It’s official: autumn is here! And with it comes everything apple, pumpkin, and cozy. There is nothing I love more then cuddling up on a luscious fall morning with a cup of coffee and something pumpkin. This weekend, the ‘pumpkin’ found it’s way into my Grandma’s famous sugar donuts!
This is not an every day occurrence for me. My Grandmother was more than the beloved matriarch of our family, she was also the ultimate answer for any recipe or food question. Ever. Thus, when I tackled her Sugar Donuts (see post here), I was walking on hallowed ground. So imagine my inward conflict when I decided it was time to experiment! It was with great care and a pinch of fear that I proceeded to my Kitchen Aid, pumpkin in tow.
Grandma’s recipe makes a gazillion donuts, and they are by far my husband’s absolute favorite, so I didn’t want to risk ruining the entire recipe with my new addition. I made 3/4 of the batch up the good ol’ fashioned way, and then when about 1/4 of the batter was left in my bowl, I took the plunge.
Soft, warm, light and fluffy – these little guys did NOT disappoint! There’s nothing quite as satisfying as texture/taste combo that comes from a roughed-up glazed donut. Oy.
Next time I’ll definitely do 50-50. They came out so delicious we wished we had more! So for our purposes here I’ve adjusted the recipe to reflect one-half of the original Sugar Donuts Recipe, a more manageable amount of goodness for feeding less than 5 hungry people. 😉
Pumpkin Glazed Sticks
Ingredients:
1 cup of Sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp salt
2 TBLS shortening (or softened butter)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp nutmeg
3/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
3 1/2 cups of flour
1 cup of sour milk
1/2 cup of canned pumpkin (or to taste. If adding more than 1/2 cup, add equal parts of flour.)
Vegetable oil for frying
Glaze:
3 cups of powdered/confectionery sugar (sift for smoother glaze)
2-3 TBLS of water (just enough to get a thick consistency)
Directions:
Heat fryer to 375-400 degrees.
Combine Sugar, Eggs, Salt & Shortening in large mixing bowl. Mix until smooth. Sift together Baking Powder, Baking Soda, Nutmeg, Pumpkin Spice and Flour. Add slowly to sugar mixture. Alternate with sour milk and pumpkin until combined. Dough will be very sticky.
On a heavily floured wooden board, scoop out a portion of the dough. Sprinkle flour over the top then roll to 1/2 inch thick. Using a pizza cutter, cut the dough in half one direction, then into slices going the opposite direction like you would bread sticks.
Before frying, test your oil with a little piece of dough. Oil should bubble around the dough immediately and dough should start to look cooked within 30 seconds or so on one side. If not, turn up the heat.
Fry donuts for 30 seconds (roughly) on each side. Remove with slotted spoon and place on paper towel plate to dry. While still warm, dip in glaze to coat, or leave plain (I don’t know why anyone would want a plain donut, but it’s always an option).
Serve warm; place in warm oven to reheat.
{These are best served right out of the fryer! They still tasted amazing the next day, but the crispy glazed texture had turned mushy.}
And there you have it! I’m no donut guru but these were AMAZING! In my world, anything that combines sugar, spice and pumpkin is a win win WIN! What’s your favorite fall combo? Apple & cinnamon? Caramel and sea salt? Leave a comment and let us know what combo flavors we should try next time!
❤ Jasmine
JOY FOR MOM 