Old Fashioned Buttermilk Donuts are plain cake donuts with a simple glaze, but they’re scored to create more surface area so that when they’re fried they get extra crispy and extra delicious on the outside.
Old Fashioned Buttermilk Donuts
Old fashioned donuts are never my first choice, but that is changing after this recipe. These donuts are crisp on the outside and tender and moist on the inside with a sweet glaze that you’ll want to lick off your fingers.
An old fashioned donut was never my first choice at a donut shop. Recently, though I’ve fallen in love with old fashioned buttermilk donuts.
Ingredients
- Flour
- Sugar
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Ground nutmeg
- Buttermilk
- Unsalted butter
- Eggs
- Vegetable oil
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla extract
Recipe Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together 1 cup of flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg.
- In small mixing bowl, whisk together buttermilk, butter, and eggs. Add wet ingredients to the dry and mix on medium speed for about 30 seconds.
- With speed on low, gradually mix in the remaining flour a little at a time. Add more or less flour as necessary to make a soft dough that is moist and slightly tacky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.
- Place oil in a Dutch oven and heat to 375°.
- Prepare the glaze by whisking together the powdered sugar, vanilla and water until smooth. Add additional powdered sugar or water if necessary for a thin glaze.
- On a lightly floured surface, use a floured rolling pin to roll out the dough to ½ inch thick. Use a floured donut cutter or a large and a small biscuit cutter to cut out the donuts and donut holes. Gather scraps together and roll out again to cut more donuts. Lightly score the donuts three times, making a triangle in the ring of the donut to help create the “petals”.
- Cook several donuts at a time scored side up, flipping them over as they rise to the surface and turn golden brown, about a minute per side. Drain on a wire rack. Before frying another batch, make sure oil temperature has returned to 375 degrees and cut one open to make sure they are cooked through. The exteriors should be deep brown and light and not doughy.
- Remove the donuts from the oil and set them on the rack to drain and cool slightly.
- While still warm, dip the donuts, petals side down, into the glaze. Swirl the donut in the glaze a little, then pick it up and let the excess glaze dribble back into the bowl.
- Return the glazed donut to the rack to let the glaze dry.
- Repeat the process until all donuts and donut holes have been cooked and glazed.
Frequently Asked Questions
They get a bad wrap but they are actually quite simple. The dough was really easy to work with and they were super fun to make.
Making sure your oil is at the correct temperature is the key to successfully frying donuts. An instant-read thermometer is an essential too
These two donuts vary greatly in appearance but also how they are cooked. Old fashioned donuts are fried at a lower temperature and produce a bumpy, cracked surface that also resembles petals of a flower.
Yes, you can do that! Just allow time in the morning for the dough to warm up and start to rise again.
More Recipes
- Apple Cinnamon Sugar Donut Muffins
- Chocolate Caramel Pecan Turtle Donuts
- Banana Bread Cinnamon Chip Donuts
- Baked Apple Cinnamon Sugar Donuts
- Cinnamon Sugar Malasadas (Hawaiian Donuts)
If you’ve tried this Old Fashioned Buttermilk Donuts or any other recipe on Barbara Bakes, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some pictures of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories.
Old Fashioned Buttermilk Donuts
Ingredients
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour*
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled
- 2 large eggs plus one egg yolk
- 6 cups vegetable oil
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup water
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together 1 cup of flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg.
- In small mixing bowl, whisk together buttermilk, butter, and eggs. Add wet ingredients to the dry and mix on medium speed for about 30 seconds.
- With speed on low, gradually mix in the remaining flour a little at a time. Add more or less flour as necessary to make a soft dough that is moist and slightly tacky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.
- Place oil in a Dutch oven and heat to 375°.
- Prepare the glaze by whisking together the powdered sugar, vanilla and water until smooth. Add additional powdered sugar or water if necessary for a thin glaze.
- On a lightly floured surface, use a floured rolling pin to roll out the dough to ½ inch thick. Use a floured donut cutter or a large and a small biscuit cutter to cut out the donuts and donut holes. Gather scraps together and roll out again to cut more donuts. Lightly score the donuts three times, making a triangle in the ring of the donut to help create the “petals”.
- Cook several donuts at a time scored side up, flipping them over as they rise to the surface and turn golden brown, about a minute per side. Drain on a wire rack. Before frying another batch, make sure oil temperature has returned to 375 degrees and cut one open to make sure they are cooked through. The exteriors should be deep brown and light and not doughy.
- Remove the donuts from the oil and set them on the rack to drain and cool slightly.
- While still warm, dip the donuts, petals side down, into the glaze. Swirl the donut in the glaze a little, then pick it up and let the excess glaze dribble back into the bowl.
- Return the glazed donut to the rack to let the glaze dry.
- Repeat the process until all donuts and donut holes have been cooked and glazed.
Notes
Old Fashioned Buttermilk Donuts are just what you need in your life. They are really simple and you will fall in love with this style of donut.
Tammy
First off, I was surprised to find my Grandma Croft’s Buttermilk doughnut recipe here since, as far as I know, she inherited it from HER grandmother. Also, to everyone who has commented on the doughnuts being too dark or doughy in the middle, lower the heating element under the oil and WAIT FOR THE TEMPERATURE TO GO DOWN. Personally, I usually throw some shoestring potatoes in the oil to bring the temperature down.
