cookie week: doughnuts, which are not cookies.

this week, i’m sharing the cookie recipes that i’m taking with me, or will be taking with me, to various cookie exchanges in december. i figure if i’m swapping the goods, why not swap the details too?

doughnuts are not cookies. but they should be. it’s tough to find a good doughnut in this town, without paying an arm and a leg, or without including it in part of a larger meal like brunch.*

these weren’t made for a cookie exchange, but rather for a chanukah party. but, anyone who brings doughnuts to a cookie exchange will be in my good books. especially if they’re anything like these ones from pioneer woman.

having never made doughnuts before, i didn’t stray from the recipe for the dough, or the cooking instructions. i see different concoctions in my future, however, my eyes now wide open to the possibilities of yeast, flour, milk and a lot of really hot oil.

if you’re a bit afraid of oil, i’d suggest using a taller, more narrow saucepan or pot to fry them in. it works as well and results in less splatter. the one thing that i did change here was the glaze.

brown butter doughnut glaze

for the doughnut recipe, make your way over to pioneer woman’s site.

makes enough glaze for 2 dozen doughnuts and their holes

1 1/2 cups icing sugar
2/3 cup water
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla

whisk together the icing sugar, water and vanilla in a bowl.

cook the butter on low heat until melted.

turn the heat up to medium-low, and allow the butter to become a nice brown colour. do not let it burn.

remove it from the stove and allow it to cool.

mix with the icing sugar mixture..

sprinkles, for the record, make for better doughnuts. it’s a proven fact.

*murray street, fraser cafe? i’m looking at you.