This Mole Membrillo Donuts recipe is sponsored by DOÑA MARÍA Mole®. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make this blog possible! 

Donut cravings. Do you get them?

When When the makers of DOÑA MARÍA Mole® asked me to come up with a recipe for their #AwakenYourSenses campaign the first thing that came to mind was donuts. I mean is there anything more seductive? The mouthwatering smell of the dough frying, the rich crumb of the warm cake on the first bite, and who can resist the site of those craggy, cinnamon-sugar crusted circles stacked high on a plate?

mole desserts…yes we can!

I hope you haven’t all deserted me for suggesting we add mole to our donuts. It’s not as crazy as it seems.  Mole sauce is for way more than chicken or tamales. DOÑA MARÍA® Original mole paste is sweet and spicy with notes of chocolate, warm spices like cinnamon, peanuts, and of course chili peppers, which add a subtle hint of spice to these donuts.

let’s make mole membrillo donuts

First things first, the one ingredient we haven’t talked about yet is membrillo. Membrillo is a thick, sweet, paste usually formed into a sliceable rectangle, made from quince. It is fruity and floral with a citrusy thing going on too. It acts as the sweetener in our donuts and plays beautifully off the dark mole.

The dough is pretty simple to mix together. You start by dissolving the mole paste in boiling water. Stir together your dry ingredients, then the beat the membrillo (which will be very gelatinous and sticky) with the oil and egg in a mixer. Add the flour and mole sauce and mix until just combined. You don’t want to mix too much or the donuts will turn out too tough.

In a method I learned from Deb, you scrape the dough onto a floured baking sheet and simply press down to 1/2-inch thick piece of dough. Freeze for a bit and then cut into shapes. Fry and toss the still warm mole membrillo donuts in cinnamon-sugar.

a special gift from Doña Maria

Doña Maria sent me this gorgeous box filled with all the things to awaken my senses in the kitchen and I wanted to share it with you. The apron and wooden spoon are two things I can never have too many of—obvious essentials for making things happen in the kitchen. And three of their pastes: mole verde, adobo, and original mole paste (with recipes!!!) which I use all the time for everything from Cheater’s Pozole to Adobo Lime Butter. My favorite gift, however, was the DOÑA MARÍA® bluetooth speaker! I never, like ever, cook without listening to music. My favorites right now are Drake, Anderson Paak, and Childish Gambino. What are you listening to?

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Mole Membrillo Donuts

Yield: 12 donuts

Prep Time: 40 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Homemade donuts are an enormous treat and these are extra special made with spiced mole and quince paste, also known as membrillo. 

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Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons DOÑA MARÍA® Original Mole Paste
• 1 cup water
• 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil (plus 6 more cups for frying)
• 16 ounces membrillo ((quince paste))
• 2 large eggs

Topping

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

Instructions

1. Combine mole paste and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, whisking until dissolved. Remove from heat. 
2. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. 
3. Combine vegetable oil, membrillo, and eggs in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat until smooth, about 3 minutes,  stopping to scrape down the sides. 
4. Add mole sauce and mix until combined. Then add flour mixture and beat until incorporated. Dough will be very sticky. 
5. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and generously sprinkle both with flour. Scrape dough onto one baking sheet, sprinkle with flour, and press until it's about 1/2-inch thick. Place in freezer until firm, about 20 minutes. 
6. Meanwhile, combine sugar and cinnamon for the topping. 
7. Cut dough into donuts using either a 3-inch donut cutter or a 3-inch biscuit cutter and a 1-inch biscuit cutter for the middle (aka donut holes). Place donuts (and holes) on the second baking sheet. It should make a dozen donuts on the first cutting. You can re-roll the scraps for more donuts. Place in fridge to rest another 20 minutes. 
8. Heat 6 cups of vegetable oil over medium-high heat until oil reaches 350°F on a deep-fry thermometer. Carefully place a few donuts at a time into the hot oil—don't overcrowd. Monitor the oil's temperature adjusting it up or down to maintain the 350°F. Fry for 2 minutes per side and then transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet. 
9. Let cool for about 30 seconds then toss in cinnamon-sugar. Repeat with remaining donuts and donut holes. 

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