Sunflower Chocolate Bacon Donuts - Dairy Free, Nut and Peanut Free, Egg Free, Soy Free

Some basic tips for safe stovetop frying at home:

• Use a kitchen thermometer to test the temperature of your oil. If oil overheats it can burn the food and start a fire. If it’s not hot enough, then you’ll end up with donuts that look like pale rocks. Keeping the oil temperature consistent is key.

• Use an oil with a high smoke point, like avocado oil. An oil with a low smoke point, like olive oil, can burn and turn rancid smelling at high temperatures.

• Dust off excess flour before adding the dough to the oil, as excess flour will burn faster than the dough will cook, resulting in dark build up in the bottom of the pot.

• Never drop dough into hot oil from height. Gently put the dough into the oil in a motion away from your body. Avoid splashing.

• Use a spider (designed for frying) or a pair of metal tongs to move the dough around.

• Never allow your hair, sleeves, or other things on your person to dangle over hot oil. When frying, I keep my hair up in a towel. This also prevents my hair from absorbing the oil smell.

• Have a pot lid and baking soda handy in the rare event of the oil igniting. Remember that water will not put out a grease fire.

• Never walk away from a pot full of hot oil when it is on the heat.

Using your intuition and basic safety procedures will ensure that you can safely fry donuts on the stovetop at home. There is nothing to be intimidated about when it comes to making donuts, and in this recipe I call for a shallow pot of oil (1 inch depth) which makes it even simpler to manage.

Is your frying oil too hot or too cold?

• Use an oil that has a high smoke point, such as avocado oil

• Heat it on medium heat. You will notice the oil becomes thinner in appearance as it heats up. It should not be boiling or sputtering.

• Use a small piece of dough as a test piece. If the dough sinks to the bottom, then your oil is not hot enough. If the oil starts to sputter and overreact, then the oil is too hot.

• The test piece of dough should cause the oil to bubble around its edges, and perhaps cause it to travel around the pot a little.

• If the dough burns too quickly, then the oil is too hot and should be turned down.

Sunflower Chocolate Bacon Donuts - Dairy Free, Nut and Peanut Free, Egg Free, Soy Free

This month, I have a super stunner for you! Sunbutter chocolate bacon donuts are fried crispy deliciousness on the outside, and fluffy, airy dough on the inside. The top is coated in a rich layer of sunflower seed butter, melted chocolate, and crumbled crispy bacon, with a hint of cinnamon.

This post was sponsored by Sunbutter

Would you believe that I’ve only had donuts a few times in my life?! Well, it is true. I’ve only ever had donuts if I made them myself, which I did for a recipe I was developing a couple years ago. Turns out donuts are pretty awesome. Who knew? When I do make a batch, I tend to make them Italian style (called bombolone) which are fried in olive oil and usually coated in cinnamon sugar. I took that same base recipe and made it Sunbutter-centric, highlighting the flavors with sunflower seed butter’s favorite siblings; chocolate and cinnamon. And then I thought, bacon would taste good on here too. So I fried it up until super crisp, chopped it up, and applied like meat sprinkles. These donuts are deliciously messy, so have napkins ready. I had a full-on Sunbutter chocolate mustache while devouring my test subject(s).

Ingredients for Sunflower Chocolate Bacon Donuts

• 2 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/4 cup powdered sugar

• 1 1/2 tsp dry yeast

• 1 cup warm water

• 2 tbsp avocado oil or olive oil

• several cups of avocado oil

• 3/4 allergy-safe chocolate chips, such as Enjoy Life or MadeGood (topping)

• 1/2 cup Sunbutter (variety of your choice, I used Original)

• 1/3 cup melted allergen-free chocolate, such as Enjoy Life or MadeGood

• 3 - 4 slices of bacon, crispened and crumbled

• a sprinkle of ground cinnamon

How to make Sunflower Chocolate Bacon Donuts

1. Add the flour, salt, and 1/4 cup powdered sugar to a mixing bowl and mix until well combined. Make a well in the center and pour in the yeast and the warm water. Let it sit for 10 minutes to bloom.

2. Add 2 tbsp. of avocado or olive oil to the liquid, then begin mixing the liquid portion together with a spoon. Gradually bring in flour from the sides until it starts to form a dough. Then switch to kneading with your hands. Knead for one minute. You will notice that by the end of a minute, the dough is smoother, shinier, and more elastic.

3. Lightly grease a large mixing bowl with avocado or olive oil. Place the ball of dough in the bowl and cover with either a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Let the dough rest in a warm place for about an hour and a half - 2 hours, or until doubled in size. The amount of time will depend on the temperature and humidity of your environment. In colder places, it has taken up to 3 hours for my dough to rise. Don’t panic!

4. Once the dough has risen, punch it down with your fist. Turn it out onto a floured surface and stretch it to an 8 x 16 inch rectangle. Let it rest for 30 minutes, before cutting into rounds.

5. Fill a medium sized pot with one inch of avocado oil. I do not have the measurements listed here because the volume of oil will depend on the size of your pot. Of importance is the depth of an inch in order to allow the donuts to float on the surface. Turn to medium heat, and watch it closely. See notes above for heating your oil correctly.

6. While the oil is heating, cut the donuts into rounds using a shot glass or a round cookie cutter. Gather the scraps together, roll them out, and cut into rounds. Repeat until you have gone through all the dough. Now it’s time to fry.

7. Dust off excess flour before adding the dough to the oil. Fry the donuts 2 or 3 at a time. They will take about 2 minutes per side. Flip them over using a spider or a pair of metal tongs. Have a plate lined with paper towels at the ready to collect the hot donuts. Keep a steady flow of donuts going into and coming out of the oil to maintain your temperature.

8. Once the donuts are cool enough to touch, spread a dollop of Sunbutter on each one, then a drizzle of melted chocolate, a few bacon pieces, and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Enjoy them warm.

Makes 20 medium sized donuts or 40 donut holes

Let the donuts drain on a paper towel lined plate and then transfer them to a wire rack for topping with Sunbutter, chocolate, and bacon.

Be sure to check out my recipe for Dairy Free Mini Spelt Donuts with Cinnamon Sugar. Once you make donuts yourself, you’ll be hooked.

Or try my recipe for chocolate glazed or cinnamon sugar donuts made with all purpose flour.