Craving a doughnut? Can’t get out to your favourite gourmet doughnut shop? You don’t want to mess with deep-frying? Good news! Use your waffle maker to bake up these tender doughnuts with ingredients you probably have on hand. They’re a sweet treat just ready for customizing with your favourite coating, icing, toppings, and sprinkles, of course! Let your imagination run, put on your aprons and get waffling.
Adapted from 150 Best Waffle Maker Recipes from Sweet to Savory by Marilyn Haugen & Jennifer MacKenzie, Robert Rose 2018.
If we told you that you could cook up a batch of cake doughnuts in a half hour or less, would you believe us? Go ahead, get into the kitchen and find out!
Equipment prep:
Preheat waffle maker to medium (or on if you don’t have settings)
Pastry bag fitted with a large round tip (or sealable plastic bag with a 1/2-inch/1 cm hold in one corner)
Ingredients:
1-1/4 cups (310 mL) all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp (2 mL) baking soda
1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) salt
1 large egg
1/3 cup (75 mL) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (125 mL) buttermilk (or add 1-1/2 tsp/7 mL vinegar or lemon juice to plain milk)
2 tbsp (30 mL) butter, melted
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla extract
Butter, softened, or vegetable oil spray
Coating or glaze (see variations below)
Decorator sprinkles (optional)
How to make them:
- In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt.
- In a small bowl, whisk together egg, sugar, buttermilk, melted butter and vanilla. Pour over flour mixture and stir just until smooth. Transfer to pastry bag.
- Brush waffle maker with softened butter (or spray with oil). In batches, pipe batter into waffle maker in rings (or other shapes, see below), about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick and 3 inches (7.5 cm) in diameter, spacing rings at least 2 inches (5 cm) apart. Gently close lid (do not squeeze) and cook for about 3 minutes or until golden brown outside and edges no longer look wet. Transfer to a wire rack. Repeat with remaining batter, brushing waffle maker with softened butter or spraying with oil as necessary between batches.
- Dip or glaze warm or cool doughnuts (see variations, below), then return to rack. If desired, add sprinkles on top of glaze (if using) and let glaze set.
Makes about 8 doughnuts.
Variations:
Cinnamon-Sugar Doughnuts: In a shallow bowl, combine 1/2 cup (125 mL) granulated sugar and 1 tsp (5 mL) ground cinnamon. Melt 1/4 cup (60 mL) butter and brush on warm doughnuts, then dip in cinnamon sugar to coat.
Chocolate-Glazed Doughnuts: In a saucepan, combine 1 cup (250 mL) chocolate chips, 2 tbsp (30 mL) butter and 2 tbsp (30 mL) corn syrup; melt over low heat, stirring until smooth. Spread or drizzle on cooled doughnuts.
Vanilla-Glazed Doughnuts: In a small saucepan, combine 1 tbsp (15 mL) milk and 1 tbsp (15 mL) butter; heat over low heat, stirring until butter is melted. Stir in 1-1/4 cups (310 mL) confectioners’ (icing) sugar and 1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla extract until smooth; add more milk or sugar as necessary to make a thick glaze. Spread or drizzle on cooled doughnuts.
Customize your doughnuts into shapes other than circles and use theme colours for added fun. These are our Toronto Argonauts Doughnuts – a bit hit at a tailgate party #Argos!
I can’t wait to see the delectable doughnuts you create! Show me your waffle doughnuts on social! Tag @foodworxjen and #150BestWaffleMakerRecipes
