Nanny's Raised Doughnuts recipe is one found on one of my Grandmother's recipe cards. It is a yeast doughnut that is light, fluffy, and homey! Glazed with a maple frosting, it brings back memories of eating doughnuts with Nanny as a little girl!
Laura, over at The Spiced Life, is holding a Grandma's Recipes Event. Thank you Laura for doing this!! I thought and thought this one over. Most of my grandmother's recipes that I have written down in my own home are her cookies. I decided to call my Aunt Ann and asked her to send me some recipes (as she is in possession of all Grandma's recipes). She sent me a quite a few, but the one I decided to go with was the Raised Doughnuts. Grandma and Grandpa, who after my children were born, became Nanny & Poppy, loved doughnuts. I remember her making doughnuts when I was young, but when I was an adult, I remember them bringing them home from the store more often. I do remember the favorite was a maple glazed doughnut, so I will be recreating that today, along with some other decorated ones!
When I think of Nanny, I think of all the time she and I spent together. I was so lucky to get to have a grandmother who loved to have me around as much as I loved to be near her! I remember getting up early when my dad would take off for work, just to go around the corner with dad and go to Grandmas in the morning. I would go back upstairs and curl up and cuddle with Gram for another hour or two and then we would get up and she would make me breakfast.
Nanny always gave us what we wanted, and I usually wanted a egg fried in real butter and toast. Go figure. I can't eat eggs now to save my life, but back then I loved them! I remember many times being at Gram's house when she was baking her pies or cookies. There was always something sweet at her house and we always knew where to look to find those sweets. ;o)
Now, the recipe that my aunt scanned and emailed me for Gram's raised doughnuts is pretty sketchy. Fortunately, I grew up around her and mom both making these.....and I basically "knew" what to do.
I decided to coat the doughnut holes with cinnamon sugar. Once they are removed from the oil and have sat a couple of minutes, put them in a paper bag with cinnamon sugar mixture and shake to coat. I made two types of frosting, one was maple because it was one of Gram's favorite flavors and I made an almond glaze because its one of my favorite flavors!
- Raised Doughnuts
- Mae Iris Whitton (my lovely Grandmother!)
- 1 packet yeast
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1-¼ cups milk
- 4-½ cups flour
- 3 Tbsp. shortening (I used canola oil)
- 1 egg
- ¼ teaspoon mace (she had written you could use nutmeg or cinnamon in place, I went with cinnamon)
- ¼ tsp. salt
- Now, her directions are spotchy, but I want to put it here as she put it. You might get a good chuckle over it!
- Dissolve yeast, 1 tbsp. sugar in milk. After it cools add ½ cups lour, beat well, let raise 1 hr in warm place.
- Well, if your don't know how to bake, your not going to have a clue how to make these and do it right! This is what I did:
- I scalded the milk and let cool to just lukewarm. Mix in the packet of yeast and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Let sit 5 minutes. Add remaining sugar, oil and egg and mix well. Gradually add flour (and I did only use 4 -½ cups!). Turn out onto lightly floured board and knead gently until uniform. Let sit and rise for 1 hour.
- After doughnuts rise, roll out to ½" thick, cut with doughnut cutter and set aside. Heat oil to temp of 350 degrees. Drop doughnuts into oil. They will sink to the bottom. When they rise to the top, immediately turn over to prevent cracking. Cook doughnuts until browned and drain on a plate covered with a paper towel to absorb and residual grease.
- To make the maple frosting, I took a tablespoon of butter and melted it in the microwave. For the maple frosting I added about 2 tablespoon maple syrup, ½ teaspoon mapleine, confectioner's sugar and enough milk to thin enough to glaze consistency. I then dipped the tops in the frosting and sat upright on towel lined plates to set.
- For the Almond flavored glaze I basically did the same thing except I only used 1 tablespoon butter, confectioner's sugar, 1 tsp. almond extract and milk. I don't have measurements for the confectioner's sugar or milk. I usually just dump in enough sugar and milk until it comes to the consistency I want for glazing or frosting.
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Gabi @Mamaliga says
Lovely!!!
Good luck with the entry!!!
Gbai @ Mamaliga
Lo says
I haven't had a homemade raised donut in years. These look fabulous! And they have me thinking that I need to go and find my mom's recipe!
haleysuzanne says
These are both beautiful and delicious looking! I loved the background about breakfasts at your Grandma's. Those are some of the best memories. And, now I have a great doughnut recipe to try at last! Thanks for sharing.
Cakelaw says
What delicious looking doughnuts! My faves are the glazed ones - the icing looks so pretty.
Pam says
They look so cute and tasty. I love donuts but have never tried to make them myself.
Alta says
I need to find an excuse to make these! I'm not the biggest donut fan, but the donut holes, with cinnamon and sugar, sold me! Yummy!