Baked Cinnamon Sugar Doughnuts

I've been craving doughnuts. Big Time.  As a rule, I usually don't eat them.  I Love them. Who doesn't?  But there is too much guilt involved.  I always have regret afterwards.  Did I really need that doughnut? Was it worth it? It's sitting on me. Now I feel awful. I have read that there are less calories in a plain doughnut than a bagel, but it does not matter, I still feel guilty. Even with all that cream cheese,  I eat bagels all the time.  Crazy.

When I heard about baked doughnuts (what?!) I was intrigued.  A doughnut that is baked and not fried.  Tell me more.  Could they be just as good?  Let me tell you, the answer is YES! 

I have been seeing recipes for baked doughnuts on the blogs for the past few months and have been on the hunt for a doughnut pan.  I hated the thought of buying a special pan to make just one thing. It's not very practical.  But then I came across this Nordic Ware one at Target for under $10.  I made the splurge and I'm so glad I did! I will be using this pan very often!

It just so happens that the day after I bought the pan one of my favorite blogs - Shutterbean- posted a recipe for Ina Garten's Cinnamon Sugar Baked Doughnuts.  It was meant to be!

Sunday morning I created my own little doughnut shop in the kitchen. I had fun making them, but not as much fun as my family had eating them.  There is nothing like a warm doughnut right out of the oven, freshly dipped in cinnamon & sugar.  Oooh Yaaaa!

This is pure Happiness....

recipe from shutterbean.com

1 cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 tbs unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract

for topping:

4 tbs (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a mixing bowl.

Whisk together the egg, buttermilk, melted butter, and vanilla in a medium bowl.  Pour into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. 

Spray the doughnut pan with non-stick spray.  Fill the wells a bit more than three-quarters full with the batter. 

Bake for 15-17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the wall of a doughnut comes out clean.  The doughnuts will be puffed and lightly browned.  Let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then gently invert the doughnuts onto a rimmed baking sheet. 

For the topping, whisk together the sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl.  Brush the warm doughnuts with the melted butter, then dip them into the cinnamon-sugar mixture on one or both sides.

I did both sides : )

This recipe makes six doughnuts, but you can certainly double it for a full dozen.

When the mess was all cleaned up I found some quiet time to enjoy a doughnut (or two...please don't judge...they are baked for heaven's sake...), my coffee, and a magazine full of Spring inspiration! With all the snow we've had lately I was in need of something bright and cheery.  It worked! I felt so happy afterwards, and not one bit of guilt. 

Ok, half the guilt, but that's better than before...xo