Baked Chai Donuts with a Brown Butter Glaze

This week, the temperature went from above zero (Celsius) to -43 with a windchill, back up to 3 degrees.  What the ?  Makes it difficult to get dressed!  I am tired of the weather roller coaster.  Well, apparently the groundhog didn't see his shadow this year.  Which means an early spring!  I'm ready for it!

These donuts got stuck in my head this week.  I was trying to think of a new donut flavor to try out in my donut pan.  When I came up with chai donuts with a brown butter glaze, I couldn't stop thinking about them.  I knew they were going to be amazing!  Guess what?  They are amazing.  As in, I-can't-go-into-the-kitchen-because-I-will-eat-them-ALL-amazing.  As in, there-won't-be-any-leftovers-coming-in-to-work-tomorrow-amazing.

I love chai.  I made Almond-Chai cookies at Christmas, and a really yummy Pumpkin Ginger Loaf with a Chai Sugar Glaze in the fall.  When you think about it, it was inevitable that I was at some point going to make chai spiced donuts.  Really.

I also love brown butter.  I think everyone loves brown butter.  At Christmas, I made Soft Ginger Cookies with a Brown Butter Frosting.  That frosting was soooooo good.  I may or may not have licked out the frosting bowl.  We'll never know.

I knew the rich, nutty flavors of the brown butter frosting would be the perfect complement to the deep spicy flavors of the donut.  I was right.  I love saying that.  I love it even more when my boyfriend says it though.

On a side note, I still have not improved on my decorating skills.  It kind of looks like someone flung the brown butter frosting at the donuts and hoped some of it would stick.  Which is kind of, sort of, maybe true.

  Baked Chai-Spiced Donuts (makes 12)

• 2 cups cake flour
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 3 tsp chai spice mix (mine is from Silk Road Merchants, but an optional recipe is below)
• 1 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Recipe Adapted from Wilton

Preheat oven to 425 F.   In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, chai spice mix and salt.  In a separate bowl, combine buttermilk, eggs and melted butter.  Pour wet ingredients into dry and mix until just combined.

Fill a greased donut pan 2/3 of the way full.  Bake for 7-9 minutes, until top of donut springs back when touched.  Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Chai Spice Blend

• 2 tsp ground cloves
• 1 tbsp ground cardamom
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• Pinch of ground black pepper.

Recipe from Carrie and Jonathan

Brown Butter Glaze (Makes 1 cup)

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 2 cups icing sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 to 4 tablespoons whole milk

Recipe from Martha Stewart 

Melt butter in a small pot over medium heat.  Continue to cook butter, stirring or swirling the pan frequently, until butter turns a deep golden color.  This will take between 5-10 minutes depending on how hot you heat the butter.  Immediately transfer to a heat proof mixing bowl to prevent burning.

Add icing sugar, vanilla and milk.  Blend with a hand mixer until smooth.  Add more milk, depending on how thick you would like the glaze to be.

Glaze donuts with a knife or spoon.  Allow donuts to sit for several hours for glaze to solidify.