Glazed Gingerbread Doughnuts

View form above of fluffy baked gingerbread doughnuts. 5 doughnuts in a ring with a 6th in the middle on a large white plate. Each doughnut is topped with a brown colored gingerbread glaze and white icing has been drizzled decoratively on top, along with festive colored sprinkles. To the top left of the doughnuts is a white bowl filled with doughnut holes.

Airy inside and golden outside, laced with spicy ginger, warm cinnamon and sweet molasses. These Fluffy, Baked Gingerbread Doughnuts are the perfect addition to your holiday breakfast.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Keyword baked doughnuts, Christmas breakfast, gingerbread doughnuts

Prep Time 9

Cook Time 8

Servings doughnuts

Calories 270kcal

Author Lauren

Ingredients

Fluffy Baked Gingerbread Doughnuts

1 ⅛ cup whole milk
¼ cup granulated sugar
2 ¼ teaspoons or 1 package Active Dry Yeast
2 whole large eggs lightly beaten
1¼ stick unsalted butter, melted
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon molasses
½ teaspoons salt
4 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

Gingerbread Glaze

2 cups confectioners sugar
4 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons molasses
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

Gingerbread Doughnuts

Make the dough:
In a small saucepan, heat milk over low heat to 108°F. A candy thermometer will work great to temp this. If you don't have a thermometer, the milk should be warm enough you can hold your finger in it for at least 30 seconds. If the milk is too warm it will kill the yeast.
Transfer the milk to a standing mixer fitting with bread hook attachment. Add sugar and yeast, mix to dissolve sugar, about 1 minute. Let rest, without mixing, for 5 minutes.
1 ⅛ cup whole milk, ¼ cup granulated sugar, 2 ¼ teaspoons or 1 package Active Dry Yeast
Turn the mixer to low and add the beaten eggs and melted butter. While mixer is running on low, add the spices, molasses, and salt.
2 whole large eggs, 1¼ stick unsalted butter, melted, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1 tablespoon molasses, ½ teaspoons salt
Slowly add the flour, in 2 to 3 batches. Once all the flour is added, increase mixer speed to medium low abd mix for 1 minute. The dough should be sticky to the touch, but most of the dough should pull away from the sides of the mixing bowl. Return speed to low and mix for a full 5 minutes. Turn off the mixer and let the dough rest in the bowl for 10 minutes.
4 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
After resting, transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, scraping the dough from the bottom of the bowl if needed. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.
Cut the doughnuts:
Transfer the rested dough to a flat work surface lightly sprinkled with flour. Roll out dough to ½ to ⅓ inch thickness. Cut out doughnuts using a 3½ inch doughnut cutter. Try not to wiggle the doughnut cutter for maximum oven spring of your doughnuts! Transfer doughnuts to a sheet pan lined with a silpat mat or parchment paper. Doughnut holes should be transferred to a separate sheet pan, as they will cook faster. Form the leftover scraps into a ball, kneading if necessary, repeating the rolling and cutting process as many times until all the dough is used.
Let it rest, again:
Let the cut out doughnuts and doughnut holes rest for 1 hour before baking. Preheat the oven to 400°F. (See note for tips to get the best rise out of your doughnuts.)
Transfer the baking sheets to the oven. Bake full doughnuts for 8 to 10 minutes. They should be golden on top and on the bottom. Bake doughnut holes for 5 minutes. Let doughnuts rest for 5 minutes, or just cool enough to handle, and dip into the glaze while still hot.

Gingerbread Glaze:

While the doughnuts are resting, prepare the glaze. In a medium sized bowl, combine confectioners sugar, heavy cream, molasses and spices. Whisk or stir together until smooth. The icing should be thick.
2 cups confectioners sugar, 4 tablespoons heavy cream, 2 tablespoons molasses, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Icing the doughnuts:
With the doughnuts fresh out of the oven, dip into the glaze. Dip the doughnut top side down and gently press into the glaze. Give it a turn before gently removing. Place on a sheet pan or parchment paper to let icing set. If you wish to use sprinkles, apply or dip while the icing is still wet. If the doughnuts have cooled too much, heat the icing for 10 seconds in the microwave to thin it.
Note: The white icing in the photos is a thinner version of the glaze using just confectioners sugar and heavy cream, drizzled over the doughnuts after the gingerbread icing is set. Its totally optional but looks great!
Storing and reheating:
The doughnuts will be good for up to 3 days kept in an air tight container. Reheat slightly before enjoying (about 10 seconds in the microwave.)

Notes

Side note: These doughnuts are equally delicious if you substitute half the all purpose flour for whole wheat flour.
Yeast loves warmth. During the hour of resting I preheat my oven with the sheet pans on or near the stove top. The heat from the preheating oven will help get the doughnuts to rise as much as possible. Also, if your house is generally pretty cold, this will help too.

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