Mini Baked Donuts

I have a long and sordid history with yeast.  I have more bread failures than successes.  Due to my impatient nature, lack of confidence, or years of past experience with things failing to rise; I am afraid yeast.  Therefore, it was quite the conundrum when I found this recipe for mini donuts.  I love donuts.  I have been looking for a baked donut recipe for years, but when I finally find one I was dismayed that it requires one of my most feared ingredients.  Needless to say this time it worked.  This time...      

Mini Baked Donuts (makes about 48)

1/2 cup plus 3 Tbs warm (95 to 105F) milk, divided

1 and 1/4 tsp active dry yeast

1/3 cup sugar

1 Tbs butter, softened

2 and 1/2 cup flour

1 egg

1/2 tsp salt

melted butter, cinnamon or powdered sugar for coating

(I don't know why the powdered sugar is on the counter.  I think my original plan was to coat them in powdered sugar, but I went with cinnamon instead.)

Stir 3 Tbs warm milk with yeast in a large bowl until blended.  Let stand 5 min.  

Add sugar, butter, and remaining 1/2 cup milk.  Mix well.  

Add flour, egg, and salt.  

Beat with dough hook at low speed until the dough starts to climb up the dough hook.  

Knead dough on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic.  

Transfer dough to greased medium bowl, turn dough over to grease the top.  Cover and let stand in warm place for 1 hour.  Spray 48 mini muffin cups with cooking spray.  Punch down dough.  Shape into 1 inch balls and place in prepared mini muffin tin.  Cover and let rise for 1 hour.  

Preheat oven to 375F.  Bake 10 - 12 min until light golden brown.  Remove to cool on wire racks.

They are pretty tasty plain, but I like sugar, so I decided to add cover them in cinnamon and sugar.  You could also add powdered sugar.

Drizzle the donuts with melted butter first so the cinnamon sticks better.  I used the shake and bake technique.

Plain or Cinnamon.  Both are tasty.

Enjoy.