I realize how ironic it is to post this recipe right after the “Fight Obesity” speech, but I’ve been wanting to post this recipe for a long long time. Sometimes it’s best to throw caution out the window… not always, just sometimes.
Growing up my family spent a lot of time in the great outdoors. We’d take week long camping trips high up into the mountains where we’d spend time digging in the dirt, fishing, canoeing, laughing, swimming in the lake and river, riding horses, playing horse shoes, and just chillin’. Those are some of my favorite memories. And oh, the stories I could tell, like the one time when I accidentally seared my brother’s ear with a hot, flaming stick of death… but we won’t go into details. It really was an accident…
Let’s move on. My mom is an excellent cook, and that’s an understatement. We always looked forward to dinner in the mountains because we loved eating her cast iron dutch oven cooking. Some of my favorite dishes included chicken, potatoes, bacon, peach cobbler, donuts, and bread. My two favorites were peach cobbler and donuts. (The treats, of course!)
Just the other night, the hankerin’ to eat some of those donuts again sneaked into my appetite, so I set to it. Now, the best part of this donut recipe is that it’s effortless… seriously, it’s super fast, super delicious, and easy enough that the kids can help. Hard to beat that, and when the kids have fun, it makes it even more enjoyable. My daughter Maggie helps me make these for family night on occasion. If a camp fire isn’t readily available, you can still cook these on the stove top. As always, you can print this recipe out at the end of this post.
And just for the record I can never decide if I should spell donuts like I just did or like this: doughnuts. so I’m not very consistent throughout this post.
Enjoy, and try not to salivate on your keyboard.
Donuts in 15 Minutes
Ingredients
Method
Get a small can of pre-made biscuit dough (buttermilk or classic). As long as it doesn’t have butter chunks mingling with the dough, you’re good to go. The butter chunks ruin it. Whoa… is that even possible? Why yes, yes it is.
Add about 1″ to 1-1/2″ of oil to a pan and heat the oil to just below smoking point (I usually put mine on the gas mark 6 for canola oil). Notice I’m using a cast iron frying pan. I love cast iron. Cast iron isn’t a requirement; you can make these using any type of pan, even a bed pan small 6″ sauce pan. Well, maybe not any type of pan.
As the oil heats, poke holes into the biscuit dough to make them into doughnuts.
This is really too easy, really.
Then mix up the cinnamon sugar. Add some cinnamon to sugar, easy peasy.
If you have a little girl named Maggie, let her mix it up.
You want the overall mixture to be a light-brown and white mixture. Taste it. Yummy!
Now that the sugar mixture is ready, test to see if the oil is hot enough by pinching off a small piece of dough and adding it to the oil. If it turns dark golden brown within 25-30 seconds, the oil is hot enough.
Add the doughnut dough (it’s no longer biscuit dough) to the oil and cook on the first side for about 25 seconds.
Flip, and cook on the other side for another 20 seconds or so. I usually cook a bunch of them at once, although it requires more oil. So, just watch the donuts closely so they don’t overcook. A medium to dark golden brown is perfect. Don’t burn it or you’ll have ‘crummy’ donuts (ba da bing!).
As you remove each donut, lay them on a paper towel for a few seconds to remove excess oil.
And I’m salivating…
Then add them to your cinnamon sugar mixture and shake them around until they’re fully loaded-er-I mean coated. Maggie rocks at this. Seriously, it’s a little kid’s dream come true.
Remove from the cinnamon sugar and eat!
And because my kids are so cute, here are some extra pictures of my little girls (this is for you grandma):
“I dunno, dad… they look questionable to me.”
“Peek-a-boo! I see you!”
“Maggie likes them? Okay… I guess I’ll give ’em a try.”
Donuts. Makes kids happy.
Download
Download “Donuts in 15 Minutes” (PDF, 1 page, 115 kb)
Meagan attractively chimes...
Why, why, why are you always SPOILING my resolves to be healthy? German chocolate? Donuts? Do you know what this does to me?
Btw, the pic is gorgeous and your blog looks so amazing. My friend Alison (craveitall.blogspot.com) said your blog looks amazing and wanted me to make sure you knew that, haha. I have to admit it’s a dang sweet blog.
Chris Mower molodically expatiates...
@Meagan
I’m always spoiling my own resolves too! In fact, I was thinking of making cinnamon rolls tonight…
Meagan helpfully types...
And you’re kids are freaking adorable. I’m done now.
Chris Mower energetically chats it up...
@Meagan
Thanks! It’s their mom’s fault. She’s a hottie.
Dad pleasantly comments...
Actually the name of these delicious donuts is: “Dad’s Donuts”. They are so easy, even Dad can do them. (And I did)
Chris Mower magestically asserts...
You’re right… I meant to mention that in the introduction somewhere, but I think talking about fire and burning ears distracted me. They’ll always be “Dad’s Donuts” to me. 🙂
Kim stupendously asserts...
Yum.. and fun, too! Your blog is very cool… will have to add it to my favorites! Your family is adorable… matching aprons… nice touch!
Chris Mower helpfully expresses...
Hi Kim. Thanks for the compliments. My family and I sure enjoy our time together. My daughter is a cooking fanatic.
I took a look at your blog. You’ve got quite the talent yourself!
Sherry Yeager briefly expatiates...
Hey Chris…your updated site is pretty awesome. And, of course, the FIRST recipe I went to is one loaded with carbs (against my “eating plan” at the moment), but these donuts look positively yummy. And, the girls, well…they are just downright adorable. Keep up the good work and the yummy recipes. Love the background stories, too!!
Chris Mower bravely states...
Thanks Sherry! 🙂
I keep wanting to post healthy(er) recipes on here, but I keep getting drawn back to the goodies because they’re fun to make and taste great!
Jack helpfully claims...
Hey chris yummy I Just made some and burnt my arms by accident im okay though those donuts are yummy.
Jack enthusiastically conveys...
And also your kids are cute
Chris Mower attractively affirms...
Thanks Jack! Sorry about the torched arms… that stinks! Glad to know it was worth it in the end :).
Lila reassuringly states...
Good One Chris!
Ali H victoriously fleshes out...
Made these this morning and they were awesome and so easy!! The kiddo loved helping 🙂 Thanks!
Chris Mower proudly fleshes out...
Awesome! So glad they worked out for you!
Lindsey stupendously divulges...
My friends and I are having a “FriedDay” evening get together tonight (ha, we’re so clever). I’m definitely giving this a try!
Chris Mower energetically expresses...
Ha! Awesome! I hope you have a great time.