SUGAR DONUTS

(Yields about 18 donuts)

3 ½ cups flour

2 tsp  baking powder

½ tsp  baking soda

1 ½ tsp  salt

1 cup  granulated sugar

¾ cup  buttermilk

½ stick  butter, melted

2  eggs

About 3 quarts canola oil for frying

About 2 cups granulated sugar or cinnamon sugar for dredging (if desired.)

  1. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into large bowl.
  2. Whisk together sugar, buttermilk, melted butter and eggs in another bowl.
  3. Add wet mixture to flour mixture and stir until dough comes together.  (It will still be pretty sticky.)
  4. Turn dough out on to floured surface and knead about 8 times. 
  5. Roll out with floured rolling pin into a 12-inch round.
  6. Cut out donuts with a 3-inch donut cutter.  Gather scraps, re-roll and cut again to use remaining dough. (If you don’t have a donut cutter, use a round biscuit cutter and cut ¾-inch centers out of each donut using the tip of a paring knife.)
  7. Heat 3 inches of oil in a heavy pot to 365 degrees.  Working in batches of three, gently slide donuts into hot oil. 
  8. When they float to the surface, flip them over and cook for about one minute. 
  9. Turn them over using tongs and cook on the second side for 45 seconds. 
  10. Drain on paper towels.
  11. While still warm, dredge donuts in granulated sugar or cinnamon sugar.
  12. Bring oil back to 365 degrees before adding more donuts.  Fry donut holes in the same manner, though they usually cook a bit faster.