The Parchment Paper Trick For Preventing Oil Splatter While Frying Donuts

There are so many benefits to making the most delicious donuts at home. For those of us who don't get up at 5 a.m., it offers us the chance to have doughnuts fresh from the fryer. Plus, you can customize it any way you want, including making flavors that bakeries don't typically make. But the awkward and potentially dangerous move from countertop to frying hot oil is enough to put even the most seasoned bakers off it, especially if you're cooking around kids.

But there's a way to load those sweet and yeasty treats into the frying oil that avoids splatter and decreases cleanup. The trick is to put your freshly stamped donuts onto small squares of parchment paper. When they're ready to go into the fry oil, you can pick up the donut using the parchment, then gently set the pastry, parchment and all, into the oil, using the tongs to fish out the parchment paper after you flip them. The parchment paper comes off effortlessly, allowing you to cook and enjoy homemade donuts with minimal fuss.

You can buy small parchment squares or cut them yourself. Whichever option you choose, make sure there's at least an inch of grabable paper at the sides or corners to help you move the donuts securely and easily. Cut them larger than you think you need to. The yeast means they'll probably be a bit bigger than the cutter you plan to use, so go at least 2 inches larger than that.

Don't be nervous about putting the parchment in oil. Most parchment paper is heat-safe up to temperatures (450 degrees Fahrenheit) much higher than you cook the average donut (375 to 380 degrees Fahrenheit). Cooking them too hot is one of the biggest donut mistakes you can make and leads to donuts that are overdone on the outside and raw on the inside.

That said, one important tip for making the best donuts is to always monitor them while frying, especially if there are little ones in the vicinity. And have a nonflammable (non-meltable) receptacle ready to place the oily parchment squares onto. That helps you keep the area clean and keeps the paper away from any open fires. Heatproof and nonflammable are two separate qualities. This trick helps keep your area clean and reduces the risk of splatter or injury, however, the risk of setting the kitchen on fire is always something to be aware of.