It's summer, donut you know?

Wow. Time got away from me. It's been a week since we've connected...But, fret not. Today, we're back on track. And, in honor of the first weekend of summer, let's indulge in one of the best breakfast treats one can chew: donuts!! These donuts are a bite of the sunny season- light, bright, and full of citrus.
(Now before we get lost on spelling and semantics, I traditionally spell this word "doughnut" but sometimes "donut" just fits. In case you'd like more info on the spelling variance, get a quick history here.)

 Our dear niece and her parents came to visit us this past weekend. Though she's little, like her auntie, she has a sweet tooth. I took advantage of the opportunity to bake for her. (And to make up for my lack of posts this week, I'm going to include a bonus recipe from our visit at the end of this post!) While she was here we got loads of love and chatter and managed a visit to the zoo. Here's a brief gallery of our fun! 

Sweet girl was most excited when we visited the flamingos. I guess it's fitting that this recipe produces pale flamingo-colored donuts. They're super simple. Let's get started.

Glazed Grapefruit Donuts 
(recipe based from Sprinkles and Style)
Makes 8-12 donuts* 
To make the donuts
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt 
zest of one grapefruit
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk (almond, whole, whatever you have on hand)
2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil

*I made 11 donuts but wish I'd made 8-9 so they would have been fluffier)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Whisk flour, sugars, baking powder, salt, and grapefruit zest in a mixing bowl until just combined.
3. Add egg, milk, and oil. Mix until just moistened.
4. Spoon the batter into prepared donut pans sprayed with baking spray. (Try to fill about halfway or a scoosh more)
5. Bake for 8-12 minutes. (I baked for about 11 minutes). Remove from pan after a minute or two. Let cool on a cooling rack. 

To make the glaze
juice from one-half of the grapefruit
a splash or two of lemon juice
about 2 cups powdered sugar

6. Whisk together the grapefruit and lemon juices and powdered sugar in a bowl. (Use your judgement on the amount of liquid you need. You do want this to be a bit runny...it's a glaze not frosting.)
7.  Dip cooled donuts in the glaze. Let excess drip off and back on the cooling rack. they go. (I put a piece of parchment paper underneath the cooling rack so clean up would be easier.) 
8.  If planning to double dip (which is recommended!), let the glaze set in between each coat.

These donuts are best enjoyed the day they're made but can be stored in airtight container once dry. They are a great start to any day or a nice afternoon pick me up. 

BONUS RECIPE!
Our niecey LOVES her some Oreos. This bonus recipe was made with just her in mind! It's super simple semi-homemade dessert. Trust me it might not the prettiest but it'll suck you in and before long the whole pan will have vanished. 

Now the inspiration for this dessert came from Cookies and Cups blog but I didn't have all the key players so we made our own version, now affectionately named, Oreo Mess.

Ingredients
1 box  fudge brownie mix (I typically favor Betty Crocker)
1/4 cup water
2/3 cup vegetable or canola oil
2 eggs
1 (8 oz) block cream cheese, softened to room temperature
2 -3 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
12-15 Double Stuf Oreos, chopped/crushed

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Prepare brownies according to box directions.
3. Pour into prepared 9x13 baking pan. Bake for 24-26 minutes (I tend to like our brownies a bit underdone so I baked mine for 22 minutes).
4. Let brownies cool in pan completely. 
5. In stand mixer, cream cream cheese until smooth and semi-fluffy. 
6. Add 2 cups of powdered sugar and mix. Add teaspoon of vanilla. Mix. Add more powdered sugar if needed to reach desired consistency. I like it to be a little on the thicker side so I added about 3/4 cup additional powdered sugar.
7. Fold in 12 chopped/crushed Oreos. You could drag out the food processor but I just put mine in a ziptop baggie and beat with a rolling pin until the cookies were broken down.)
8. Spread frosting on cooled brownies. 
9. Top with 3 additional chopped/crushed Oreos. 

We hadn't planned for this to be a blog-worthy recipe so I didn't really take any good photos. But since I am that person who takes a picture of almost everything that I eat, we had these two.

I hope you'll give both of these recipes a try when the occasion presents itself. And, by occasion, I mean any day that ends in "y". Happy official start of the summer season! Here's to sandals, tan lines, sweet tea, ice cream, watermelon, and loads of grilled food! Talk to you soon! 
-xo