French Toast Doughnuts

Have you been to a grocery on a Saturday or Sunday lately? Particularly one of those giant warehouse ones?

Personally, I have a rule about grocery stores and weekends; a very, very strict rule that I only break under dire circumstances:

No grocery stores on the weekend. Period.

Unless I desperately need something. Otherwise, you won’t find me in the grocery after Friday or before Monday.

Everybody and their brother, plus their brother’s friend’s cousin’s great-aunt’s stepson goes to the grocery on the weekend. I can’t handle it. All those shopping carts, weaving in and out, not even trying to obey the rules of cart etiquette, the kids ducking around corners and running through your legs, the long lines of pushy people waiting for their meat, the person in line behind you at the checkout who has to get their cart RIGHT. BEHIND. Your ankles.

Too much! Too much for me!

However. The Hubster and I had to make a dreaded run to Whole Foods on Saturday. In general, I love going to the Whole Foods. But it was a Saturday. Nothing about this was going to be enjoyable.

Then we got inside and practically had free lunch, with dessert and everything. Can you believe the number of free sample people they have standing around? I feel like I’ve been getting ripped off my whole adult life (when you’re a kid, you always get a free cookie from the bakery, so what do kids even know about it??). I learned the truth this weekend. I know now why so many people spend their weekends meandering the overcrowded supermarket: free food.

And you would think they hunted, gathered, killed, processed, cooked, baked, and served it all themselves, the way they swoop in on it, regardless of whether their elbows meets someone’s ribs, or their giant feet crush someone’s toes.

Heres a tip: it’s free food. You don’t have to offer up an innocent person’s shins as sacrifice to the Sample Table Gods.

One lady was working defense so hard, I thought I’d have to foul her just to get the ref to call a time out so I could try a doughnut.

It’s really just a new reason NOT to be at the store on the weekend.

It did, however, inspire these French toast doughnuts, because that doughnut sample was what they called a French toast doughnut. They said it won a doughnut contest on the Food Network. It was a tasty doughnut. I even bought a whole one after sampling it, but it wasn’t very French toast-y.

So I went home and made some French toast doughnuts of my own on Sunday, inspired by my French Toast Cupcakes, and angels rejoiced and choirs sang (if you don’t believe me, ask the Hubster…he heard them, too). Because they were that good.

The end.

Well, not really, because you probably want to hear about them, huh?

Alright.

These doughnuts are ridiculously easy, even with the addition of homemade streusel. They are a simple, mix pour, and bake recipe, and they only bake for a few minutes, so there’s zero reasons not to try them.

Especially since they’re deliciously addictive. You’re gonna wanna make sure you make plenty, so you can keep lots for yourself. Trust me.

Okay, so, like I said, these are easy. Once you have your streusel chilling, mix up the doughnuts. This will take about 38.792 seconds. You’re welcome.

Pour your doughnut batter into a pastry bag to make it easier to fill the doughnut pans. I like to use a glass to help me out with this step.

After spraying your mini doughnut pan lightly with non-stick cooking spray, fill each doughnut mold half full.

Then sprinkle them with some amazing streusel. Cause you can.

And then make some in a big doughnut pan, too. Cause you can. 🙂

These bake super duper fast, even the large ones. The minis only take about 5 minutes, while the standard donuts are done in about 7 minutes. Transfer them to a wire cooling rack immediately and allow them to cool completely.

Then drench them in maple glaze, because you know you want to.

Last, but not least, go ahead and get crazy and dust these little babies with confectioners’ sugar.

Now, there’s really nothing left to do, but stack them up, find a cozy seat, and get lost in how fantastic these are.

I love the little bit of crunch that the streusel adds to these, while the inside of the donuts are light, sweet, and spicy. Plus, the maple glaze is the perfect compliment.

Now go make these, grab a hot cuppa, and enjoy!

French Toast Cake Doughnuts
with Maple Glaze
Makes 18 standard doughnuts, or 36 mini

Ingredients

FOR THE STREUSEL
1/4 cup (64 grams) brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 teaspoons (about 19 grams) granulated sugar
1/4 cup (32 grams) all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons (about 42 grams) cold unsalted butter, cut into chunks

FOR THE DONUTS
2 cups (254 grams) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 cup (about 188 ml) buttermilk
2 eggs
2 tablespoons (about 28 grams) unsalted butter, melted

FOR THE GLAZE
1 cup (125 grams) confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon (15 ml) milk
1/2 teaspoon (about 2.5 ml) vanilla extract

To make the streusel: In a large bowl, combine the brown sugar, sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt. Mix the cold butter into the mixture by hand, squeezing the pieces in to mix it.

Cover and freeze while you prepare the doughnuts.

If you’re not using the streusel right away, refrigerate it (covered) until ready to use.

To make the doughnuts: Preheat oven to 425 degrees (220 C). Lightly spray doughnut pans with non-stick cooking spray; set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Stir in the buttermilk, eggs, and melted butter until thoroughly combined, about 30 seconds or so. Do not over mix.

Transfer the batter to a pastry bag and pipe into the doughnut pans, filling each mold about half full. Sprinkle the doughnuts with the cold streusel.

Bake mini doughnuts for 4 to 5 minutes, and standard doughnuts for 6 to 7 minutes, or until they spring back to the touch. The doughnuts don’t darken greatly in color, so you may be tempted to cook them longer, but they shouldn’t need it.

Transfer the doughnuts to a wire cooling rack and allow to cool completely before glazing.

To make the glaze: In a medium bowl, combine the confectioners’ sugar, syrup, and milk until smooth. Stir in the vanilla extract. Immediately dip donuts into the glaze, shaking off the excess, or drizzle the glaze over the doughnuts.

Dust doughnuts with confectioners’ sugar, if desired.

Recipe by Darla