This recipe for all-round cinnamon doughnuts with glazing doesn’t really need much of an introduction as I am fairly sure that we all know what doughnuts are. So let’s get straight to it:

Ingredients

• 4 Cups of All Purpose Flour
• 1¼ Cups of Sugar
• ¾ Cup of Buttermilk
• ¼ to ½ Cups of Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• ¼ Cup of Vegetable Shortening
• 2 Large Eggs
• 4 Teaspoons of Baking Powder
• 1 Teaspoon each of Ground Cinnamon and Vanilla Extract
• ¾ Teaspoon of Sea Salt
• ¼ Teaspoon of Baking Soda
• Vegetable Shortening (for deep frying)

Cinnamon Glaze Ingredients:

• 4 Cups of Powdered Sugar
• 1 Teaspoon of Ground Cinnamon
• 1 Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
• Milk

Method

1. Melting – Melt ¼ cup of shortening
2. Wet Ingredients – Lightly beat the eggs in a large bowl using a whisk or medium speed setting of food processor or blender. Gradually add in the sugar beating all the while. Continue mixing/blending until the mixture becomes thickened and lemon in color. Now stir in the melted shortening and vanilla.
3. Dry Ingredients – Using another bowl add in the flour, cocoa, baking powder, cinnamon, sea salt and baking soda. Combine all of these dry ingredients thoroughly.
4. Combining Ingredients – Add some of the dry ingredients to the egg mixture stirring continually as you do so. Next add some of the buttermilk stirring as you do. Repeat this cycle until all ingredients have been added to the mix and thoroughly combined.
5. Chill the Dough – Cover and chill this doughnut dough for at least 2 hours (the dough should be slightly sticky)
6. Prepare the Fryer – When ready to begin frying the doughnuts take a deep fryer or deep saucepan and heat enough vegetable shortening so that the heated shortening will be about 2½ to 3 inches deep. Bring melted vegetable shortening up to 365 degrees F.
7. Divide Dough – While the shortening is coming up to temperature lightly flour a flat working surface and then take the doughnut dough out of the refrigerator and divide into 2 more or less equal portions. Place one onto the floured surface and return the other in its bowl to the refrigerator to keep chilled.
8. Roll Dough – Now roll out the doughnut dough until it is about ½ an inch thick. Cut the dough using a floured 2½ inch doughnut cutter. Once all of the dough has been cut repeat the process with the other portion of dough (the one that should be in the refrigerator).
9. Frying – Fry your doughnuts in small batches until they turn a golden brown (about 2 minutes). Use a slotted spoon to remove the doughnuts from the fryer and transfer them to paper towels to drain.
10. Glazing – Combine the powdered sugar, cinnamon and vanilla. Mix until these ingredients are well and truly combined without any lumps or clumps. Then add in and stir enough milk to bring the icing mixture to the desired consistency. Once drained dip the doughnuts into the glazing mix. Note the doughnut should still be warm when you do this.

Serving:

This recipe yields approximately 24 dough nuts and will require about 20 minutes of preparation time and a further 20 minutes cooking time. Enjoy!