Mom's Famous Spudnuts

It's funny how I associate different seasons with different food.  Fall is soups, pumpkin anything & doughnuts!   But not just any doughnuts...it's gotta be some homemade SPUDNUTS!  My mom must have made these during fall growing up and that's why they're tied to fall for me??  Anyway, these are the best doughnuts around...there is almost nothing better than one straight from the fryer to the glaze to your mouth!  Oh heaven!

Spudnuts

Recipe from Double the Deliciousness

PRINT RECIPE

(This is the only picture I got of these...we made them for a Young Women Activity (for church) and everyone took some home...I had to stop Kyla from eating the cute heart one so I could get a picture of it!!  The girls made some really cute doughnuts I gotta say!)

1/4 cup mashed potatoes (real or "fake", just make sure there are no chunks!)

3 eggs

1 cup shortening

1/2 cup sugar

3 cups warm water

3 tablespoons yeast

1 tablespoon salt

3/4 cup nonfat instant milk

9-10 cups flour

Glaze (recipe to follow)

Start dissolving yeast in the warm water.  

In you mixer, cream together potatoes, eggs, shortening and sugar.  When the yeast is bubbly add it to the potato mixture with the salt and instant milk.  Add about 5 cups of flour and mix until smooth.  Add the rest of the flour one cup at a time.  You'll want to have a soft but not sticky dough.  Let dough knead in your mixer for 10 minutes.  Place in a large greased bowl (just spray a bowl with cooking oil) and let it raise until doubled, about an hour.

Roll dough out 1/2 inch thick.  Cut dough with doughnut cutter, or any round cutter (a large cup works well) or use some heart cookie cutters.  Let the doughnuts raise for 45-60 minutes.  I like to cut some parchment paper into squares about the size of the doughnut and give it a little spray with cooking oil to set the doughnuts on to raise...this makes it easier when it's time to fry them!

Heat oil in a deep fryer to 375 degrees.  Place doughnuts in a few at a time and let cook on each side.  This process is pretty quick, you'll only need about a minutes per side.  Take doughnuts from the fryer with a large slotted spoon and let the oil drip for a second, then place right into the large bowl of glaze.  (you can instead of glazing them place them in a bowl with a lid filled with cinnamon and sugar and shake to coat...just do it right when they get out of the fryer so the cinnamon and sugar will stick!  This is a good alternative for the doughnut holes...it's easier than glazing them!:))  Turn doughnut over so that it is entirely covered with glaze and then place on a cooling rack with paper towels underneath to catch the dripping glaze. 

When this is done you can decorate the doughnuts any way you'd like.  We made some chocolate glaze and dipped some of the doughnuts and used sprinkles to make them pretty.

Glaze:

2 pounds (large bag) powdered sugar

Hot water

1 teaspoons vanilla

Pour all of the powdered sugar into a large bowl.  Add enough hot water to make a glaze, be careful not to add too much water or it will be too runny.  Add the vanilla and whisk until smooth.  It is now ready for your doughnuts!

Chocolate Glaze:

3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

3 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon light corn syrup

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place all ingredients in a microwave safe bowl.  Microwave for 30 second intervals stirring in between until you have a nice smooth glaze. 

Now you can use sprinkles or nuts or whatever you choose!  Have fun with these...they are a blast!!