Gingerbread Donuts with Brown Butter Glaze

Make Gingerbread Donuts with Brown Butter Glaze part of your baking repertoire this holiday season. Topped with chopped pecans and sprinkles, these donuts are just as fun and festive as they are delicious.

Featured in my last post were awesome, easy-to-make Gingerbread Lace Cookies, which were a big hit. Some things are so good that they are worth repeating, and that is why I am presenting you with these beauteous gingerbread donuts!

This holiday season, I’m all about gingerbread’s spiced flavor; for me, that’s the magical combination of ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and molasses. The warmth of the spices and the sweet aroma evoke coziness and comfort, perfect for winters in New England. That’s why I’m so excited about this Christmas donut recipe!

Now, let’s move on to the reason why I can’t get enough of these donuts—the topping!! I am all over anything that has brown butter! It’s buttery, nutty goodness, and it rules!! Don’t you agree? (Sorry for all the yelling, but these babies excite me!) The donuts are dipped in brown butter glaze and then rolled into chopped pecans, which punches up the nuttiness and adds texture. Finally, they are decorated with sprinkles for a pop of color, crunch, and character.

Making baked donuts is simple. The batter is entirely hand-mixed. All the wet ingredients go into one bowl while the dry goes into another. Whisk the wet, then stir in the dry. That’s it! Pour the batter into the donut pan, and 6-8 minutes later, you will have homemade donuts!

Likewise, the glaze is a cinch! Melt the butter over medium heat to make the brown butter, stirring frequently. The milk solids will separate and turn golden brown, at which point the butter is removed from the heat and transferred into a bowl. To complete the glaze, whisk in milk, powdered sugar, and a pinch of salt. Done! Finishing off the donuts is the really fun part—add a little glaze, chopped pecans, and sprinkles. They are ready to eat!!

The donuts are soft and tender and will be delicious the day after. No cardboard-tasting donuts here! Store them in an airtight container, and they will be ready to go the next day.

These donuts would make a perfect breakfast treat on Christmas morning. They are delicious and festive. Serve with a cup of piping hot coffee (or a tall glass of milk), and they are a perfect start to a special day! This recipe makes a small batch of 6 donuts, which can easily be doubled.

Recommended supplies:

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• Donut baking pans—this is a set of 2. You need only one pan for this recipe, which can easily be doubled.
• Piping bags—these are optional. You can also use plastic storage bags.
• Cooling rack

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Gingerbread Donuts with Brown Butter Glaze

Author: Thao | In Good Flavor Cooking Method:Baking Cuisine:American Courses:Breakfast Recipe Keys: B Baking

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 15 minutesCook time: 8 minutesTotal time: 23 minutesServings:6 Servings

Description

Make Gingerbread Donuts with Brown Butter Glaze part of your baking repertoire this holiday season. Topped with chopped pecans and sprinkles, these donuts are just as fun and festive as they are delicious.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon clove
• 1 egg
• 5 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cups chopped pecans
• sprinkles for decorating

For the glaze:

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 cup confectioner sugar 
• pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 6-cavity donut baking pan with cooking spray.
2. Combine the first nine dry ingredients in a small mixing bowl. In a larger bowl, whisk egg, brown sugar, oil, molasses, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet, using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until blended. Do not over-mix.
3. Pipe batter (from a plastic bag with a corner cut off) or spoon into each donut pan cavity, filling each no more than 3/4 full. Bake for 6-8 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few dry crumbs attached. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then turn the donut out onto a cooling rack.
4.  To make the glaze: heat butter in a small saucepan on medium, stirring frequently. Butter will become bubbly and milk solids will collect on the bottom. Cook until milk solids turn golden brown (about 3-4 minutes). Keep a close eye on it, as it will go from golden brown to burnt quickly. Immediately pour into a small mixing bowl. Whisk in sugar, milk, and salt until smooth and creamy. The consistency should be dippable but thick enough to hold its shape. Add a few drops of milk or tablespoons of sugar as needed for the desired consistency.
5. Dip the donut halfway into the glaze. Roll into a bowl of chopped walnuts. Add sprinkles. Serve.
6. Makes 6 servings.

Note

• This recipe is for a small batch of 6 donuts but can easily be doubled.

Keywords:Gingerbread Donuts, Donuts, Holiday Baking, Breakfast, Christmas Donut Recipe

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