My Great Grandmother and Great Aunt on my Mother’s side used to make the best doughnuts including Old Fashioned Molasses Doughnuts. They were a staple at every family gathering and devoured almost as soon as they arrived. Unfortunately both of them have passed away and their homemade doughnuts have been sadly missed.
My husband and I have been talking about making our own doughnuts for what seems like years now and frankly we were just too intimidated to actually do it. I don’t know why, but I always assumed that because homemade doughnuts taste so darned good they must be difficult to make.
I finally decided that I was up for the challenge and guess what? Doughnuts are EASY!!!! Seriously, it took my husband and I maybe an hour max, from start to finish to make these little bits of heaven. While I didn’t have my great grandmother’s recipe, My friend Linda lent me a terrific cookbook of old Maine recipes called Maine Sesquicentennial, which had this delightful recipe for Old Fashioned Homemade Molasses Doughnuts. I hope you enjoy as much as we did!
Ingredients
- 2 Eggs
- 1/4 cup Oil
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 cup molasses
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 4-6 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 cup buttermilk
- Extra sugar and cinnamon to shake doughnuts in
- Oil for frying
Instructions
- Heat oil to about 375 degrees.
- Sift dry ingredients together.
- Mix sugar and oil, add eggs, molasses, dry ingredients and buttermilk.
- Roll out on a floured surface until about 1/4 inch thick.
- Cut with a doughnut cutter.
- Fry in hot oil to a light brown on one side then turn over and fry on other side.
- Place hot doughnuts in a paper bag with cinnamon and sugar.
- Shake to coat.
About Beth
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Now I need to buy some molasses so I can make these!
Rachel recently posted..How Do You Take Care of your Heart? Cambell’s #AddressYourHeart
Twitter: april_golightly
says:
They look and sound amazing. Way too hungry to be reading this.
April Golightly recently posted..Color Theory with Meredith Wendell
Twitter: LyndaMSelf
says:
Unsulfured molasses? I wonder if they would be good dipped in chocolate?
LyndaS recently posted..New Giveaway
What isn’t good dipped in chocolate? I’m not sure about the Unsulfured… I will have to check!
Amen! What isn’t good dipped in chocolate!
Candace recently posted..Maybe Seeing A Psychologist Isn’t SO Bad…
Oh these look so good! Mmm. I may come to Maine so you can make me some.
Alison recently posted..The Hopper From Dish
Anytime Alison!
Twitter: MomFoodie
says:
Mmm… I like molasses, and think it is underused these days.
Robin {Mom Foodie} recently posted..Disappearing Garlic Focaccia Bread Recipe
I agree!
Oh yum…you are very bad! These look amazing
Thanks! My scale thinks I’m bad too!
Twitter: simplyandreah
says:
They look delicious! I pinned the recipe so I can try it sometime.
Andrea recently posted..L’Occitane Limited Edition Shea Butter Honey Whipped Body Cream
Twitter: She_Scribes
says:
These look and sound so good! I have never tried molasses doughnuts before. I would love to make them one day. I just worry about cooking with oil like that. Knowing me I’ll end up splashing them and burning myself. MMM… they do look good.
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Twitter: kidsumers
says:
Oh, I want one!
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Twitter: peppermintshots
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These look delicious! I’ve been dying to have some for quite some time and thanks to your recipe I might be able to satisfy my craving. I just hope I’ll be able to execute them perfectly.
Donna Kiritharan recently posted..A Quote from Chbosky
These look delicious and I love that they are homemade! My toddler loves donuts, but we limit her to one a month at the donut shop.. These look like a better alternative!
Elaina- A Time Out for Mommy recently posted..Infant Woes: Teething Trouble
Twitter: texastypeamom
says:
What a great idea for a fried alternative!
Kelly recently posted..3 Ways to Show Sick Loved Ones You Care
Twitter: thatbaldchick
says:
Adding these to my “after I lose this weight” recipe list. Oh my yum!
Virginia recently posted..A Baby Named Carrots
They were good…sadly not so diet friendly!
Great! This is another new dessert recipe that I’m looking forward to bake one of these days. Too bad I didn’t come across your yummy treat so I could try it for Valentine’s Day, but I think the molasses donuts will make a perfect coffee partner. Hope it will make an ordinary lazy afternoon extra special.
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Twitter: ljenator
says:
Kylie needed this recip a couple of weeks ago! She had to make donuts for her class like Tom Sawyer would have had in his day. (I was thinking more biscuits, but they said donuts! Haha)
How fun! This recipe is so simple…I was really surprised!
Hi
Been looking for a recipe for doughnuts. I am not the best cook these look nice and easy though. Just hope they turn out as nice as in your picture. Probably not but will give them a go
Yummy lee
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I love donuts! Making them is so easy. I usually make them in a pan over the stove using just pillsbury biscuits and powered sugar. You can’t get much easier than that. I want to try these too. Thank you for the recipe.