Baked Cinnamon-Sugar Doughnut Puffs with Dark Chocolate Bourbon Dipping Sauce
When I lived on the Upper East Side of New York, I frequented a fantastic bakery called Yura. As a cook myself, I loved the setup as much as the pastries. It was an open commissary kitchen for several restaurants with a walk-up counter for ordering. As you waited in line, you could watch the bakers make cakes and pies and all manner of homespun baked goods. Among the array of deliciousness displayed on the counter, there was one very small item that looked like a mini muffin coated in cinnamon and sugar. The texture of the crumb inside was less dense and more like a cake than a muffin, and it had the telltale cinnamon flavor and a pop of nutmeg as well. It was called a “puff,” or at least that is what my friends and I called it. A puff with a double-shot cappuccino was morning heaven! Once you try these baked doughnut puffs, I guarantee that they will replace your fried doughnut craving with a new one! They are so good that I often make them for dessert with a dark chocolate dipping sauce, because even doughnuts are better with a little chocolate!
Makes about 33 minis
For the Puffs
Baking spray, for preparing the pan
2 cups all-purpose flour
1½ cups granulated white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 generous teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 scant teaspoon freshly grated or ground nutmeg
Pinch of ground cardamom
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup whole milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
For the Topping
½ cup granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
Dark Chocolate Bourbon Dipping Sauce
(optional; recipe follows)
Pan: Mini cupcake tin
(If you use a standard mini cupcake tin, the yield will be about 33 puffs. If you use an extra-mini cupcake tin, as we did at the photo shoot, the yield will be about twice as many and the baking time will be reduced to about 12 minutes.)
1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray the pan with baking spray.
2. Make the puffs: Whisk the flour, 1½ cups sugar, baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, pinch of cardamom, and ½ teaspoon salt together in a large bowl. In a second bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, 3 tablespoons butter, and vanilla. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture a little at a time, stirring well after each addition.
3. Transfer the batter (which is fairly thin) to a liquid measuring cup and pour it into the cupcake cups, filling them about three-quarters full.
4. Bake until the tops of the puffs look dry and a little nubby and a toothpick inserted in the center of a puff comes out clean, 16 to 18 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, make the topping: Mix the ½ cup sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and ⅛ teaspoon salt together in a shallow bowl.
6. Let the puffs cool on a wire cooling rack for 2 to 3 minutes, then remove them from the tin and let cool on the rack for 1 minute more.
7.. While the puffs are still warm, dip the tops in the 8 tablespoons melted butter and swirl them all over in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place the puffs back on the wire rack to cool completely. Eat when cool, with or without the chocolate dipping sauce, and place any leftovers in an airtight container. They will keep for 3 days.
Dark Chocolate Bourbon Dipping Sauce
The bourbon is optional, but I think it makes a big difference. It doesn’t taste boozy; it just deepens the flavor and marries the doughnuts and the chocolate. You can make the chocolate sauce up to 2 days in advance. Gently warm just before serving.
Makes about ⅔ cup dipping sauce
¹⁄³ cup heavy (whipping) cream
6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (chips or block chocolate, chopped)
1 tablespoon bourbon (optional)
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 to 2 tablespoons granulated white sugar (optional)
Place the cream in a small saucepan and heat over medium-low heat to almost boiling. Remove the pan from the heat and add the chocolate. Stir until it’s melted and well combined. Add the bourbon, if using, and vanilla, while stirring continuously. Taste, and if you like it a little sweeter, add the sugar; otherwise leave it as is. The puffs are covered in cinnamon sugar, so I like the chocolate sauce without any added sweetening.
Recipes adapted from Elizabeth Karmel's "Steak and Cake," ©2019 Workman Publishing Company, Photograph by Stephen Hamilton