Holiday Honey Doughnuts

These are not the cake doughnuts you spin out with a cutter and baking powder. The dough is a proper yeast-raised one, sweetened with honey instead of granulated sugar, which gives the fry a deeper, slightly caramel scent as soon as the first round hits the oil.

What sets these apart is the filling. A piped-in mix of chopped dried apricots, apples, and walnuts bound in more honey turns each doughnut into something closer to a fruit-and-nut pastry than a jelly-filled. The contrast between crisp fried exterior and chewy, sticky fruit center is the whole point.

Chef Tips

• Let the dough fully double before frying. Under-proofed doughnuts turn out dense and greasy.
• Keep the oil steady at 350°F (175°C). Too hot browns the outside before the center cooks; too cool lets the dough absorb oil.
• Cut the slit for filling while the doughnuts are still warm but not hot, so the crumb stretches instead of tears.
• Fry in small batches. Crowding drops the oil temperature fast.

Variations

• Swap walnuts for pecans and apricots for dried cherries for a richer holiday profile.
• Add a pinch of cinnamon and orange zest to the filling for a spiced, citrusy lift.
• Dust the finished doughnuts with powdered sugar instead of drizzling honey for a less sticky finish.