No-Fry Cinnamon Sugar Potato Doughnuts

Okay, I must admit that I LOVE doughnuts! Who doesn't? But, I would never make them at home because we don't eat fried food at home and I wouldn't want a whole dozen doughnuts sitting around my house. So, you can imagine how excited I was when I found this recipe! It was in an old Taste of Home magazine that my mom handed down to me when I got married 7 years ago. Mundo and I really enjoyed munching on these for breakfast. I served them with fruit salad and scrambled eggs with bell peppers and potatoes. It was a great breakfast! I halved the recipe and it made a little over a dozen. They only had 2 tbsp of butter in the whole batch, so I felt pretty good about eating them. They would also be yummy with a chocolate glaze or dipped in powdered sugar (or any other creative topping!) If you experiment with different toppings, let me know. I'd love to try them!

1 cup cooked, mashed potato (completely plain. I peeled and diced it, then cooked it in water in the microwave for about 5 minutes)
1/4 cup cooking liquid from the potatoes
1 cup warm milk
2 eggs, well beaten
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
4 1/2 cups bread flour or 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour and 3 cups bread or unbleached white flour
1 envelope (2 1/4 tsp) fast rise, active dry, yeast

Topping:
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 tsp cinnamon
4 tbsp melted butter

Kitchenaid Mixer Method:
Dissolve yeast in mixer bowl in reserved 1/4 cup potato cooking liquid. Add a few tbsp of the warm milk to the eggs to temper them, then add eggs and milk to the mixer bowl. Add sugar, salt and flour. Beat on speed 2 until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and a ball forms. Allow to knead on speed 2 for 2 more minutes. Grease bowl with cooking spray. Warm oven for 1 minute on 200 degrees F. Turn off. Place bowl with dough in the oven and cover with plastic wrap and a towel. Allow to rise 30 minutes.*

Hand Mix Method:
Dissolve yeast in large mixing bowl in reserved 1/4 cup potato cooking liquid. Add a few tbsp of the warm milk to the eggs to temper them, then add eggs and milk to the bowl. Add sugar, salt and flour. Mix by hand until a ball of dough forms. Knead about 10 minutes on a floured surface until dough is nice and smooth. Grease bowl with cooking spray. Warm oven for 1 minute on 200 degrees F. Turn off. Place bowl with dough in the oven and cover with plastic wrap and a towel. Allow to rise 30 minutes.*

*Roll dough out on a flour service into a 1/2 inch thick disk. Cut, using a doughnut cutter, into approximately 30 doughnuts. Place on greased baking pans. Cover with a towel. Warm the oven for 1 minute at 200 degrees and turn off. Place baking pan with doughnuts in oven. Allow to rise 25 minutes. Remove from oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately brush both sides with melted butter and dip in cinnamon/sugar mixture. Serve warm. Yield 2 1/2 dozen.