'Tis the season to make hot chocolate  (recipe link shared by the lovely Greta at Something by Virtue of Nothing)  and homemade donut balls. This recipe yields enough yummy donut balls to share with friends. By the way, these donut balls taste better when eaten the day after. By then the cinnamon sugar has melded delightfully with the spicy taste of nutmeg. It's really a flavor reminiscent of Christmas morning.



Homemade Donut Balls


Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• pinch of salt
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
• Vegetable oil  for deep frying

Sugar coating:

• 1/2 cup cup confectioners sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp cinnamon

1. Place two cups of all-purpose flour in a large bowl and fluff with whisk to aerate it. Add nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and whisk mixture until well blended.

2. In a bowl, beat egg until frothy. Gradually add granulated, beating until light and fluffy. Add buttermilk, melted butter and vanilla extract. Blend well.

3. Make a well in the center of the egg mixture. Pour the egg mixture into the well and blend well with a wooden spoon. The dough should be soft but not sticky. Continue to add small amounts of flour until the dough reaches the desired consistency.

4. Lightly flour a work surface. Transfer the dough to the work surface and dust the top loightly with flour. Roll out the  dough about 1/3 inch thick. Dip the removable center of a doughnut cutte or 1 1/2 inch cookie cutter into flour and then cut out donut balls. Chill donut ball in the ref for 3 hours of overnight.

4. Deep fry doughnut balls until golden. Roll in cinnamon sugar coating.

Recipe adapted from Christmas Family Gatherings by  Donata Maggipinto