Sweet Peas and Saffron

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Bourbon Sugar French Toast Donuts

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These baked French toast donuts are rolled in bourbon sugar…and you haven’t lived until you’ve tried them!

Bourbon-Sugared French Toast Donuts

I tried.

I really, really tried.

I guess it was just a few posts ago that I proclaimed I was going to be all over that healthified baking. And then I made these muffins, which took 8000 batches to get right. And then I tried to make donuts. With no butter and no refined sugar.

And as I poured $8 worth of maple syrup into these donuts, I caught my reflection in the window and thought “who is this crazy person who is about to advise people that they should use $8 worth of maple syrup on some donuts?” This batch of donuts, by the way with no butter, and half whole-wheat flour tasted like gummy cardboard. Even with said $8 of maple syrup.

So I guess I’m back to my old tricks, hanging with my buddies sugar. And butter. And bourbon! And life is good again.

Bourbon-Sugared French Toast Donuts

Bourbon-Sugared French Toast Donuts

I like a good salad and try to eat healthy food whenever I can. But when it comes to dessert, I just don’t want to compromise. I want the good stuff that satisfies my sweet tooth. A good old dose of sugar.

And if the sugar is flavored with bourbon? Even better!

Ever since I saw the words bourbon and sugar side by side in the December issue of Bon Appetit, I knew this bourbon sugar was going to be in my life.

Except the BA recipe required letting the sugar sit overnight, which wasn’t going to happen in my world. So I made it just before rolling the donuts, and it stuck just fine to the donuts, a few small clumps, and a whole lotta delicious flavor.

 Bourbon-Sugared French Toast Donuts

Bourbon-Sugared French Toast Donuts

The French toast donuts themselves are flavored with maple extract {a lot cheaper than maple syrup, which I reserve for pouring over my pancakes, thank-you}, cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar. And a bit of butter.

They have a slight French toast kind of flavor.

The real star of these donuts is clearly the bourbon sugar. Just repeat after me: “I won’t skip the bourbon sugar”.

It’s all about that hint of caramelly bourbon flavor, which goes perfectly with the maple, cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar…butter. All of the things I love about dessert!

And the best part is that this dessert can be out of the oven, rolled in bourbon sugar, and enjoyed in about a half hour.

My kind of dessert.

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4.5 from 2 votes

Bourbon-Sugared French Toast Donuts

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12 donuts
French toast flavored donuts are rolled in a super-addictive bourbon sugar
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time10 mins
Total Time25 mins

Ingredients

French Toast Donuts

  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp maple extract
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2/3 cup buttermilk
  • 2 tbsp melted butter

Bourbon Sugar

  • 1 tsp bourbon
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup melted butter

Instructions

French Toast Donuts

  • Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Spray a 12-count donut pan and use a paper towel to distribute oil evenly. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and baking powder.
  • In a separate medium bowl, combine the maple extract, eggs, sugar, buttermilk and melted butter.
  • Mix the wet ingredients into the dry and combine until smooth.
  • Spoon mixture into the donut pan cavities. If you are having troubles with this you could try using an icing bag. Don't fill more than ⅔ full.
  • Bake for 8-10 minutes, donuts will spring back when touched when they are ready.
  • Allow to cool 10 minutes in the pan before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Bourbon sugar

  • While donuts are cooling, combine bourbon and sugar in a container with a lid, and shake for a minute, or until they are completely combined.
  • Brush donuts with melted butter, then dip them into the bourbon sugar.
  • Donuts will last in a sealed container for up to 3 days (if you can last that long!)

Products used in this recipe:

Bourbon-Sugared French Toast Donuts @sweetpeasaffron

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Comments

  5. Ceara @ Ceara's Kitchen

    I love these! Honestly a bourbon soaked sugar donut sounds all kinds of wonderful!! And can I just say, wasting that much maple syrup is the WORST! It’s always worse when baking something with healthy ingredients and it’s a total flop (i.e. anything with coconut oil or almond butter!!) haha – it’s literally like pouring money down the drain! lol! I’m glad these donuts turned out though – bourbon and all that goodness and all!

    Reply

    • Denise

      Yes! Why is maple syrup SO EXPENSIVE?? I can’t even imagine with the coconut oil…I have a jar of it sitting unopened for months because I’m too scared to waste it! Thanks, Ceara!

      Reply

  6. Heather

    I feel you about those healthy recipes. I have been racking my brain trying to find something to post that is healthy, but let’s face it, I write a sweets blog! Anyway, these donuts look absolutely amazing! French toast and bourbon all wrapped in a donut package-perfect!

    Reply

  9. Natalie @ Tastes Lovely

    5 stars
    I’m with you Denise. If you’re going to make dessert, go all the way and use real butter and lots of sugar. At least these are baked! That makes them healthier, right? And oh my do these sound delicious! Bourbon sugar? Genius!

    Reply

  10. Melinda @ RecipeFiction

    I hear you, a dessert should be a dessert. I make paleo friendly desserts for my friends who are adherents but I’d rather just have an apple than a faux donut. Bourbon sugar, mmmm. I may have to get a donut pan one of these days, I’ve been resisting but all these pretty pictures…

    Reply

    • Denise

      Faux donut?! That is just not right! You know, you don’t really need a donut pan…you could make these in muffin pans or mini muffin pans. But there is something fun about the shape of a donut 🙂 Thanks, Melinda!

      Reply

  12. Lynn | The Road to Honey

    Boozy donuts? Sounds like my hubby’s idea of heaven. I’m hiding this recipe asap for fear that the hubs will be requesting daily (and we will be buying him bigger pants weekly). It’s a beautiful little treat and I love all the flavors. Great for a special treat.

    Reply

  14. Denise

    Yes! I’m glad I’m not the only one! I like the IDEA of no refined sugar, but I hate the idea of spending that much money on maple syrup…and for terrible donuts, no less! Thanks, Mary Frances!

    Reply

  16. Annie @Maebells

    Are you kidding me?! This is sheer genius! I have gotten the donut pan out the last few weekends but just couldn’t figure out what flavors to play with. You nailed it, though! These are perfect!

    Reply

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