King Cake Baked Doughnuts

Yields 18 (2 inch doughnuts)

King Cake Baked Doughnuts

Traditional Mardi Gras King Cake turned into fun and delicious bite sized baked doughnuts!

2 hrPrep Time

5 minCook Time

2 hr, 5 Total Time

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Ingredients

Doughnuts
• 1/2 cup skim milk, heated to 115 degrees
• 1/2 tablespoon active dry yeast
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 3/4-1 cup all purpose flour, plus more for kneading
• 1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons plain non fat Greek yogurt
Vanilla Bourbon Glaze
• 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon low fat cream cheese, softened
• 1 tablespoon bourbon, or milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Purple, yellow, and green sprinkles for topping

Instructions

Doughnuts
1. Heat the milk to 115 degrees then add in the yeast and whisk it until it has dissolved.
2. Add in the sugar and let them sit for 5 minutes.
3. Add the yeast mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer along with the egg and vanilla extract.
4. Beat on medium speed with the paddle attachment until they are combined.
5. In a separate bowl whisk together the flours, salt, and cinnamon.
6. With the mixer on low, add in the flour mixture a 1/4 cup at a time until the dough starts to come together and pull away from the sides of the bowl.
7. When the dough starts to come together, stop the mixer, remove the paddle attachment, and put on the dough hook.
8. Increase the mixer speed to medium and add in the butter and Greek yogurt a tablespoon at a time until it is incorporated into the dough.
9. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add additional flour to the dough a tablespoon at a time if needed.
10. The dough should be soft, but not overly sticky.
11. Dump the dough out onto a floured surface and knead it until it is no longer sticky.
12. Spray a large bowl with cooking spray and place the dough into the bowl and cover it tightly with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel.
13. Let the dough raise in a warm dry spot for an hour or until it has doubled in size.
14. Once the dough has risen, punch it down with your fist.
15. Roll the dough out on a floured surface until it is about 1/2 an inch thick.
16. Using a 3 1/2 inch doughnut cutter or a 2 inch round cookie cutter, cut out the doughnuts and lay them out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silpat mat.
17. Cover the doughnuts with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel and let them rise a second time for about 20 minutes or until doubled in size.
18. While the doughnuts are rising preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
19. Place the doughnuts on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 5-7 minutes.
20. Transfer the doughnuts to a wire cooling rack and let them cool for 20-30 minutes before dipping them in the glaze.
Vanilla Bourbon Glaze
21. In a medium sized bowl add all of the ingredients for the glaze.
22. Whisk them together until they are smooth.
23. Dunk the top half of the cooled doughnuts into the glaze then place them back on the cooling rack.
24. Immediately top the doughnuts with the sprinkles, then let them set for a few minutes so that the glaze hardens.

Notes