what to do with leftover donuts

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Introduction

Have you got donuts going stale on your counter that you aren’t sure what to do with? Donuts aren’t an easy thing to use up, but there are plenty of recipes that you can use them in that will make the most of their taste and texture. You don’t have to waste them! Let’s find out what to do with leftover donuts.

Leftover donuts can be used to create a variety of different foods, including things like leftover donut bread pudding, donut French toast, or donut trifle. You do have to get a little inventive, but you can make donuts much more appetizing and tasty.

How Do You Make Leftover Donuts Into Bread Pudding?

If you’ve got leftover donuts, one of the best things that you can turn them into is bread pudding. This is sweet, fluffy, and tasty, and it doesn’t matter if your donuts have already gone a bit stale when you use them – because they are going to be mixed with eggs and milk, plus extra sugar and some cinnamon.

To make this recipe, you’re going to need:

  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

  • 6 cups of stale glazed donuts

  • 2 tablespoons of melted butter

  • 2 cups of milk

  • 4 eggs

  • ½ cup of sugar

  • 1 teaspoon of cinnamon

You should then preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and grease a baking dish with butter or oil. Next, cut your donuts up into chunks and tip them into the dish, and melt the butter to pour over the top of them.

You can then mix the rest of the ingredients together, lightly beating the eggs before you add them to the bowl, and pour them evenly across the donuts. Stir gently so that everything is mixed and combined.

Leave the bowl to sit for 5 minutes so that the donuts can absorb some of the flavor, cover the dish with foil, and then place it in your preheated oven and cook it for around 20 minutes. Take the foil off the dish and then bake for another 25 minutes, checking it is all set before serving.

How Do You Create Donut French Toast?

If the idea of donut French toast appeals more, this is another great option for using up donuts and avoiding waste. You can again use stale donuts for this, rather than fresh ones, because you’ll be adding moisture to them.

You will need:

  • 2 large eggs

  • 1 tablespoon of butter

  • 8 stale donuts

  • 1 teaspoon of cinnamon

  • 2/3 cup of half and half

  • 1 ½ tablespoons of honey

  • 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

  • Maple syrup and powdered sugar to taste for serving the “toast”

To make the donut French toast, start by slicing your donuts in half so that you have 16 pieces. Once you have done this, take out a medium bowl and whisk the cinnamon, honey, eggs, half and half, and vanilla extract. Put a large skillet over a medium heat and melt the butter.

Next, take one donut half and quickly dip it into the mixture. You shouldn’t let it soak the way that you would with traditional French toast, as donuts are more porous and will take the mixture in quickly, so they will get soggy fast. A quick dip should be sufficient.

Do this with each donut half, and then drop a couple into the skillet. Cook them gently for about 3 minutes, and then flip them and cook for a further 3 minutes. When each side is golden brown, lift the donut halves out and set them aside, and drop 2 more halves into the pan.

Keep going until you have cooked all of the slices, and then serve with a swirl of maple syrup and a dash of powdered sugar. Remember that the donuts are already sweet, so you shouldn’t need much powdered sugar to make them taste great!

What’s The Best Way To Make Donut Trifle?

Donut trifle is a third great option, and it incorporates fresh fruit, so it adds a pleasant freshness to the sweet donuts. If you want to do this, you will need:

  • 1 cup of strawberries

  • 1 cup of raspberries

  • 1 quart of milk

  • 2 packets of instant vanilla pudding

  • 6 stale donuts

  • 2 bananas

  • 1 container of frozen whipped topping (thaw before you start)

  • 1 cup of blueberries

You can use other berries if you prefer, but these should taste great, and they go well with the donuts. If you can’t get one of the ingredients, increase the quantities of the others so you keep the fresh flavor.

You should start this recipe by washing your fruit and slicing it, and then setting it aside to dry slightly. Next, get a large bowl and whisk together your vanilla pudding mix and the cold milk. It needs to be completely smooth. When it is, put the bowl aside and allow the pudding around 5 minutes to thicken.

Break the donuts up into small pieces and use half of the pieces to create a layer at the bottom of a trifle bowl. Next, scoop half of the pudding mix onto this and spread it out. Arrange half of your fruit slices on top of the layer of pudding.

Repeat this so that you get another layer of donuts, another layer of pudding, and another layer of fruit. Take the time to nicely arrange the fruit on the top layer, and consider adding a little dusting of powdered sugar. You won’t need much, however, as both the donuts and the pudding mix will lend the dessert plenty of sweetness.

Chill the trifle until you are ready to serve and enjoy it! The sweetness of the donuts should pair beautifully with the tart fruits.

Conclusion

There’s no reason to throw leftover donuts away, even if they have gone past the point where you are prepared to eat them. Instead, you can create some great recipes using them! Even stale donuts don’t have to go to waste if you’re inventive and you take a bit of time to turn them into something else in the kitchen.