National Donut day is Friday, and it has been quite a while since I did a new donut recipe.  I was thinking about a cake donut that would incorporate some oats.  So, I got out the donut pans and started doing some baking.  I have to tell you that my first attempt at these were an EPIC fail!  Not just a failure, a failure of monumental proportions.  I tried to do an oatmeal strudel, but the donuts came out like hockey pucks welded to the pans.  I had to soak them for an hour and scrub quite a while to get the mess out.  But I liked the idea of incorporating oatmeal, so back to the drawing board, revise the recipe, and try again.

Spray two donut pans with non-stick spray and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine first six dry ingredients in a large bowl.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Add eggs, oil, vanilla and half and half.

Stir gently only until combined.  Batter will be very thick and sticky.

Add oatmeal and dried cranberries, and stir only to combine.  You could use raisins if you like, or really any dried fruit.

Load 1/2 of batter into a piping bag, cut off the end.

Pipe into six donut wells.

Repeat with remaining batter and another donut pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15-16 minutes, only until top springs back when lightly touched and donuts are lightly browned. Do not over-bake. Allow to cool for a five minutes in the pans.

Using a plastic utensil, loosen the donuts from the pans, then put on wire racks to cool.

Yummy!! These are good eaten while still warm from the oven, and they are moist enough not to need any glaze. But if you like your donuts sweeter, you can make a simple glaze with powdered sugar and milk to drizzle over them. DH likes his without glaze.

Oatmeal Cinnamon Cake Donuts

1-1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup canola oil
2 tablespoons half and half
1/4 cup quick cooking oatmeal
1/4 cup dried cranberries (or raisins)

Spray two donut pans with non-stick spray and set aside.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine first six dry ingredients in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Add eggs, oil, vanilla and half and half, stirring gently only until combined.  Batter will be very thick and sticky. Add oatmeal and cranberries, and stir only to combine. Load 1/2 of batter into a piping bag, cut off the end. Pipe into six donut wells. Repeat with remaining batter and another donut pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-16 minutes, only until top springs back when lightly touched and donuts are lightly browned. Do not over-bake. Allow to cool for a five minutes, then remove from pans and put on wire racks to cool.  Drizzle with glaze made with powdered sugar and milk if desired.

Download my revised Donut Recipe booklet, with all four of my original donut recipes – Carole’s Cake Donuts Vol 2

Get a set of Donut Pans on Amazon.