Mini Maple Bacon Donuts. (Like Real Ones!)
Like, are some of these guys for real on The Bachelorette? No, I mean, for real-for real. Just… stop. Except for when you call quinoa “keee-noooo-ahhh.” Because that’s definitely how it should be pronounced, world.
Also, will I ever stop wearing this oversized t-shirt with a poem about girlfriends on the front of it, that I received when I WAS EIGHT YEARS OLD and that is currently on my body? The answer is probably not. It’s just soooooo soft. Sadly, I probably should not broadcast the fact that I am still physically capable of wearing a top from when I was eight years old.
Why am I so obsessed with the idea of seeing this Snow White movie? It’s not a Nicholas Spark’s movie, Ryan Gosling doesn’t have a part, and um, neither does Alexander Skarsgard, it totally isn’t from any chick-lit book (was Snow White chick lit?) and I get sort of bored with action movies. Yeah, weird. I think I just want popcorn. With something chocolatey and melty mixed in.
And finally, I would like four thousand donuts for dinner tonight.
Sure, donuts are sort of a breakfast food, but we NEVER eat them for breakfast. Let me repeat: we never eat them for breakfast. Quite depressing.
My husband has some sort of mental block on going out to breakfast. I am, in fact, obsessed with the idea of going out to breakfast because I feel like in all my years, I’ve only done it a handful of times. Such a loser. Not that like, speeding through the drive-thru for a dozen of Dunkin Donuts’ donuts is actually considered “going out to breakfast,” but seriously, I’ll take anything I can get. Annnnnd it’s also difficult for me to even GET him to eat a donut. He “claims” he doesn’t like to waste his calories on donuts, but he “claims” this through bites of an entire pizza, a large Dairy Queen blizzard, and then an entire bag of pretzels dipped in hummus at midnight. It just all seems a little fishy if you ask me.
On the other hand, I should TOTALLY be able to convince him to take me to breakfast, because when the man stumbles (and I totally mean stumbles, like walks into walls and stuff) out of bed, he puts himself to work. I swear, at 5AM he is unloading the dishwasher with his eyes closed and then heads downstairs to vacuum his car, literally minutes after waking. I have no idea where this stuff comes from, because the minute I wake up my eyes are glued to my phone. It is just so, so odd and… uncomfortable. And you are hearing this from a serious morning person. !!!
Anyhoo.
Do you think that maybe he doesn’t take me to breakfast because I nag him or something? That can’t be it.
But you know, I wouldn’t even have the problem of attempting to force-feed him donuts if it wasn’t for that little Saturday over Easter when we bought a dozen mini’s for an arm and a leg… that tasted like serious heaven. I think I threw back two or three maple bacon donuts, and that’s only because my brother stole the rest before I could get my hands on them. Needless to say, I’ve been dying to make them… and to REALLY make them. Like fry the crud out of them. Yeasted, fried donuts. Serious donuts.
I don’t mind the baked donuts – actually, I make this recipe almost every month for dessert because it blows my mind – but this craving called for oil and bubbles and fluffy freaking dough.
OH MAH GOSH. I could not get enough. I couldn’t stop taking bite after bite. I also succeeded in making the other member of this household take them down, and let’s just say that by the end of they day… only crumbs remained. Serious donuts… serious win.
Mini Maple Bacon Donuts
[slightly adapted from Alton Brown]
makes about 15 mini donuts (depending on how you cut them)
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup bacon grease, in solid form
2 1/4 teaspoons dry active yeast (1 packet)
1/4 cup warm water
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
12 ounces of all-purpose flour, plus a little extra if needed
vegetable oil for frying (I used 2 quarts)
8 slices of bacon, fried and crumbled
Add milk to a saucepan over medium-low heat and heat until just warm enough to melt the bacon fat. Place the bacon fat in a small bowl, the pour the warm milk over top and stir constantly until it’s melted. Set side to let cool to room temperature.
