Baked Eggnog Donuts

The snowfall yesterday added some holiday spirit to the air. These easy eggnog donuts are perfect for a holiday breakfast or as an afternoon snack with a hot chocolate and a movie. Maybe you just need a plate of these and a soft blanket to curl up under. It’s definitely all about the little pleasures in these dark days. Consider packing them up for a holiday gift! You could easily make these donuts dairy free by using a vegan “butter” and eggnog. They would also work well with your favorite gluten-free flour blend.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• ⅓ cup light brown sugar
• 1 large egg, room temp.
• 1/4 cup vanilla yogurt, room temp.
• zest of half an orange
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch of salt
• 3/4 cup eggnog (room temp)
• pastry bag for piping donuts into pan (optional)
• festive sugars or sprinkles

Glaze:

• 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 4-6 tablespoons eggnog, as needed for a pourable consistency
• 1 -2 teaspoons rum (optional)

Method of Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a 6 cavity large donut pan with cooking spray.

1. In a large bowl using a hand mixer or stand mixer, combine butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar and beat on medium-high speed until combined and creamy.
2. Add egg, yogurt, vanilla and orange zest. Continue to mix until combined.
3. In a separate medium bowl, whisk to combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt.
4. Add the dry ingredients slowly and mix until the batter starts to come together. It will have large clumps or crumbs in the batter.
5. Slowly add the eggnog and mix on low for about 30 seconds. Finish mixing by hand with a spatula.
6. Using a spoon or pastry bag, fill each donut cavity 3/4 full.
7. Bake 7-10 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle of the donut.
8. Let cool in pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
9. Continue to cook the rest of the batter in the same manner, being sure to lightly spray the pan before each batch.

Glaze:

1. In a large bowl, whisk to combine powdered sugar and eggnog. You can add a little nutmeg to this mixture if you like. Keep in mind that you only need a little. Add some rum if you wish.
2. You may need additional eggnog if it’s not thin enough, or additional powdered sugar if it’s too thin.
3. Immediately spread on the tops of cooled donuts, and add sprinkles – the glaze will set quickly!