Whether you’ve tried it or not, there’s no denying that “maple bacon” sounds like a strange combination of flavors. Salty, fatty bacon combined with sweet, rich maple? Who would ever want that? The answer is you. At least, it will be once you try these delicious maple bacon donuts, the perfect breakfast with a flavor you’ll dream about for days to come.

Before I give the instructions, though, let me warn you that this recipe is a daunting task to take on. You’ll need to start this recipe the afternoon before you want the donuts so that the dough has time to rise. I recommend you start at 5 p.m. the previous day to enjoy them the next morning.

INGREDIENTS:

For the donut dough:

• Dry Mixture
  • 850 grams all-purpose flour
  • 14 grams kosher salt
  • 57 grams honey
  • 1 packet (2 ¼ tsp) active dry yeast
  • 142 grams unsalted butter, cut into squares
• Wet Mixture
  • 2 eggs
  • 454 grams lukewarm whole milk
  • 57 grams honey
  • 28 grams vegetable oil
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla

For the icing:

• 120 grams room temperature butter
• 200 grams maple syrup
• 224 grams powdered sugar

For the maple brown sugar bacon:

• 16 oz bacon strips
• 112 grams brown sugar
• Maple syrup, to drizzle

STEPS:

1. For the donut dough:
   1. Mix the dry ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk. In a separate bowl or measuring glass, mix your wet ingredients together.
   2. With the stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, pour your wet mixture in gradually while slowly increasing the speed. Continue kneading at a medium-high speed until your dough is supple. It will still be somewhat sticky, but that’s alright.
   3. Turn the dough onto a clean, floured counter and knead by hand, adding more flour to the counter and your hands as necessary. Let the dough rise for an hour or two until doubled in size, then return to an oiled bowl in the fridge for an overnight rise.
2. For the maple icing:
   1. Combine all of your ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk until smooth. Store at room temperature covered in plastic wrap.
3. For the maple brown sugar bacon:
   1. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, then place a wire rack on top. Spray this rack with nonstick spray to prevent the bacon from sticking and making a mess. Lay your bacon out on the wire rack and drizzle with maple syrup, using a silicone brush to spread it around. Turn the slices over and drizzle again, then sprinkle half of your brown sugar on top of the slices before spreading with the silicone brush. Finally, flip them one last time, lay out the brown sugar and spread again.
   2. Put the pan in a room-temperature oven and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, then continue to add time in 5 minute increments until your bacon is fully cooked.
   3. Transfer the bacon immediately with tongs to a tray or plate lined with wax paper to avoid sticking and let it cool. Once it’s done, chop it up on a cutting board into fine pieces and store in a tupperware container.
4. For the donut frying, the next day:
   1. Fill a large, heavy pot 3” full with a neutral oil, such as canola or peanut oil. Place on medium-high heat and let it heat to 325 degrees while you make your donuts, checking the temperature with a thermometer frequently.
   2. Next to your frying pot, set up a baking sheet with a wire rack on top. This is where your hot donuts will cool down.
   3. Remove your donut dough from the fridge and dump it onto a clean, floured counter. Roll it out to about ½ inch thickness and use any circular, donut-shaped cutter to cut them out. I use a mason jar lid and a piping tip.
   4. Once your donuts are cut out, transfer them to individual 4” squares of parchment paper and allow to rise until puffy, about 20 minutes.
   5. If you have extra dough scraps, you can ball them up and roll them back out again to make more donuts. If it’s difficult to roll out, let the dough rest for 20 minutes in order for  the gluten to relax. For the donut holes, you can either fry them or continue to make more donuts with them.
   6. Once your donuts are done rising, fry them 3-5 at a time in the hot oil for about a  minute on each side, or until golden brown. Be careful, because the hot oil tends to pop up and splash without warning. If you’re new to frying, I would recommend long utensils and oven mitts. Place your finished donuts on the wire rack and allow to cool.
5. To decorate:
   1. Dip the tops of your warm/cool donuts in the maple icing, then place bacon bits on top. Enjoy them while they’re still warm, but don’t forget to take pictures to document your victory over this challenging (but worth it) recipe!