Warm Butterscotch Donut And Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe

Prepare batter

In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon until evenly combined.

In a separate bowl whisk the milk, buttermilk, egg, melted butter and vanilla until smooth and homogenous.

Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet mixture. Gently fold with a spatula until just combined — the batter should be thick but pipeable; do not overmix (a few small lumps are okay).

Heat oil

In a heavy-bottomed pot or deep skillet add the vegetable oil and heat over medium heat until it reaches 350°F (175°C). If you don't have a thermometer, test with a small drop of batter— it should sizzle and rise steadily to the surface.

Transfer batter to a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip, or use a sturdy zip-top bag with the corner snipped. Pipe rounds (about 2.5–3 inches / 6–7 cm) into the hot oil, leaving space between each. If you prefer, spoon batter into the oil to form rounds.

Fry donuts 1–2 minutes per side until puffed and deep golden brown. Use a slotted spoon to flip and remove. Work in batches to avoid overcrowding and keep oil temperature steady.

Drain donuts on a wire rack set over a baking sheet lined with paper towels. While still warm, you can keep them loosely covered with foil to remain soft. Let rest 3–5 minutes before saucing.

In a small to medium saucepan set over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the packed light brown sugar and whisk until combined and starting to bubble, about 1–2 minutes.

Carefully pour in the heavy cream while whisking; the mixture will bubble vigorously. Reduce heat to low and simmer, whisking, for 2–3 minutes until the sauce is smooth and slightly thickened.

Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract and sea salt. Taste and adjust salt or vanilla as desired. If the sauce seems too thick, whisk in up to 1–2 tablespoons more cream to reach desired consistency. Keep warm over very low heat or set aside and rewarm gently before serving.

Place one warm donut on each serving plate. Add one generous scoop of vanilla ice cream next to or on top of the donut (the heat will slightly melt the ice cream).

Ladle 2–3 tablespoons (or to taste) of warm butterscotch sauce over the donut and ice cream so it soaks into the donut and creates a warm-sweet pool around the plate.

Sprinkle with a pinch of flaky sea salt and the chopped toasted nuts if using. Serve immediately while donuts and sauce are warm and ice cream is cold.