Brown Butter Buttermilk Doughnuts

I mean... doughnuts!

I just don't know any other way to introduce the most exciting of all food groups. In fact, I'm just not even sure what to say about these in general. It's like the nuttiness of the browned butter has taken over my brain and left me with the inability to think anything other than "mmm" and "delicious" and "drool" ... basically I'm having a Homer Simpson moment all over this blog.

I mean... doughnuts!

It shouldn't come as a surprise that I've already started stock piling recipe ideas in my mind to cover each season. I'm already counting down the days until I can make a lemon doughnut with a sweet strawberry glaze, or the inevitable pumpkin spice doughnut with salted caramel drizzle, or winter's ginger and apple spiced doughnut with cinnamon sugar. Seriously. I can't stop.

I mean... doughnuts! Seriously!

I don't think I need to tell you that this is most exciting thing I've made in a long time. Or maybe ever. I was given a doughnut pan for Christmas and it was a supremely exciting moment. Except now I've realized just how accessible I've made doughnuts to my life, and I can already foresee the wardrobe issues I'm going to be having in the near future becauseI already want all of the doughnuts, all of the time.

For this inaugural foray into the ridiculously world of doughnuts I've worked with a recipe from my standby baker extraordinaire, Joy the Baker. There doesn't seem to be much this woman can't do, except maybe eat more doughnuts than me - that has yet to be seen, and her basic brown butter doughnut recipe was a perfect place to start. I altered it only slightly to accommodate my pantry.

I never would have thought that I would consider a doughnut pan a kitchen staple, but there is no way I'm ever turning back now!

I mean... doughnuts!




Brown Butter Buttermilk Doughnuts
adapted from Joy the Baker

makes 6-8 doughnuts 

1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large egg
1/2 cup buttermilk (make your own with regular milk and a vinegar - see notes below)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

for the glaze:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
pinch of salt
3 Tbsp unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a doughnut pan and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and sugar and then set aside.
3. In a small bowl whisk together egg, buttermilk, and vanilla extract and set aside
4. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat melt butter until it begins to crackle and pop and then turn brown. Once it has browned, it will smell nutty and delicious, immediately transfer browned butter (brown bits and all) to the bowl with egg mixture.
5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until well combined. Try not to over mix. 
6. Use a small spoon to transfer batter into the prepared pan. Smooth out and fill each space three-quarters full with batter
7. Place in the oven and bake for 9 minutes.
8. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan slightly before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.
9. To make the glaze: whisk together powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and salt. Add 2 tablespoons of milk and vanilla extract. Whisk to incorporate all of the dry ingredients into the wet, if necessary add 1 more tablespoon of milk - you want the mixture to be smooth and juuuust pourable. I would say mine was even just a tad too runny.
10. Once the doughnuts are completely cool, dip one side into the chocolate glaze and place back on the wire rack and top with sprinkles (optional but recommended). 
11. Allow to set for about 30 minutes
12. Enjoy!