Pumpkin Spice Donuts

Let's just be honest here. I am a little scared to fry things at home because hot oil is a little intimidating. However, when I found this recipe for glazed pumpkin donuts on Pinterest I started to reconsider my feelings about frying at home. I mean this is the perfect time for pumpkin recipes (which I can't get enough of!) and it's hard to turn down a donut, especially when they are homemade. So I decided to go for it and face my frying fears. I found this recipe on Barefoot and Baking (you can find the recipe here or on my Pinterest board). You start off by mixing the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and pumpkin pie spice. In a separate bowl, mix together butter, eggs, vanilla, buttermilk, and pumpkin puree.

Combining the ingredients will prove to be an arm workout. Form a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add in the wet ingredients. Then mix until a dough ball forms. It will take a little bit and the dough will be sticky but you will see it start to come together. Next comes the part where I had to get a little creative. You need to roll out the dough to 1/2" thick. They will get puffy and normal looking, I promise. However, I was in a kitchen with no rolling pin or cookie cutter. So we improvised... we covered a bottle of vodka with saran wrap and used a plastic cup and the lid as the cookie cutters. Once you get finished cutting everything out, you will end up with the donuts and donut holes.

Next came the scary part for me. (Fortunately, I had a helper who volunteered to be in charge of the actually frying part). Make sure you are using a big, deep pot to do the actual frying and open the windows and doors because it will smell like oil. Heat the oil on medium-low heat (it has to be this temperature. Trust me it won't be good if it's too hot!) and you'll know when it's ready when you drop a piece of dough in and it immediately starts bubbling like crazy. I put two to three donuts in the pan and then let them drain on some paper towels. While they are still hot, dip them in the glaze and then let them cool on a cooling rack. The glaze is a basic recipe of powdered sugar, buttermilk, and vanilla. Whisk together and you have your glaze.

These were so yummy and I was surprised that they were relatively easy. They just took a little bit of time because you had to roll and cut out the dough. If I had proper kitchen equipment, it might have sped up the process. However, I did have a really fun time making them. The pumpkin flavor was prominent but not overwhelming and the glaze added sweetness without being overkill. We took these super yummy treats on a breakfast picnic, along with some fresh fruit, and the pumpkin spice hot chocolate (See the post here). It was a beautiful fall morning and these donuts were the perfect way to celebrate fall. I admit that I am no longer afraid of frying (though I do want a small fryer) and am excited for my next fried adventure. Be sure you give these a try because they are beyond delicious!