Doughnuts were a Saturday morning tradition when I lived in Boston. I would wake up early and walk to the local doughnut shop on the corner from my brownstone and grab a dozen or two for doughnuts and mimosas with my neighbors. We would sit on brownstone’s stoop and decompress from the busy work week and catch up while our dogs played in the garden level yard. The best were the sugar and cinnamon coated brioche doughnuts. Light and fluffy and still warm; the spiced sugar coating melted in your mouth. This recipe is as close as I have gotten to replicating them, the only thing missing is the cooler New England weather and the best neighbors I have ever had. I use the same brioche dough recipe for making bread. I make the dough the night before and wake up the next day ready to roll and punch doughnuts out to be ready in time when everyone else wakes up. If you want more flavor, you can top the doughnuts with vanilla or chocolate glaze and sprinkles. Just make sure the doughnuts have cooled completely so the glaze sticks. ––Justin Burke 

Cinnamon Sugar Brioche Doughnuts
Makes 1 ½ dozen 

Ingredients
1 batch brioche dough, recipe
Vegetable oil, for frying
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon Cinnamon

Directions 

1. Follow the directions for one batch of brioche dough. After dough has properly chilled, remove and punch the air out of the dough twice with your fist; place on a lightly floured work surface. 
2. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out until ⅓-inch thick. The dough is very durable and can handle force. 
3. Using a 3 ½-inch doughnut cutter or the rim of a glass dipped in flour, cut out as many doughnuts as possible and transfer to a sheet pan lined with floured parchment paper. The scraps can be rerolled once to cut out more doughnuts. Loosely cover the doughnuts with a tea towel and let rise in a warm place in the kitchen until soft and billowy, about 20-30 minutes.
4. Whisk together the sugar and cinnamon in a bowl and set aside.
5. In a large, heavy skillet, heat 4 inches of vegetable oil to 350 degrees. Line a wire rack with several paper towels. Working in batches, fry the doughnuts until golden brown, about 1 minute per side. Check the temperature of the frying oil to make sure it doesn’t get too hot or too cool. Remove doughnuts with a slotted spoon and transfer to the paper towel-lined rack to drain. 
6. Once the oil from the doughnuts have drained and are still hot, toss the doughnuts in the cinnamon sugar mixture to coat evenly. If the doughnuts are too cooled, the sugar will not stick to the doughnuts. Serve doughnuts warm. 

 

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