In the bowl of your electric mixer (fitted with a paddle attachment or beaters), add water and yeast. Let sit for about 5 minutes until foamy, then add in milk + bacon fat combo (it must be cooled) and turn the mixer on low speed. Add in the eggs, sugar, salt, nutmeg and half of the flour mixture, mixing on low speed until combined. Add the remaining flour, mixing on medium speed until combined. Remove the paddle attachment and replace it with the dough hook, then mix on medium speed for 3-4 minutes until dough pulls away from the bowl. Mine was a bit sticky, so I added in 3-4 tablespoons of extra flour until it became smooth. Remove from the mixer, add to bowl rubbed with vegetable oil, cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour.
Once risen, place dough on a floured workspace and roll until about 3/8 inches thick. I also kneaded in another tablespoons of flour or so here, just so the dough was smooth. Using a biscuit cutter (or something else round that works for you), cut out circles of dough, then using a small lid (I used a washed Tabasco lid, ha!) or knife, cut out the center. Place donuts on a baking sheet, cover and let rise in a warm place for 30 more minutes.
Heat oil a large pot, making sure it is 365 degrees. Add donuts 2-3 at a time, frying on each side for about 1 minute, and flipping with a spider or slotted spoon. Remove and let drain on wire rack placed above a paper towel. When finished, dip in maple glaze then roll in bacon. Serve immediately!
Maple Bacon Icing
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons maple sytup
1 tablespoon bacon fat, melted
1 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Combine all ingredients together in a bowl and whisk well until a glaze forms.
So… donuts for dinner for everyone! It’s the right thing to do.
127 Comments on “Mini Maple Bacon Donuts. (Like Real Ones!)”
Love these Jessica! Like you, I hardly ever go out to breakfast anymore too. Like, Dunkin Donuts is what I consider a treat these days… so shameful. I need a big breakfast out complete with the grand slam – pancakes, sausage, bacon, toast, syrup, the works. And then I can sleep the rest of the day.
PS: I’ve been looking for the perfect donut maple vanilla glaze/icing recently and yours looks soooo super thick. Must be that bacon fat!
It is SO thick!
Oh. My. I guess I know what I’m doing tonight.
Wow, Oh my gosh! Your donuts look aaaammmmmmaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaazing! Yum! Bacon on a donut, never thought of that one, I love it!!
Why must fried things be so delicious!? Mmmmmm!
San Diego finally got a Dunkin’ Donuts. It was kind of a big deal until I saw this post.
Bacon fat in the mix…nice.
Do you love it? It’s my favorite for everything!
These look awesome! I rarely go out for breakfast now either, but my friends and I would go all the time on weekends when I was in university. Bacon, eggs, toast… you name it, we had it. Sadly there were never any donuts on the menu, but who needs to go out for breakfast when you’ve got maple bacon donuts at home?!
You are my hero. As if that wasn’t already true, you just sealed the deal!
And I saw a preview for Snow White and I wanted to see it, too! And I never watch movies!
I don’t do the bacon overboard thing often for the guys here, but sometimes things like bacon caramel popcorn have to happen and well, we just do it. My guys would go crazy over these donuts! Now I have to try to make them gluten free for Tony! These look amazing Jessica!
I want your bacon caramel popcorn!!
These make me want to bust out a gallon of oil and have a go at it myself. This, even when I know that anytime I deep fry something, I set off fire alarms. I must be the bacon and that frosting talking to me.
Wow!!! The only donuts I’ve ever attempted to fry were the kind I grew up with where my mom would deep fry grands biscuits and cover them in cinnamon sugar. I may have to branch out and consider these dinner.
I’ve never tried that, but now I feel deprived and it sounds amazing.
I think my husband would be kissing my feet if I made these haha. What man doesn’t love bacon and doughnuts??
For-real donuts are the only way to go.
I always crave savory and sweet for breakfast and these donuts seem like the perfect combination of just that. Plus, there’s bacon. I will leave it at that.
I think Breakfast is THE best food of the day! These look so yummy I think I ‘ll drag out a heavy pot,oil and dig my yeast out of the fridge for these!
I have a love, deep and wide, for maple bacon donuts. These look delish!
Ooooh, the bacon. These look amazing!
And I’m catching up on Bachelorette this morning. Crazyness!!!
I just laughed out loud because:
A.) I was DYING when the guy on the Bachelorette said quinoa wrong.
B.) I am currently wearing a T-shirt from 7th grade.
C.) I love donuts!!!!
