Buttermilk Doughnuts with Vanilla Glaze
A yeasted dough proofed twice and dropped in hot oil for a minute a side — the only dessert in the larder that goes near a fryer.
- Serves
- 12
- Prep
- 1 hr 45 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Written
Method
-
Whisk the warm buttermilk, yeast, and a pinch of the sugar; let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
-
Whisk the flour, remaining sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add the yeast mixture, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla, and mix until a shaggy dough comes together.
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Knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.
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Cover and let rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 1 hour.
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Turn the dough onto a floured surface and roll to ½ inch thick. Cut rounds with a doughnut cutter, gathering and re-rolling the scraps.
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Transfer the doughnuts and holes to floured parchment, cover loosely, and let rise until visibly puffy, about 30 minutes.
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Heat the oil to 350°F in a deep, heavy pot. Fry the doughnuts in batches until deep golden, about 1 minute per side.
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Drain on a wire rack set over paper towels.
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Whisk the powdered sugar, buttermilk, and vanilla until smooth. Dip the warm doughnuts and let the glaze set before serving.
Notes
The oil temperature is the whole recipe. Below 350°F the dough sits and soaks instead of sealing, and you get a greasy doughnut with a pale ring around the middle; above 375°F the outside is mahogany before the center cooks through. A thermometer clipped to the pot earns its keep here — don’t eyeball it.
Glaze while the doughnuts are still warm so it goes translucent and sets into a shell rather than sitting on top like frosting. If you’d rather skip the glaze, toss them straight from the rack in cinnamon sugar instead.