Description
These Coffee Donuts feature a light, fluffy vanilla cake base with a rich espresso flavor, all topped with a sweet coffee glaze. Perfect for breakfast, dessert, or an afternoon pick-me-up, these donuts are ready in under an hour!
Ingredients
- For the Donuts:
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1½ teaspoons espresso powder
- ¼ cup boiling water
- ⅔ cup buttermilk
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- For the Coffee Glaze:
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
- 5 tablespoons half & half
- ½ teaspoon espresso powder
- Chocolate jimmies (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Prepare your donut pan(s) by greasing them with butter and dusting with flour. Set aside.
- Make the Donut Batter: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Start on low speed, then increase to medium. Add the egg and vanilla extract, mixing on low speed until combined.
- Mix the espresso powder with boiling water until dissolved. Add this espresso mixture to the batter and mix for 1-2 minutes until smooth and creamy (the batter should not look curdled).
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the batter, alternating with the buttermilk, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix on medium-low speed until just combined.
- Prepare the Donut Pan: Spoon about 3 heaping tablespoons of batter into each donut well of the prepared pan. Smooth the batter with a spoon and gently tap the pan on the counter to remove air bubbles.
- Bake the Donuts: Bake the donuts for 10 minutes or until they are golden and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow the donuts to cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Prepare the Coffee Glaze: While the donuts are cooling, make the glaze. In a small bowl, mix the half & half with the espresso powder until the powder dissolves. Set aside. In a medium deep bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar with the espresso/cream mixture until smooth and silky. The glaze should be thick enough to stream from a whisk.
- Glaze the Donuts: Dip the tops of the cooled donuts into the glaze, then return them to the cooling rack with parchment paper or a cookie sheet underneath to catch any excess glaze. If using chocolate jimmies, sprinkle them on top of the glaze before it sets.
- Let Set and Serve: Allow the glaze to set for about 30 minutes before serving, ensuring it firms up nicely.
Notes
- For extra flavor, you can add a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg to the donut batter.
- If you don’t have a donut pan, you can bake these in a muffin tin, but they won’t have the classic donut shape.
- These donuts are best enjoyed fresh, but can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 donut
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 22g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 11g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 34g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
