Marianne Martinez
Donuts are a delicious treat, but deep frying can be messy and time-consuming. Luckily, there are several ways to cook donuts without a deep fryer, including baking and shallow frying. Baked donuts have a cake-like texture and are less chewy than traditional deep-fried donuts. They can be made without yeast, resulting in a lighter, less puffy texture. Shallow frying is another option that requires less oil and no specialized equipment. This method produces donuts with a similar texture to deep-fried ones but with a more intense flavour.
Characteristics and their values
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Oil | 2-3 inches of oil heated to 375 F |
| Cooking time | 2-3 minutes on one side, 1 minute on the other side |
| Cooking method | Shallow frying, baking |
| Dough | Soft, made with yeast, flour, sugar, eggs, milk, shortening, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder |
| Texture | Cake-like, less chewy |
| Glaze | Vanilla, chocolate, raspberry, buttermilk, maple, Funfetti, or chocolate fudge |
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What You'll Learn
Oven-baking doughnuts
Oven-baked doughnuts are healthier, quicker, and easier to make than fried doughnuts. They are also less messy, as you don't need to worry about hot oil or spending time standing over a hot pan. The texture of oven-baked doughnuts is also quite different from traditional deep-fried doughnuts. They are more cake-like and less chewy, and are often referred to as cake doughnuts.
To make oven-baked doughnuts, first preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a donut pan with non-stick cooking spray. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients: milk, sugar, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined—be careful not to overmix.
Next, spoon the batter into a piping bag or a resealable plastic bag with the corner snipped off. Pipe the batter into the prepared donut pan, filling each cavity about 2/3 to 3/4 full. Bake the doughnuts for 10 to 14 minutes, or until they are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Remove the doughnuts from the oven and let them cool in the pan for a few minutes before turning them out onto a rack. You can decorate them with different glazes or toppings, such as cinnamon sugar, plain sugar, or coconut. You can also fill the doughnuts with chocolate chips or dip them in chocolate. Baked doughnuts are best enjoyed on the day of baking but can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
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Shallow-frying in a pan
Ingredients and Preparation:
Firstly, gather your ingredients: you will need flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, spices, eggs, buttermilk, melted butter, and vanilla extract. You will also need vegetable oil for frying. Combine the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another. Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet until a sticky dough is formed.
Shaping the Doughnuts:
Transfer the dough to a floured surface and use your palms to press it into a rectangle, roughly 12 inches long and about 1/2 inch thick. Now, use a floured 3-inch round cookie cutter and a 1-inch cutter for the donut holes. Re-roll any scraps to make about 12 donuts in total.
Shallow-Frying:
Line a tray with paper towels and set a wire rack on top. Pour about 2 inches of vegetable oil into a medium, heavy-bottomed pan and heat to 350°F-375°F. Carefully place 3-4 donuts at a time into the oil, being careful not to crowd the pan as this will drop the temperature. Fry for about 2-3 minutes on one side, then flip and cook for 1 minute or less on the other side, until they are puffed up and golden brown.
Finishing Touches:
Once your donuts are cooked, carefully remove them from the oil and transfer them to the wire rack to drain. If you are glazing or dipping the donuts, allow them to cool first. If you wish to roll them in sugar and cinnamon, do so while they are still moderately warm. Your donuts are now ready to serve and enjoy!
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Using an air fryer
If you have an air fryer, you can use it to make delicious, non-greasy doughnuts. Professional chef Gemma Stafford from Bigger Bolder Baking has shared her experience making doughnuts in an air fryer. She has confirmed that the doughnuts turn out to be delicious and not greasy at all.
To make doughnuts in an air fryer, you can follow the no-yeast homemade donut recipe by Gemma Stafford. The recipe is super simplified as it requires no yeast, is made entirely by hand, and shallow-fried as opposed to deep-fried. The doughnuts are incredibly flavorful, thanks to tangy buttermilk, sweet cinnamon, and aromatic nutmeg.
The dough is made by combining the wet ingredients into the dry in one bowl. You can then flatten the dough with your hands and cut out the donuts using both a large and small cookie cutter. You will be left with professional-looking donuts that come together in no time.
You can then place the cut-out doughnuts in the air fryer and cook them until they are cooked through and golden brown. The exact cooking time will depend on your air fryer and the size of your doughnuts, so be sure to keep an eye on them to avoid overcooking.
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Glazing the doughnuts
Glazing your doughnuts is a simple process, but it does require a bit of patience. First, you'll want to make sure your doughnuts are cool before you glaze them. This is important because if the doughnuts are too hot, the glaze will melt and slide off.
While the doughnuts are cooling, you can make your glaze. A simple glaze can be made with just three ingredients: milk or cream, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla extract. Simply whisk these ingredients together until smooth. You can also add food colouring to create a coloured glaze. If you want a thinner glaze, you can add a small amount of hot water, one tablespoon at a time, until you reach the desired consistency.
Once your glaze is ready and your doughnuts are cool, it's time to dip them. Dunk each side of the doughnut into the glaze, making sure to coat it evenly. Place the glazed doughnuts on a wire rack to allow the excess glaze to drip off. The glaze will set in about 20 minutes.
If you want to get creative, you can experiment with different glaze flavours. Try strawberry, chocolate, or maple bacon glazes for a unique treat. You can also add toppings to your glazed doughnuts, such as sprinkles, chopped nuts, or even bacon bits. Get creative and have fun with it!
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Decorating the doughnuts
Now for the fun part: decorating your doughnuts! There are endless possibilities for toppings, frostings, and glazes. You can set up a decorate-your-own-doughnut spread and let your guests create their own unique combinations.
First, arrange a variety of doughnuts on serving platters and stands. Place a selection of toppings in small bowls and melt different types of frosting in microwave-safe bowls. Set out plates for your guests to decorate their doughnuts on. Then, let everyone dip their doughnuts in the frostings and decorate them with toppings and drizzles.
Some great ideas for toppings include mini M&M's, crushed Oreos, diced fresh strawberries, chopped cooked bacon, Reese's Pieces, chopped nuts, Fruity Pebbles Cereal, Fruit Loops Cereal, Golden Grahams Cereal, and marshmallow bits. You can also offer a range of sprinkles and candies.
If you want to glaze your doughnuts, you can try a classic vanilla glaze with sprinkles, pretty in pink raspberry and white chocolate, or indulgent chocolate fudge. You can also roll your doughnuts in sugar and cinnamon while they are still moderately hot. If you want to dip your doughnuts, be sure to let them cool first.
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Frequently asked questions
A:
There are a few ways to make donuts without a deep fryer. One way is to bake them in the oven. To do this, you will need to:
- Whisk up the mixture
- Spoon it into greased pans
- Fill each hole about 3/4 of the way
- Bake and then decorate
Another way is to shallow fry them. To do this, you will need to:
- Combine dry and wet ingredients in separate bowls
- Flatten the dough and cut out donut shapes
- Heat oil in a pan
- Carefully place the donuts into the oil and fry until golden brown
A:
You can make baked donuts with a simple all-purpose baking mix. You can also add in ingredients like vanilla, chocolate, cinnamon, nutmeg, and buttermilk.
A:
For shallow-fried donuts, you will need flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, spices, eggs, buttermilk, melted butter, and vanilla extract.
A:
To make a glaze for baked donuts, melt butter in a saucepan. Add confectioners' sugar, water, and vanilla. Cook over low heat until smooth, then dip the warm donuts into the glaze.
A:
Baked donuts are best enjoyed on the day of baking, but they can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
