these donuts. They would be the perfect ending to your day or the perfect beginning to your Tuesday (assuming these beauties last that long)!

These are tender cinnamon donuts that are baked, cooled, and brushed with melted sugar...then covered in a cinnamon sugar coating. Grab a container of hot fudge sauce from your grocery store and you have the perfect churro combination!

Baked Churro Donuts

makes 6 yummy donuts

adapted from Shared Appetite

For the Donuts:

1 cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 large egg
1 cup milk + 1 tablespoon white vinegar, combined
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. 

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl.

In a separate bowl, whisk the melted butter, egg, vanilla extract, and only half a cup of the milk/vinegar mixture together.

Pour wet ingredients into the dry and stir to combine. 

Spoon or pipe batter into a greased donut pan and bake at 350 degrees for 9-12 minutes. 

Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5-6 minutes then remove from the pan, and allow to cool completely on a metal cooling rack.

For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating:

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon cinnamon

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Combine sugars and cinnamon in a small shallow baking dish. Set aside.

Brush each donut with melted butter and roll in cinnamon sugar mixture. 

Serve with hot fudge or salted caramel sauce!

Happy Monday!

Baked Chocolate Chip Vanilla Bean Donuts with Berry Coulis Topping

Eating these donuts is like eating polka dots and I'm really pumped about that! Polka dots for Valentine's Day - major YES!

These are deliciously moist and tender vanilla bean donuts studded with mini chocolate chips and they are adorable (and also yummy)! Plus, they are topped with a sweet and tart berry topping that will knock your socks off! SO YUM!

Today is both Valentine's Day and my birthday and this day is usually a struggle for me so, I'll let the photos and the following verse do the talking today. Relax, everything's going to be alright; rest, everything's coming together; open your hearts, love is on the way. Jude 1:1-2 (Message Translation)

Chocolate Chip Vanilla Bean Donuts with Berry Coulis Topping

Donuts inspired by Cooking Classy 

Toppers from Christina at Sweet Lavender Bake Shoppe - she is sooo sweet and an absolute dream to work with. 

2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 vanilla bean pod, scraped
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup milk
1/4 to 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (depending on how chocolate-y you want them)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and prepare donut tin. Set aside.

In a large bowl mix together flour, baking powered and soda, and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, blend butter, oil, sugar, and vanilla bean on low until combined. Add in eggs one at a time, then blend in vanilla extract.

Add half the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix on medium speed until combine. Once combined, slowly pour in half the milk. Add remaining flour mixture once milk has been incorporated. Slowly pour in the rest of the milk, and mix on medium speed until everything is combined.

Take bowl of stand mixer out, and gently mix in chocolate chips with a spatula.

Spoon dough into a large pastry bag, snip the end off, and fill donut pan with dough.

Bake for 7-8 minutes or until the donuts spring back when touched. Immediately remove from pan and let cool on a wire rack.

While donuts cool make the berry coulis.

1 cup frozen mixed berries, thawed

3 tablespoons sugar

juice 1/2 lemon

1-2 tablespoons water 

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat cook berries, sugar, and lemon juice until thick and bubbly. Remove from heat and stir in water.

Press berry mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a large mixing bowl. Add powdered sugar to the mixture to form a glaze. 

Dip cooled donuts into berry glaze and place back on a wire cooling rack to completely set.

chai-spiced donuts with browned butter glaze

The following photos are what i WISH my mornings looked like.

Bright sunlight, fresh flowers, a donut on my plate and a pot of tea steeping beside a cute milk bottle filled with fresh cream. Ah. That would be the life! Instead, mornings around my house include eating breakfast on the floor of my bedroom while I put my makeup on in front of my full length mirror while watching beauty videos on youtube. Was that a run on sentence? Hmmm. 

Anyway! Let's talk more donuts ok? Theeese little babies are super full of chai flavor and finished with the best thing ever - browned butter glaze. Have you ever tried browned butter? If the answer is no, what are you waiting on?!?!? It can be made in the microwave for goodness sake! If the answer is yes, you've probably already run into your kitchen to start making these. You already know you don't waste a second when someone gives you an excuse to use the nutty, buttery goodness. Smart people!

