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I call these rainy-day donuts because sometimes when the kids are out of school and you’ve done every last single arts and crafts project, you need something to fill your time until dinner. I love these donuts because they are airy and light with just a tad of sweetness. I specifically like the fact that the dough just has to go through one rise cycle instead of two, so the next time the rain is pouring down outside, or your kids are just a little bored, give these a try!
Ingredients
2 packages fast-rising yeast (1⁄2 oz. total)
1 cup water, warm
2 1⁄2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 egg, beaten
1⁄3 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
3–4 cups flour
Directions
In a large bowl, mix the yeast, water and sugar together. In about 5 minutes, the yeast will start to work. Add the beaten egg, melted butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and salt and blend it all together thoroughly, then start adding flour 1⁄2 a cup at a time until the dough is no longer sticky to the touch. Turn the dough out onto a floured board and knead it for about a minute, then roll the dough out with a rolling pin until it’s approximately 1⁄4 to 1⁄2 inch thick. After you’ve done that, cut out whatever donut shapes, diamonds, or ravioli cutter shapes please you. This is a good time to get the kids involved, and it doesn’t really matter if the shapes are perfect or not.
Set these aside to rise for half an hour, and then fry them in 360°F canola oil, turning once so both sides cook evenly. Don’t crowd them while they’re cooking, or the oil temperature will drop too quickly.
After the donuts are golden brown, drain them on paper towels. You can eat them plain, dust them with powdered sugar, or even make your own icing. This is another time to let the kids get involved, personalizing their own treats with sprinkles and other confections.
Makes 6–10 donuts, depending on the shapes you select