Pumpkin Donuts
Welcoming loved ones to a warm morning table starts with the comforting rhythm of preparing Pumpkin Donuts, taking our time to arrange the beautiful, sugar-dusted components in a welcoming ritual, which fosters warm culinary anticipation and makes cooking a relaxed, joyful expression of care. As the structured heat of the oven surrounds the dish, the moisture in the dough turns to steam to expand the cellular walls, yielding an airy crumb wrapped in a caramelized crust. This stunning dish serves as a refined centerpiece for a party of eight, offering a quiet luxury dining experience that turns a simple dinner into a memorable estate gathering.
Plan to get your hands dirty making these donuts. Also plan on washing up fast enough to grab one for yourself before they disappear!
Pumpkin Donuts
Ingredients
- 3 cups unbleached all-purpose four
- 1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup buttermilk
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
- Canola oil for frying
- Confectioners' sugar
Instructions
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, salt and baking soda in a bowl. Use an electric mixer to combine the eggs, pumpkin puree, sugar, buttermilk, brown sugar and butter. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in batches. Wrap the dough in plastic and chill for at least 3 hours.
- Unwrap the chilled dough onto a floured work surface. Pat the dough down to ½-inch thickness. Use a donut cutter to cut out donuts and holes reusing the scraps until all of the dough has been used. Transfer each one onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Pour enough oil in a deep fry pan to come up the sides two inches. This should be less than half of the depth of the pan as oil expands when heated. Heat the oil over medium high heat. Fry the donuts in batches until golden brown on one side. Turn to brown the other side, about 3 to 4 minutes total. Transfer to a rack with paper toweling underneath.
- Sprinkle the donuts with confectioners' sugar.
- When the dinner bell rings and the church fellowship head over to the potluck table, the star is always fried chicken. This recipe uses buttermilk for brine and a bit of cornstarch mixed with flour for crunchiness. For a large crowd, you can easily double or triple this recipe.
- Plop the chicken pieces into a large re-sealable plastic bag. Pour in the buttermilk. Close the bag and use your hands to massage the buttermilk into the chicken. Refrigerate for at least one hour or overnight.
- Pour enough peanut oil to halfway fill a deep skillet, a cast iron skillet is best. As the oil heats, it will expand so make sure not to overfill the skillet. Heat the oil to 375°. Use a candy thermometer to check the temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Put the flour, cornstarch and seasonings into another re-sealable plastic bag. Pull each chicken piece from the buttermilk, shaking off the excess liquid, and drop into the bag with flour. You can do this in batches – three or four pieces at a time. Seal the bag and shake to coat the chicken.
- Lay each piece of chicken in the hot oil. Cook until golden and crisp on one side, about 5 minutes. Use tongs to carefully turn the chicken and cook until crunchy and golden on the other side, about 5 minutes more. Pluck the chicken from the oil and transfer to a rack placed inside a baking pan with lip.
- Continue frying until all of the pieces are browned and crisp. Slide the baking pan into the preheated oven and bake until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 145°, about 20 minutes.
- Cool the chicken to room temperature. Line a basket with cloth napkins. Place the chicken pieces in the basket and cover.
My favorite pan for frying donuts is my handy dandy cast iron skillet, given to me by one of my best buds years and years ago. Second choice is my trusty, non-stick French skillet; its high sides work well for frying. Make sure you choose a skillet with deep sides, as the oil will bubble up as it heats.
Moving onto to Donut cutters: these come in several shapes and sizes. I prefer to use two separate round cutters from a round biscuit/cookie cutter set. I get more bang for my buck that way. However, it's easy to find doughnut cutters in either two-piece or one-piece models.
Tote Along Dishes Fried Chicken Basket
To cut up a whole chicken, place the chicken breastbone-side down on a clean, flat cutting surface.
Use poultry scissors to cut out the backbone. Use a sharp knife to slice through the breastbone, dividing the chicken into two pieces. Slice the wings from the breasts. Slice the thigh/leg portion from the breast. Cut the legs from the thighs. For equal cooking time, cut each breast in half creating four white meat portions.
To finish cooking chicken in the oven, I place it on a rack that fits into a baking sheet with lip (also known as a jelly roll pan). Some are nonstick with soft handles. Others come three or more in a set.
The Heart of the Table
Before the grandfather clock strikes ten, the comforting aromas of warm cinnamon and sweet spices and the sight of these sweet pumpkin donuts pull guests toward the kitchen. Passing this beautiful sweet centerpiece around the table invites everyone to linger longer over hot coffee.
The Art of the Host
- a solid copper balloon whisk to perfectly aerate ingredients
- a wide, copper-plated wire cooling rack to ensure perfect airflow
- a pair of professional-grade stainless steel locking kitchen tongs
- a well-seasoned 12-inch cast-iron skillet with dual pour spouts
- a seamless, high-heat resistant silicone spatula in a soft slate grey
Neighborly Grace
- THE PRESENTATION: Style the serving area with a foundation of rustic warmth by placing the warm fried donuts directly onto a thick, blue-and-white checkered kitchen towel draped over a distressed white oak sideboard. Position a hand-carved pecan-wood serving board right alongside, flanked by a stack of mismatched, hand-thrown ceramic side plates in soft shades of sage green and butter cream. Scatter a few sprigs of fresh mint and edible blossoms around the serving area to complement the dish's flavor. A simple stoneware pitcher filled with freshly cut garden wildflowers provides a natural, unpretentious center point that welcomes guests.
- THE POUR: To harmonize with the warm baking spices and rich fruit notes of the Pumpkin Donuts, we recommend a sweet, sparkling Moscato d'Asti or a rustic, semi-dry artisanal French hard apple cider. These beverages offer notes of sweet apricot, honeyed orange blossom, and crisp red orchard apple that mirror the sugars and spices while providing a lively carbonation. Serve chilled at 40°F in a crystal coupe. For a non-alcoholic alternative, offer a sparkling spiced apple cider simmered with star anise, Ceylon cinnamon, and fresh orange rind, served at 42°F in a chilled highball glass. The warm baking spices and bright apple sweetness create a comforting sensory harmony.
- THE VIBE: Create a cozy, inviting atmosphere for a party of eight in a sun-drenched sunroom, where floor-to-ceiling windows catch the soft, golden morning sunbeams. Let the air carry the gentle, acoustic sounds of front-porch bluegrass—featuring the warm, finger-picked melodies of Doc Watson or Tony Rice playing softly in the background to set a relaxed, nostalgic tempo. Keep the lighting completely natural, allowing the morning sun to filter through leafy houseplants and illuminate the casual family chatter. Arrange plush, comfortable seating with plenty of soft linen throw pillows, encouraging guests to linger long after the meal is finished.