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Brown Butter Baked Doughnuts with Chocolate Icing

September 26, 2013 by Cate 18 Comments

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It’s official: I am doughnut obsessed. Ever since I bought my doughnut pan and made these beauties, I am hooked.  I can’t stop looking up doughnut recipes.  There are so many amazing ones out there! But I am pretty sure this one from Joy the Baker might be the most amazing.  A brown butter doughnut with chocolate glaze. And sprinkles. OMG yes please! 

Brown Butter Baked Doughnuts with Chocolate Icing

And is it fate that she posted this recipe the same weekend I bought my donut pan?  I think so. I was meant to make these.  I literally could not stop thinking about them all week, because I knew Saturday morning it was doughnut time.  And wow, were these good.  It was nearly impossible to photograph them before eating them. I literally had to fight TheBetterHalf to keep him away from the doughnuts.  Fastest photoshoot ever.

Brown Butter Baked Doughnuts with Chocolate Icing

TheBetterHalf just couldn’t resist.

But luckily, these were an easy subject to photograph – I mean look at them! I must say, I was pretty impressed with myself.  They look like doughnuts that you buy at the bakery!  I think this might be one of my favorite things that I have ever baked.  And that’s saying something!

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The doughnut itself tastes like brown butter and vanilla, an excellent combo in my opinion. Browning the butter takes an extra five minutes, but it is totally worth it. The nutty flavor is unbeatable!  Plus I could smell brown butter all day – top 5 smells for sure (Ed. Note: She really keeps track of her favorite smells.  It’s concerning).  Other than browning the butter, this recipe could not be easier.  I hate to give away my secret, but baked donuts are really so easy! Joy’s recipe calls for buttermilk, which I didn’t have on hand, so I used a mixture of milk and yogurt – problem solved!  Mix up the dough, spoon it into the pan, and bake for only 8 – 10 minutes.

Brown Butter Baked Doughnuts with Chocolate Icing

Browned butter and pre-baked doughnuts. Look at the specks of brown in that butter! Pure flavor.

Then while the doughnuts cool (that’s the only hard part, waiting!), make the chocolate icing.

Brown Butter Baked Doughnuts with Chocolate Icing

A mountain of cocoa powder and powdered sugar just waiting for some milk

Dip the top of the doughnuts in the icing, then top with sprinkles or a topping of your choice. Prepare to amaze your family and friends (or yourself) with your perfect looking doughnuts!  This recipe makes only 6 doughnuts, which is probably a good thing, because you will certainly finish all of them.

Brown Butter Baked Doughnuts with Chocolate Icing

Somehow my strawberries found their way into the bowl of icing…

Brown Butter Baked Doughnuts with Chocolate Icing

And then there was one..

Brown Butter Baked Doughnuts with Chocolate Icing
Recipe from Joy the Baker

Ingredients
For the Doughnuts:
1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
⅓ cup sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter (but then you only use 2 Tbsp of browned butter)
1 large egg
½ cup buttermilk (or 6 tablespoons of greek yogurt mixed with 2 tablespoons milk)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the Chocolate Icing:
1 ½ cups powedered sugar
4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
pinch of salt
3 to 4 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a donut pan.

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt butter. Once it is melted, start slowly swirling the pan as the butter browns. It will crackle and pop, and will smell nutty. Watch it closely so that it doesn’t burn. Once butter is browned, remove from heat and transfer to a bowl

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar.

In a small bowl, whisk together egg, buttermilk (or milk + yogurt mixture), and vanilla. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of the browned butter.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and stir until all ingredients are combined, but do not overmix.

Use a small spoon to place batter into the prepared pan, filling each doughnut ring about ¾ full. Bake for 8 – 10 minutes. Allow them to cool in the pan for a few minutes, then turn onto a wire rack to cool completely.

While the doughnuts cool, make the glaze.
Sift together the powdered sugar, cocoa powder and salt. Add 2 tablespoons milk and vanilla extract. Whisk to combine, and add more milk as necessary to create a thick glaze that is still pourable.

When the doughnuts are cool, dip the top into the glaze. Return to the rack, and sprinkle with toppings. Allow to set for 30 minutes (or devour immediately).

Brown Butter Baked Doughnuts with Chocolate Icing

Who did that?

Related posts:

Sweet Potato Pecan Pancakes
Soft Pretzels
Pumpkin Crumb Coffee Cake

Filed Under: CateyLouBakes Tagged With: Baked Donuts, baked doughnuts, Baking, Breakfast, brown butter, browned butter, Brunch, Buttermilk Biscuit, Chocolate, Donuts, doughnuts, Greek Yogurt, joy the baker, sprinkles, strawberry, vanilla, Yogurt

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Comments

  1. Christina says

    September 26, 2013 at 3:41 pm

    They look delicious! I think I need to invest in a doughnut pan…

    Reply
  2. Lou says

    September 26, 2013 at 4:37 pm

    OK, I’m soooooooooo sold, I am going to have to invest in a doughnut pan STAT!

    Reply
  3. lafleurdesel says

    September 26, 2013 at 6:31 pm

    I can’t wait to try these!

    Reply
  4. Monica says

    September 26, 2013 at 6:51 pm

    Oh my goodness – I saw that post on Joy the Baker and a couple of days later, went out and bought the donut pan!! My little one was game and so I used him as an excuse. : ) Seriously, those donuts looked so irresistible and I’ll be trying it one day soon…Yours came out great and I’m glad to hear your testimonial!

    Reply
    • CateyLou says

      October 2, 2013 at 8:15 am

      Thank you so much! We are on the same wavelength 🙂

      Reply
  5. LFFL says

    September 28, 2013 at 3:22 pm

    I’ve never made my own yet, but I’m dying to.

    Reply
    • CateyLou says

      September 30, 2013 at 8:28 am

      I am so happy I took the plunge and bought a pan, baked donuts are the best!

      Reply
      • LFFL says

        October 1, 2013 at 4:15 pm

        I’m planning to by one next. I can’t wait.

        Reply
  6. Tina @ Tina's Chic says

    October 1, 2013 at 4:09 pm

    I recently bought a donut pan and now I’m constantly looking for recipes. These doughnuts look amazing! That glaze is calling my name. And yes, sprinkles are a must. 🙂

    Reply
    • CateyLou says

      October 2, 2013 at 8:13 am

      Tina, I can’t get enough doughnut recipes! I’m obsessed!

      Reply
  7. girlscantlivebybreadalone says

    October 1, 2013 at 5:17 pm

    These look really great – how do baked doughnuts compared to fried?

    Reply
    • CateyLou says

      October 2, 2013 at 8:11 am

      I was a skeptic as well, but I think baked doughnuts are really good! I mean fried are still a bit better – they are fried after all! But the baked ones are really moist and have a great texture, and taste delicious! Plus, so much better for you, so you can eat more 🙂

      Reply
  8. Girls can't live by bread alone says

    October 2, 2013 at 4:30 pm

    I will have to try them! Always put off making proper dougnuts because of the frying but love the taste – baked is surely the way forward. Better go and buy a doughnut pan… x

    Reply

Trackbacks

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    […] a weekend morning, I focused on doughnuts, one of our favorite weekend breakfasts since I bought my doughnut pan.  And so gingerbread doughnuts were born! […]

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  3. Pretzel Chocolate Chip Cookies | Chez CateyLou : A Food and Travel Blog says:
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  5. Baked Lemon Donuts made with Greek Yogurt - Chez CateyLou says:
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    […] pick, I (obviously) pick chocolate. But I really love lemon too! So even though I could eat these chocolate frosted donuts every day, I wanted to give lemon donuts a […]

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