Cereal as a decoration on desserts is pretty great.

I got mixed reactions on these ones since they’re a little off the beat and path, but I like them. These are best made day-of to ensure the freshness and crunchiness of your cereal (“fresh” being a relative term here), but they still tasted good the next day. I was transporting these on public transit and ended up using large seal-tight bags to carry them…I didn’t look stylish. But they got from point A to point B in one piece, so that’s all I need to worry about.

I experimented with different icing colours, and tried a few with just sprinkles instead. I found for cereal, I needed to make my glaze almost icing-thick to get it to stick without falling off. You really have to let them dry too so they don’t smudge/fall apart, which means keeping a wooden spoon handy for people who want to compromise wait time.

The donuts themselves are super easy—no yeast is involved but they still retain a bit of bounce. The only piece of special equipment you may need for this recipe is a frying thermometer because it really helps maintain your oil levels and heat; if you don’t have one, just be sure that your oil is at deep frying temperature before dropping your dough in. You can always test this by dropping in the holes on the donuts to see how they react. Make sure to lift out with a slotted spoon to avoid dripping hot oil everywhere!

PS – This post isn’t sponsored, I just think Fruit Loops are fun.

Ingredients

• 3/8 cup milk with 2 tsp. white vinegar added (OR buttermilk, vinegar omitted)
• 4 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg, room temperature
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 cups sifted pastry flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 quart oil for deep frying
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 3 tbsp. milk
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Method

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth and creamy. Beat in the egg and vanilla and continue stirring until well combined. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; stir into the mixture alternating with the milk/vinegar mix to form a moist but firm dough. It shouldn’t be too sticky to the touch otherwise you won’t be able to roll it out.

Roll out half of your dough to a 1/2 inch thickness. Using a wide-mouthed drinking glass, cut the dough into as many circles as you can; to make your life easier, you should lightly flour the glass to avoid sticking. Then, cut out the middle of your soon-to-be donut with the large end of an icing tip. Repeat with remaining dough, re-rolling your scraps until it is all cut into donuts. Let donuts stand while your oil heats.

In the meantime, heat your oil using a deep frying thermometer until it hits the “deep fry” appropriate heat—around 370 degrees F. Place 5-6 donuts in pan at a time, frying and turning once until each side is golden brown and the donut is cooked all the way through.

Lift out with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel. Cool entirely and make your glaze!

For the glaze, mix together the confectioners’ sugar, milk, and vanilla in a bowl. Ta-da! Add any desired food colouring and dip your donuts halfway to get a nice glaze. It should be thick enough to hold on some cereal. Generously sprinkle Fruit Loops on top and serve immediately!