For National Donut Day, Recipes That Go Together Like PB&J

Americans love their donuts (we eat over 10 billion per year), so it’s no surprise that we have designated a National Donut Day. But the day actually wasn’t set aside for the mere fact that we love donuts. National Donut Day has a much richer history than you might imagine.

“Donut Day” was established in 1938 as a way to honor members of the Salvation Army who aided soldiers during World War I. In 1917, the Salvation Army “Lassies” were dispatched to the front lines of Europe, where their mission was to provide comforting meals for the troops and sometimes that meant using whatever was available, including frying dough in the metal helmets of the soldiers.

Fun fact: That’s why American infantrymen came to be called “doughboys.”

You can learn more about the history of National Donut Day, including a recipe for the original donut here:

Fried Donuts on the Frontlines

Today, National Donut Day is widely celebrated on the first Friday of June. Many donut shops, bakeries, and coffee shops in the United States offer donut deals to their customers.

Donuts themselves have their own rich history with lots of fun and interesting facts. Do you prefer cake or raised? Like yours covered in sugary icing, or perhaps chocolate glaze with sprinkles? To learn more about this delicious ball of dough, check out this fun page with everything you ever wanted to know about donuts!

National Donut Day Fun Facts

Here are two favorite donut recipes to make and share for a fun way to celebrate Donut Day:

Fresh Strawberry Donuts with Strawberry Glaze

Ingredients

For the Donuts:
1 1/2 cups gluten-free flour blend
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup strawberries (diced)

For the Glaze:
1/2 cup strawberries (diced)
2 cups powdered sugar
1-2 tablespoons water

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a donut pan with 6 wells with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, mix together gluten-free flour blend, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. Add in vanilla, vinegar, almond milk and oil. Whisk until smooth. Then fold in the diced strawberries.
4. Spoon or pipe batter into the donut pan. The batter should almost reach the top of the pan.
5. Bake at 375F for 10-14 minutes, or until the donuts spring back when you touch them. Let cool in the baking pan for only a few minutes and finish cooling on a wire rack.
6. To make the glaze, add the strawberries, powdered sugar and one tablespoon of the water to a food processor. Process until smooth. Add more water if you need to make a thin glaze.
7. Dip the donuts into the glaze and place on a wire rack to set. Donuts are best eaten on the same day.

Jelly-Filled Peanut Butter Donuts with Peanut Butter Glaze

Ingredients

For the Donuts:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup coconut oil at room temperature or oil of choice (I use coconut oil).
1/3 cup natural unsweetened peanut butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup of your favorite jelly or jam

For the Glaze:
1/2 cup peanut butter
4 tablespoons milk or more
1 cup powdered sugar
Pinch of sea salt

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a donut pan with 6 wells with cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, add the peanut butter, oil, and brown sugar. Beat until combined and creamy. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat just until combined.
4. Alternatively, add the flour and buttermilk to the wet mixture, beating just until combined. Be careful not to over-beat or the donuts will be dense and dry. A few small lumps of flour is fine.
5. Heat jam or jelly is small pot over low heat. Add 1-2 tablespoons of water. Heat until jelly is dissolved. Remove from heat, cool slightly.
6. Spoon or pipe batter into the donut pan, filling half full. Pipe a ring of jelly on top of the batter without the jelly touching sides of pan. Spoon or pipe more batter over jelly layer. The batter should almost reach the top of the pan.
7. Bake for about 10-15 minutes or until the donuts spring back when you touch them.
8. Let cool in the baking page for 5 minutes, then carefully invert the donuts onto a wire rack to cool completely.
9. To make the glaze, place the peanut butter and milk in a mixing bowl. Beat until smooth and creamy. Add the powdered sugar and salt, continuing to beat until you reach a glazing consistency. Add more milk if necessary.
10. Dip the donuts into the glaze and place on a wire rack to set.