Ingredients
Scale
For the doughnuts:
- 1 1/4 cups milk
- 2 1/4 teaspoons (one package) active dry yeast
- 2 eggs
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
- 1/4 cup bourbon
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out the dough
- 2 quarts neutral oil, for frying, plus more for the bowl.
For the icing:
- 2 cups power sugar
- 1/4 cup bourbon
Instructions
For the doughnuts:
- Brown the butter by cutting it into 1 tablespoon cubes and heating them in a skillet on medium heat. Add the 1/4 cup bourbon and cook until the butter takes on a light brown color and little brown bits start to form about 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool.
- Heat the milk until it’s lukewarm, about 90 degrees. You need it warm enough to activate the yeast, but if it’s too hot it will kill the yeast.
- In a bowl fitted to a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the yeast and the milk. Let it sit until it starts to foam—about 5 minutes.
- Add in the butter, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt and beat until combined. Add in half the flour and mix until combined. Scrape down the sides with a spatula and, in the remaining flour, beat until smooth.
- Transfer to a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise for 1 hour.
- Once risen, turn the dough onto a floured surface and roll it out until it’s 1/2 inch thick. Cut out doughnuts with a 3in circle cookie cutter and then cut out the center with a 1in cutter. Place cut out doughnuts on parchment paper with plenty of room inbetween, cover, and let rise again for 45 minutes.
- About 15 minutes before doughnuts are ready, heat your oil in a large pot until it reaches 375 degrees. When the oil is ready, fry about 3 doughnuts at a time—cooking each side about 30 seconds- 1-minute per side. You are looking for a nice golden brown color.
- Place on paper towel-lined plates.
For the glaze:
- Mix the bourbon and powdered sugar in the medium bowl and mix until there are no lumps.
- Drizzle the glaze around each one of the cooled doughnuts.