Here's to wishing that all your mornings as cozy, bright, and flavorful as these pictures! Stay tuned for one more donut recipe later this week!

Chai-Spiced Donuts with Browned Butter Glaze

inspired by Food Mouth

1 cup flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon cardamom

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup milk

1 chai tea bag

1 egg

1/2 stick butter

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1-2 tablespoons milk

salt, to taste

For the Donuts

In a small saucepan heat milk over low heat until steaming. Immerse tea bag in heated milk and let cool. Remove tea bag.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees, and grease donut pan. Set aside.

In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and spices. 

In a separate bowl, whisk together cooled milk, egg, and vanilla extract.

Pour wet ingredients into the dry and mix until just combined. 

Spread batter into prepared donut pan and bake for 7-9 minutes or until the donuts spring back when touched.

Remove immediately from pan and cool donuts on a wire rack.

For the Browned Butter Glaze

In a medium size bowl, combine powdered sugar and salt. Set aside.

In heat proof cereal-sized bowl, microwave butter on high for 1 minute. Remove from microwave and stir. Keep microwaving for 1 minute increments until brown flecks appear on the bottom of the bowl.

Pour browned butter into the bowl with the powdered sugar and whisk. Depending on the texture of the glaze at this point, you can either add a tablespoon of milk to thin the glaze, or add more powdered sugar to thicken it up. I chose to keep my glaze very loose and added a full 2 tablespoons of milk.

To Assemble the Donuts

Once the donuts are cool and the glaze has been prepared, dip donuts into glaze one-by-one and set on a cooling rack over a sheet pan to catch any drippy glaze. Since my glaze was very thin, I dipped my donuts 3 times..if your glaze is thick you may only have to dip once or twice. It's really up to you!

Serve and eat these donuts immediately. 

s'mores donuts

S'mores are so summertime, and I think we can all use a little summer right about now! Raise your hand it your tired of cleaning your car off every morning and driving with a fear of black ice in the back of your mind…psssst I'm raising my hand!

Let's all be in denial together about what season we're in, ok? Let's think about sitting on the dock at the lake in cut-off shorts with our toes in the water watching the sun set. Or, hiking our favorite trail. You know the one - it's so peaceful and skirts the lake. How about late night campfires! Roasting a homemade marshmallow over an open fire so it's a little charred and stuffing it between chocolate and graham cracker. Is there anything more delicious? 

I know something that's more delicious….these DONUTS! They are sooo soft and spiced with just the right amount of cinnamon. Fry the dough up, stuff it with the most fluffy marshmallow creme, and top it with chocolate ganache and graham crumbs. So perfect. Make these!

S'more Donuts

Dough inspired by Joy the Baker

Marshmallow Creme inspired by How Sweet it Is 

Pillow-soft dough gets fried to perfection, stuffed with a puffy cloud of the most perfect marshmallow creme, and finished chocolate ganache and salted graham cracker crumb. Who needs summer when you have these donuts?

Makes 10 - 12 donuts

For the Donuts

1 (1/4 ounce) packet active dry yeast

2 tablespoons warm water

3 cups all purpose flour

1 cup milk at room temperature

1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

3 large egg yolks

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

For the Marshmallow Creme

4 large egg whites

1 cup granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Ganache

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

1 teaspoon coconut oil

For the Salted Graham Topping

3 whole graham crackers

1 teaspoon salt

Stir together the yeast and warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Allow to bloom for at least 5 minutes or until the yeast is foamy.

Add milk, softened butter, egg yolks, sugar, salt, and cinnamon to the yeast. Mix on medium speed until just incorporated. Remove paddle attachment and switch to the dough hook.

Add four 1 cup at a time until the dough comes together and is soft and sticky. Remove dough from the mixer and place in a large well-oiled bowl. Cover with a kitchen towel and let the dough rise for 1 1/2 - 2 hours, or until doubled in size. 