A. Maybe the reason you want to see snow white is because CHRIS HEMSWORTH IS IN IT.
B. I’m with your hubby on no doughnuts for breakfast. They make my brain fuzzy if I eat them too early. Give me a doughnut in the afternoon… that’s a different story.
I don’t like bacon (or pork in general) but seriously… you just made me crave that…
…thanks… thanks a lot.
I can’t get over how funny you are! And bacon and maple? As a Canadian these donuts were made for me!
Oh my gosh…these doughnuts are CRAZY! I always save my bacon drippings, and just happen to have some in the fridge right now. Hmmm…I wonder if my family would consider these dinner tonight? ;-)
Oh- and I really want to see Snow White and the Huntsmen, too, but don’t really know why either!
Jessica these donuts look devine!! By the way we saw the Snow White over the weekend and we lovd it, except that Kristen Stweart makes some weird faces while trying to act! LOL but it was very interesting!
I’ve been dyyyyyying to try bacon donuts! I need these in my life.
Dessert for dinner is always always the right thing to do. It’s got bacon so hopefully Meeker won’t mind.
Wow, look at those! No wonder there were nothing but crumbs, at least you had a partner in crime!
You are my hero – Deep fry. Donuts. Bacon. I bow to you.
Seriously. Donuts? Is there anything you can’t do? I’m terrified of all recipes that involve yeast so I’m not sure I can handle this. But, I do have a bacon in the fridge and a lonely package of yeast in the pantry…maybe I can pull this one off?
I made doughnuts yesterday too! But not the real kind, the baked kind. These look way better.
Seriously? I was just envisioning maple bacon donuts the other day, but didn’t want to drag out the deep fryer.
You sorta changed my mind.
I cannot stop laughing at the mental image of stumbling out of bed to unload the dishwasher at 5am with your eyes closed. I’ve been known to pop out of bed at 7am on a Saturday to compulsively clean. Never mind the fact that I have a pounding headache and am nursing a hangover.
Craziness.
Totally making these for my dad for Father’s Day.
Holy. Crap.
Donutssssss!!!! I guess I should try a gluten free fried version at some point, but I’m scared. Glad you love the PB donuts. :) I still can’t decide if I like “donut” or “doughnut” better…
I think I am lazy, so I type “donut.”
first, i want to see snow white sooooooooooo bad too…wanna come over to colorful colorado and watch it? :)
second, it’s probably best that i not make these because i’d have to pull out the preggo jeans again. but i WANT!
I am so with you on the bachelorette! The quinoa comment had me rolling on the floor!!
Oh my goodness, I am actually dying over how amazing these look. A few months ago I had a maple bacon donut at this adorable place called Suzy Q’s and I have been craving another ever since. Now you’re telling me I can make these at home!?
Also, totally wondering the same thing about some of the Bachelorette guys, seriously…
Ohhh these are legit donuts! I have a little cake donut maker that I LOVE but I’ve always wanted to make “real” donuts too. These look SO SO GOOD. I love maple and bacon together too. Love love love.
Fried mini donuts are one of the best things ever! And for you, the bacon added…I know this has gotta be one of your fave things you’ve made in awhile since I know you love your bacon :)
I think I fainted.
I’ve got to get over my aversion to frying things. These look so delicious! Love how thick the glaze is!
heck yes. that is all.
If hubs sees these he probably wont let me leave for Seattle until I make them for him! hah ;)
Wow, these doughnuts look incredible! What fantastic flavors and so cute! :)
Wow, I never thought of that. It must taste like a pancake breakfast with bacon.
Are you married to my husband? Are we secret sister wives?
Fluffy freaking dough, with frosting and bacon, shut the front door, these look terrific!
Again, I find myself wondering: why are we not neighbors/best friends?!? I have no clue. These look AWESOME. And my man definitely stumbles out of bed running into walls too, while my eyes are glued to my phone. Must be a guy thing.
Um, hello??? CHRIS HEMSWORTH?!?!?
Yum yum. Doughnuts have been a serious pregnancy craving of mine that I rarely allow myself to indulge. These pictures are definitely helping!!
Mmmmm, BACON!!!! The last 3 things I have cooked/baked have had bacon in them. It’s the only way.
woah!