The best desserts have streusel on top, am I right?  Peach crisp, apple crumb pie, and berry crumble would all be lost without the crumb topping.  Buttery bits of cinnamon and brown sugar clumped together just have a way of making you lick your fingers to pick up every last crumb.   These donuts will have you licking your fingers, that’s for sure.

It’s a basic vanilla and nutmeg-scented donut with a crumb topping that you pop in the oven while the donuts are baking.  The crumb mixture will flatten out like one big cookie, but don’t worry.  Just keep an eye on it so it doesn’t turn much past golden-brown.  As soon as it comes out of the oven, flake it with a fork to create the crumbs.

With a cup of warm coffee, these donuts are the perfect antidote to get through a work week while you wait for a 3-day weekend.

Here’a link to my favorite 6-portion donut pan by Wilton.


Crumb Donuts

Crumb Donuts

Make 6 donuts

Ingredients

For the crumb topping:

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted cold butter, cubed
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

For the donuts:

  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 egg white
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

For the glaze:

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2-3 tablespoons milk or cream
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 6-donut pan very well with cooking spray.
  2. First, make the crumb topping. In a small bowl, combine the cubed butter, flour, brown sugar and cinnamon. Mash the butter into the dry ingredients with a fork. Make sure the butter is well incorporated with no patches of flour. Pour the mixture out on a small baking sheet lined with foil. Set aside.
  3. Next, make the donuts: In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. Set aside.
  4. In a small saucepan, stir together the milk, egg white, butter and vanilla. Stir the mixture continuously over medium-low heat until the butter dissolves completely.
  5. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry (but don't over-mix).
  6. Divide the batter between the 6 spaces in the donut pan and bake for 8-9 minutes. Add the pan of crumbs to the oven at the same time. Keep an eye on the crumbs--the mixture will spread out like one giant cookie. Make sure it doesn't get too dark brown. When the donuts are done, the surface of the donuts will spring back when pressed gently.
  7. Let the donuts cool in the pan 5 minutes before removing them. Meanwhile, scrape the crumb mixture with a fork to create crumbs. Pour the crumbs into a shallow bowl or plate.
  8. Whisk together the glaze ingredients in a shallow bowl. To serve the donuts, dip each top into the glaze, then the crumb mixture.
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