Once the dough has risen, turn it out onto the counter and knead a little until you have a smooth ball of dough. With a rolling pin, roll dough out into a 12-inch round circle. Using a 3-inch cutter, cut dough and place on a parchment lined cooling rack to raise for another 30 minutes until puffed.

In a large pot, empty a large container of canola oil and heat to 350 degrees. Once the oil is ready, gently place 2 donut rounds into the oil and fry until golden. Flip and repeat on the opposite side. Immediately remove from the oil onto a paper towel-lined cooling rack. 

Allow oil to come up to temperature again and repeat with the remainder of the donuts, two at a time.

While donuts cool, prepare the marshmallow creme filling.

For the Filling

In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar. Place the bowl onto a pot of simmering water to create a double-boiler. Whisk the egg mixture continuously over the heat until the sugar has dissolved and the egg whites are warmed through. Immediately remove the bowl and attach it to your stand mixer. Mix on high speed until the mixture is thick and shiny, about 6-7 minutes. Add in the vanilla extract and beat for another minute to ensure it's incorporated. Place marshmallow creme into a pastry bag fitted with a large tip.

For the Chocolate Ganache

In a heat proof bowl, microwave chocolate chips and oil for about 1 minute. Remove from microwave and stir until the chips have melted and the chocolate is shiny and smooth.

For the Graham Topping

Break graham crackers into pieces and place them in a food processor. Pulse until the crackers are fine crumbs. Stir in salt to combine. Pour into a medium size bowl.

To Assemble Donuts

poke a hole in the side  of the donut using the handle of a wooden spoon. Insert the tip of the marshmallow creme filled pastry bag, and pipe in filling. The filling with push the tip out of the donut when it's properly filled.

Next, dip creme filled donut into warm chocolate ganache and place on a cooling rack over a large baking sheet. Finish filling and dipping the remainder of the donuts to allow the chocolate ganache to set.

After the ganache has set a little, dip donuts into salted graham topping and return to baking sheet to set.

These donuts should be served within a day of preparing. Store in an airtight container. Enjoy!

dark chocolate cake donuts + blood orange glaze

This is the first post I will write about donuts, but it certainly won't be the last! I'm pretty sure donuts would be in my weekly meal rotation if I wouldn't end up weighing 500 pounds and ruining my health. I try my best to save them for special days when I need a special treat or on the days of the worst emotional eating! Ha!

Believe it or not, these beautiful goodies were used as props in my BFF's Valentine's day mini sessions. She started her own own photography business - Captured Moments Photography - several years ago and I am so proud of her! The business has completely taken off and people are recognizing her talent. She's a small business owner, a momma, a wife, and so many other things and she really excels at it all. I'm lucky to call her my best friend!

These donuts sat out all day long, and smiled pretty for the camera and were still moist and delicious even after all that! The glaze offered a nice crunch that was super nice with the cake-y texture of the donuts, and who can resist a chocolate orange combination? Uh no one that's who! We dug into these after a long day of photographing kids. A perfect ending to a perfect day!

donuts in action - photo by Brooke at Captured Moments Photography

Dark Chocolate Cake Donuts + Blood Orange Glaze

adapted from Heather Christo

For the Donuts

1 1/2 cups flour
½ cup dark cocoa powder
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted and slightly cooled

Preheat oven to 325 degrees, and spray a donut pan with nonstick spray.

In a medium size bowl, whisk all the dry ingredients together. 

In a large measuring cup, combine the buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla.

Combine the buttermilk mixture with the dry ingredients. Pour the melted oil over the dough and mix to combine. 

Pipe dough into prepared donut pan and bake for 10 minutes.

Immediately remove donuts from pan and cool on wire rack. Meanwhile, make the glaze.

For the Glaze

2 tablespoons melted butter

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

3 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup blood orange juice

heavy cream

Mix all ingredients, except heavy cream, in a large bowl until smooth and creamy. Add heavy cream a splash at a time until you have the consistency you want. I only used a few splashes since I didn't want the glaze to be too loose.

Dip cooled donuts into glaze and set on a cooling rack to allow glaze to set. 

Eat 'em. Share 'em. Love 'em. :)