Melissa Griffiths
So glad you liked them!
Gina
Just made a batch. They are delicious. After I rolled them out I put them back in the refrigerator to chill in between batches. Frosted them with many toppings. Great flavor not too sweet. Fried beautifully!!!
Patsy Thibault
The absolute BEST tasting buttermilk donuts!
Hez
Excellent! Turned out great the first time. I added 1 Tbsp of a ‘fall spice’ mix to the batter-delicious!
Gail
Just curious? Is there a big difference between using peanut oil and lard? My grandmother always swore by lard.
Barbara Schieving
Hi Gail – I have never used lard, but you can use many types of fat or oil for frying and they’ll all cook up a little bit differently. Here’s a good article that talks about the differences https://www.saveur.com/article/Kitchen/Five-Oils-for-Frying/
Liz Burke
Can you bake these?
Barbara Schieving
Hi Liz – no, you need more of a cake-style donut for baking. Try one of these baked donut recipes https://www.barbarabakes.com/baked-lemon-donuts/ https://www.barbarabakes.com/baked-apple-cinnamon-sugar-donuts/ https://www.barbarabakes.com/banana-bread-cinnamon-chip-donuts/
Donnita
Yesterday as the nation’s capital region was being hit with an ice storm I got busy in my kitchen making these wonderful donuts. I had an ancient donut cutter that was passed down to me and a candy/deep fat thermometer that clipped to the side of the Le Creuset dutch oven I’ve had since my early 20’s. I was ready to take on the task of making donuts. I made only a few adjustments. I didn’t score or use the glaze. instead I used a cinnamon sugar coating. After I got the peanut oil temperature stabilized I rolled out the dough and started cutting and frying. I fried them for one minute per side. Perfection! I rolled the first one in my cinnamon sugar dish and broke it in half. I was in awe of the beautiful cake like center and the crispy edges. But then I took a bite and I could hardly believe I had just made such a perfect donut. I was able to get 15 donuts and many more holes as the final scraps I hand rolled into more holes. I made up a couple bags of donuts and navigated my slippery neighborhood to walk some donuts to my neighbors. I can’t wait to make these for my grandchildren.
Thanks for the wonderful recipe.
Barbara Schieving
Thanks Donnita – Great job! How nice of you to share your beautiful donuts with your neighbors. Glad you loved the recipe.
Leah
Donuts turned out great!
Donna Wright
I made these donuts for my son and grandson as I was trying to replicate my mother’s donuts. YES, yours are like the ones she made some 65 years ago. Wonderful recipe. My son liked them so much he is in the kitchen right now making his own batch. I’m so sorry that you received a negative email regarding your donut recipe. It does take a little cooking knowledge to keep from burning one’s food, and yes, turn down the heat!!! Cannot wait for my son’s batch to be done as I am assured it will be as good as mine. (I bought an electric pot for my son to use as I cooked mine in a cast iron dutch oven on my gas stove and did have a thermometer in the pot to assure a proper temperature. Takes the challenge out of maintaining a proper temperature. Just a hint for the rude person who previously left a note.) YOUR donuts are fabulous!!!!!!
Barbara Schieving
Thanks Donna! So fun that they’re just like your mom’s donuts 65 years ago – such a great memory. Thanks also for the supportive advice.
Victoria
VERY disappointed with this recipe! I didn’t read the comments until after I’d made them, or I might not have wasted my time. Like other mentioned, the inside was doughy and the outside almist burnt. I tried adjusting the flame down but it didn’t make any difference. Even the donut holes were doughy. How is that possible? Because its a BAD recipe, that’s how! I’d never make another one of this woman’s creations, that’s for sure. Another Nigella Lawson here – in my opinion. She modified a Cooks County recipe? At least they work out the kinks beforehand- so we don’t have to take one for the team like this. I suggest a name change….. how about “Barbara BITES”?
Barbara Schieving
Hi Victoria – sorry you had trouble with the recipe. Even though your comment was definitely rude, I decided to respond so others could learn from your mistake. If the donuts are burning on the outside and doughy inside, then your oil is too hot. Turning down the flame will help, but you also have to wait for the oil to cool down some before adding more donuts. It sounds like you did not have a thermometer to determine how hot your oil was. I suggest investing in an instant-read thermometer.
Foodiewife
I’m shocked at the rudeness of your comment I’ve made many of Barbara’s recipes and they work.
Barbara Schieving
Thanks! <3
Corinne
well that is extremely rude,, maybe its your sour attitude that ruined them 🙁
Nancy
I literally just finished making these. They are delicious!! Thank you for sharing the recipe! It’s a keeper!! 🙂
Barbara Schieving
That’s so fun – thanks Nancy!
Mike
Could I keep the dough in the fridge overnight to fry in the morning? Would that harm anything? Thanks!
Barbara Schieving
Hi Mike – you can do that, just allow time in the morning for the dough to warm up and start to rise again.
Penny Daniels
Thank you for asking this question, Mike. I, too, was wondering if the dough would keep over night too make them in the morning. Did you try it? Were they good?
Elaine
Made these yesterday. I cooked each side for less than 2 minutes and they were cooked through but pretty dark. Maybe take the heat down to 350? They were very tasty and we loved them!
Barbara Schieving
Thanks Elaine – glad they were a big hit! Yes, if they’re browning more than you’d like, I would reduce the heat.