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Crispy Fluffy Doughnuts (Smultringer)

These crispy fluffy doughnuts are classic Norwegian old-fashioned donuts called smultringer. They are super fluffy with a very distinct taste of cardamom and that crispy exterior is everything! If you just want to try one new recipe for Christmas, these should be it - you will not be sorry.

 

Crispy Fluffy Doughnuts

 

In the last blog post about Orange Hot Chocolate, I promised you a recipe to doughnuts to accompany the hot chocolate. And I really mean it, these doughnuts go perfectly with hot chocolate! Dip it in the hot chocolate or drink separately, I love to do both.

 

Orange Hot Chocolate

 

These doughnuts are not the traditional doughnut Americans are used to. They have larger, more of a cake consistency and usually with some sort of glazing. This is different. Crispy fluffy doughnuts with the smell of cardamom and Hartshorn. They are smaller and is more of a tea or coffee cookie. In Norway we call them smultringer.

 

When they are fresh out of the deep fryer, the consistency is just out. of. this. world. YUM. But when they have cooled, they taste even better. They aren't as crispy, but super tasty. So be sure to eat it at both times. But anyway, no trustworthy person can leave delicious newly fried doughnuts on the cooling rack without at least trying one (or four).

 

Crispy Fluffy Doughnuts

 

Crispy Fluffy Doughnuts

 

Crispy Fluffy Doughnuts are in Norway often used as Christmas treats, or at least related to Christmas. We eat it all year, but especially during Christmas. It's something about that comforting fried doughnut that just screams for hot chocolate and cold winter days, you know.

 

Crispy Fluffy Doughnuts

 

As I mentioned in my Tiramisu Cake with White Chocolate Mousse, beaten sugar and eggs are called eggedosis. I haven't found a satisfying English translation to this yet, maybe I should make my own word. Anyway, beat sugar and eggs into a white and fluffy consistency - the eggedosis.

 

Whip heavy cream until stiff peaks and mix in sour cream. Fold it into the eggedosis. Fold in the dry ingredients. Mix gently, quit just when the flour is properly incorporated. The dough will be ridiculously sticky, but that makes for better doughnuts in the end.

 

Crispy Fluffy Doughnuts

 

And that is also why we let the dough sit in a cold place overnight. To make it manageable when we are rolling them. Remember to cover it.

 

The next day, melt 1,5 kg (3 lb) of lard (Norwegian Flott matfett) or any substitute you deem fit, into a Dutch oven (Norwegian: jerngryte). I also use cure coconut fat (delfiafett). Don't melt more than 1 kg (2 lb) at the time, if your Dutch oven isn't very large that is. Be sure to have the cover nearby, and stay away from water as it reacts violently to the fat. When the lard is simmering around a wooden spoon, the lard is hot enough. This is about 170-180C (338-356F).

 

Divide the dough into smaller pieces and roll out one at a time. Leave the other pieces in a cold place. Roll out with a rolling pin, until it is around 1 cm (¼ inch) thick. Using a doughnut cookie cutter dipped in flour, cut the dough.

 

Crispy Fluffy Doughnuts

 

Fry 4-5 doughnuts at the time, to avoid cooling the lard too much. They will first sink to the bottom, and then rise. You want them to be dark, but not overly so, remember they will continue to darken a bit after they have gone to the cooling rack. Pick them up using the backside of a wooden spoon.

 

Place them on a cooling rack with paper towels. You could also roll them in cinnamon sugar before they cool if you want, but I don't feel that it's necessary.

 

Eat some when they are fresh out of the Dutch oven, and cool the rest. Place in plastic bags or airtight containers and they can be freezed. But needless to say, we ate them all fresh.

 

Crispy Fluffy Doughnuts

 

I urge you to try this recipe, these crispy fluffy doughnuts are in my opinion so much better than the regular doughnut! Sit back, relax and take the Christmas holiday in while sipping on orange hot chocolate and nibble on these delicious crispy fluffy doughnuts.

 

Merry Christmas!

 

And definitely best when paired with hot chocolate:

 

Other Christmas treats:

 

Please tell me what you thought of this recipe. Either in the comment section below or tag me @thegingerwithspice on Instagram. And don't forget to Pin it for later!

 

 

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📖 Recipe

Crispy Fluffy Doughnuts

Crispy Fluffy Doughnuts (Smultringer)

Yield: 50 doughnuts
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Inactive Time: 8 hours
Total Time: 9 hours 15 minutes

Crispy and fluffy doughnuts that are both delicious right out of the Dutch oven, and when they have cooled and the taste has properly developed. Perfect pair with a hot chocolate!

Ingredients

  • 3 large eggs
  • 275g sugar, 1 ⅓ cup
  • 150 ml heavy cream, 5 oz
  • 300g sour cream 35 % fat, 10 oz (Norwegian: seterrømme)
  • 700g all-purpose flour, 5 ½ cups
  • 2 teaspoon cardamom
  • 1 ½ teaspoon hartshorn (baker's ammonia)*
  • 1 ½ kg lard or coconut fat, 3 lb (Norwegian: Flott matfett)

Instructions

  1. Beat sugar and eggs into a white, thick and fluffy consistency, about 10 minutes. Whip heavy cream until stiff peaks and fold in sour cream. The fold the cream mixture into the whipped sugar-eggs.
  2. In a small bowl, mix the dry ingredients together: flour, cardamom and hartshorn. Fold the dry ingredients carefully into the egg-cream mixture, just until incorporated. The dough will be sticky, but that makes for better doughnuts in the end. 
  3. To make them more manageable to handle, place them in a cold place overnight. Cover it both with flour and with a towel to avoid a crust forming.
  4. The next day, melt 1 ½ kg (3 lb) of lard or any substitute you deem fit, into a Dutch oven (Norwegian: jerngryte). Don't melt more than 1 kg (2 lb) at the time, if your Dutch oven isn't very large that is. Be sure to have the cover nearby, and stay away from water as it reacts violently to the fat. When the lard is simmering around a wooden spoon, the lard is hot enough. This is about 170-180C (338-356F). 
  5. Divide the dough into smaller pieces and roll out one at a time. Leave the other pieces in a cold place. Roll out with a rolling pin, until it is around 1 cm (¼ inch) thick. Using a doughnut cookie cutter dipped in flour, cut the dough.
  6. Fry 4-5 doughnuts at the time, to avoid cooling the lard too much. They will first sink to the bottom, and then rise. You want them to be dark, but not overly so, remember they will continue to darken a bit after they have gone to the cooling rack. Pick them up using the backside of a wooden spoon. Place them on a cooling rack covered with paper towels or parchment paper. You could also roll them in cinnamon sugar before they cool if you want, but then I prefer to make apple cider donuts!
  7. Eat some when they are fresh out of the Dutch oven, and cool the rest. Place in plastic bags or airtight containers and they can be freezed.

Notes

* I highly recommend finding hartshorn for this recipe. It is a leavening agent common in traditional Scandinavian baking. Baker’s ammonia produce a lighter, crunchier crumb, because when the tiny crystals decompose in the heat of the oven, they leave minuscule air cells from which moisture easily escapes. However, if you can't find it, you can use 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder and ½ teaspoon baking soda.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 50 Serving Size: 1 donut
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 146Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 3.6gCholesterol: 23mgSodium: 10mgCarbohydrates: 16.6gFiber: 0.4gSugar: 5.6gProtein: 2.1g

Did you make this recipe?

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