2 tablespoons butter, ¾ cup granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla
Add eggs, one at a time and mix well
2 eggs
Mix in buttermilk
⅓ cup buttermilk
Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg
2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon nutmeg
Add flour mixture to buttermilk mixture. Stir just until combined. Use a spatula to fold any remaining flour into batter
Place batter into a smaller bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour
Shaping and Frying
Place oil in a heavy pot. You will need at least two inches of oil (amount will vary depending on size of pot) Heat oil until it reaches 375 degrees.
oil for frying
Generously flour surface for shaping dough. Place dough on surface and sprinkle top of dough with a light coating of flour. Flour your hands and shape into a long 24"x3" rectangle. You can use a well floured rolling pin, but your hands work just as well with this soft dough. The dough will still be sticky!
Cut into 12 evenly sized pieces - 2"x3" bars
When oil reaches 375 degrees, you are ready to begin frying. Place a slit down the center of each bar. You want the slit to be deep, but do not cut the bar in half.
Place 2-3 bars in oil. Do not overcrowd pot. The size of your pot will determine how many you can cook at one time. Cook bars for 1 ½ minutes - 2 minutes per side. You want a nice brown color.
Remove bars from oil and place on a baking sheet lined with a rack. Continue cooking remaining bars. Be certain to recheck temperature to make certain the oil stays between 365-380.
Glaze
While bars are still slightly warm, begin mixing glaze.
Combine powdered sugar, vanilla and boiling water to a bowl. Whisk until smooth.
2 cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, ¼ cup boiling water
Dip the top of each bar into the glaze. Place bars back on rack to allow excess glaze to drip off.
Let bars sit for 10-15 minutes before serving so glaze will set up.
Notes
Tips:
Once you add the flour, do not overmix. Just stir until combined. Overmixing will cause the donuts to be tough
Be certain to fully chill the dough. It is very sticky and chilling makes the dough more manageable to work.
Use a generous amount of flour on your surface and on your hands. Even though the dough is chilled, it will still be sticky.
Cut bars into evenly sized pieces for consistent cooking time
The slit in the center helps make certain the donuts cook in the center and it also gives the bars an interesting look.
Make certain oil is preheated to 375 degrees. Use a thermometer and check temperature often to make certain it doesn't go above 380 or below 365.
Only cook a few bars at a time. Do not overcrowd pan or the donuts will not cook evenly.