Comfort Food – GF Old Fashioned Donuts

It’s been a tough week all the way around. We think a little comfort is in order. On a list of comfort foods, donuts, much less freshly home made donuts, would have to make the Top 10 right? And these are not only easy, easy, easy to make, but so yummy and with a bonus of being gluten free!

You can make these in no time with ingredients you probably already have on hand. Comfort is on it’s way!

Old Fashioned Donuts

1/4 cup butter melted
3/4 cup buttermilk (or plain whole milk yogurt)
2 cups gluten free all purpose flour
1/2 cup caster sugar*
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Enough peanut, sunflower or coconut oil to fill 3/4 of the frying pan you are using to fry the donuts.
Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
Scant 1/4 cup warm water
1-2 teaspoons vanilla
Add all three ingredients and whisk until smooth.

Mix the flour (if you aren’t gluten free use regular all purpose flour),caster sugar*, baking powder, baking soda and salt and whisk together. Add in the buttermilk (or yogurt) and melted butter and stir to completely moisten the flour mixture. Don’t over mix. Once the flour is completely combined and mixed allow the dough to sit for about 5-10 minutes while you heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium high heat.

(*Castor sugar is also known as superfine sugar. If you don’t have any in the cupboard, or can’t find it at your local market, simply put the regular granulated sugar in a blender and blend on high for about 10-15 seconds. It will make the sugar crystals finer so in the cooking process they will melt easier and faster.)

Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball between you floured palms then flatten slightly and using you thumb and third finger make a hole in the center of each ball. Widen the hole slightly. Get all the donuts ready before beginning to fry.

Drop a small bit of bread in the oil, if it immediately sizzles, its ready. (Be sure it doesn’t turn brown right away or your donuts will be too dark on the outside before they are done on the inside. If the bit of bread you put in gets brown right away, lower the temperature and wait a minute or two before adding the first batch of donuts. Adding the donuts will drop the temperature of the oil slightly as well.) Using a spatula slip the donuts in, one at a time, being careful not to crowd the pan. You will need to cook the donuts in batches.

Old Fashioned Donuts from Two Chums on Vimeo.

Cook the donuts for 2-3 minutes on the first side and then turn and continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes on the other side. Once the donuts are golden brown drain them on a plate lined with paper towels. Once they are cooled enough to handle (they will still be pretty hot) roll them in the glaze, and stack them on a serving plate.

Now make some coffee or pour yourself a nice cold glass of milk and prepare to be delighted, satisfied, and certainly comforted. We’ve all had a heck of a week, and you’ve earned some comforting we’re sure.