Grandma's Donuts

Old-fashioned cake donuts made the way grandmas did before yeast-raised varieties took over the donut shop case. Buttermilk is what gives these their characteristic tangy flavor and tender, cakey crumb. The acid in the buttermilk reacts with the baking soda to lift the dough without any yeast, so there’s no rising time between mixing and frying.

These cut and shape easier than yeasted donuts since the dough is firmer and less sticky. Rolled to a quarter inch and cut with a donut cutter (or two round biscuit cutters of different sizes), the rings cook through in about a minute per side. Coating them in powdered sugar while still warm is the move that makes the sugar grip the donut instead of falling off the moment you pick one up.

Kitchen Tips

• Use full-fat buttermilk, not low-fat. The extra richness keeps the donut tender.
• Keep the oil hot but not smoking. Too cool and the donuts absorb oil and get heavy; too hot and the outside burns before the inside cooks.
• Fry in small batches of 3 or 4 at a time. Crowding the pan drops the oil temperature.
• Don’t skip the centers (the donut holes!). Drop them in the oil right after the donuts for the cook’s reward.

Variations

• Coat warm donuts in cinnamon sugar (¼ cup sugar mixed with 1 teaspoon cinnamon) instead of powdered sugar.
• Dip cooled donuts in a simple chocolate glaze (powdered sugar, cocoa, milk).
• Add ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg or cardamom to the flour for warmth.