I think we’re all daydreaming of the days where we can safely be around family and friends again without the concern of the pandemic. I know I am. The vaccine has brought a wave of hope and light at the end of the tunnel. So in preparation for celebrations with lots of people one day, I made a special brunch donut. These drunken champagne donuts are definitely worth the celebration.
These donuts have champagne in both the donut and the glaze, making for a boozy donut. The donut itself has a subtle sweet hint of champagne, but the glaze packs a punch. Each donut is dunked into the champagne-forward glaze, which essentially soaks into the donut. Each bite ensures a flavor splash of champagne.
As for which champagne to use; I used affordable yet reliable champagne I drank a lot of in my early twenties. You can go this route or you can use something far fancier. But since I bake with it and it provides that distinct champagne flavor, I find options like Korbel to be the best option. You don’t want to use super faint champagne either. In this case, the flavor will fall flat and you’ll be searching for the champagne.
So anytime I think of champagne I think of the movie Pretty Woman. There’s a scene where Julia Roberts chugs a glass of champagne. Richard Gere then offers her a strawberry because “it brings out the flavor of the champagne”. I’m not even sure why this scene sticks out to me, but I can’t help but think of it each time I have a glass of champagne. So since we’re starting to see sweet strawberries at the market, I instantly thought of the classic flavor combination of strawberries and champagne. This is why I recommend adding the sliced strawberries to garnish the drunken champagne donuts. Plus, they add a little something extra.
For my other donut recipes, look for apple cider donuts or Mexican hot chocolate donuts.
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp champagne
- 2 tbsp oat milk or regular milk
- 1/4 cup of champagne - for the drunken glaze
- 1 cup of powdered sugar - for the drunken glaze
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
Using a stand mixer and the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together. Scrape down the sides then add the eggs and allow the mixture to whip together for 2 minutes. Add the champagne and oat milk, mixing the ingredients on low until combined. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Again, mix on low until the ingredients all come together but make sure not to overmix.
Prepare the donut baking tray by spraying it with avocado oil. Fill a pastry bag or a plastic bag with a tip clipped with the donut dough. Pipe each donut mold with the dough in a circular motion. Don't worry, the donuts will rise and create a fluffy full donut.
Place them in the oven and bake for 17 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Allow them to cool in the tin for a couple of minutes before taking them out and cooling them completely on a wire rack.
While the donuts are cooling, make the drunken glaze. In a small bowl, mix together the champagne and powdered sugar until a smooth glaze forms. Dunk each cooled donut in the drunken glaze. Let the donuts sit for 10-15 minutes so the glaze sets.
Enjoy!
