Spiced Squash Doughnuts

Ingredients

• 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups sugar, divided
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup squash puree
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 quarts canola oil, for frying

Directions

1. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice in a large bowl. In another large bowl with a handheld electric mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the eggs with the brown sugar and 1 cup sugar until the mixture is combined and lightly foamy. Mix in the buttermilk, melted butter, vanilla, and squash puree until smooth. Add the flour mixture a little at a time, stirring only until it disappears into the dough. Set out 2 large sheets of plastic wrap and mist them with canola oil. Split the dough into 2 balls, wrap each one, and press them into discs. Chill the wrapped discs for a minimum of 2 hours, or leave them in the refrigerator overnight.
2. Dust your work area very generously with flour. Unwrap 1 disc and place the dough on the flour, turning it so the outside gets coated; add more flour over the top to make it less sticky. This dough really does cling, so use enough flour to make it manageable. With a gentle hand, press the dough until it is about 1/2-inch thick. Flour a 3-inch doughnut cutter, cut out the doughnuts, and move them to a thoroughly floured sheet of parchment paper. Gather the scraps, roll the dough again, and continue cutting until all of it has been used.
3. Pour oil into a Dutch oven or deep fryer until it is 2 inches deep. Warm it over medium high heat to 360 degrees F. Use a shallow heat resistant strainer to lower the doughnuts into the oil, then fry them until both sides are a deep golden color, about 2 minutes per side; watch the color, since the oil temperature can change as you go. Turn the doughnuts with wooden chopsticks. Do not crowd the pan; 2 to 3 doughnuts at a time is the limit. As soon as they are done, lift them out with tongs or a heat resistant strainer. Transfer them to baking racks lined with paper towels to cool.
4. When the doughnuts have cooled slightly, place them in a paper bag with the remaining sugar and cinnamon and toss to coat. Serve right away. These have the best texture the day they are cooked, but any extras can go into an airtight container for 1 day.