Farmer’s doughnuts like grandma used to make: your original Salzburg recipe
Imagine you are sitting in a sunny mountain hut in SalzburgerLand. In front of you is a plate of golden-brown, fluffy farmer’s doughnuts with a bright red blob of cranberry jam in the middle and a sprinkling of powdered sugar on top. The aroma of fresh pastries and the anticipation of the first bite – a real taste of home! ☀️
That’s exactly the feeling we’re bringing into your kitchen today. Forget complicated recipes and dry attempts. With this traditional recipe and a little secret that our grandmothers already knew, you can make the best Bauernkrapfen – crispy on the outside, soft and airy on the inside and simply irresistible.
A piece of Salzburg history to bite into
Bauernkrapfen, also known as “Kiachl” or “Ausgezogene” in some areas, is more than just a pastry. It is a symbol of hospitality, festivities and traditional Alpine cuisine. In the past, it was a festive dish that was served on church days or after a hard day’s work. The special thing about it: every farm and every mountain pasture had its own recipe, refined over generations.
“Stretching” the dough, i.e. shaping the doughnuts with your fingers to create the typical thick edge and thin center, is an art in itself. But don’t worry, with a little practice you’ll quickly become a doughnut master!
The secret lies in the flour – freshly ground tastes best!
So what’s the secret to the perfect, fluffy batter? It’s good eggs, honest butter and a pinch of love, of course. But the most important ingredient, which is often underestimated, is flour. For our Bauernkrapfen, we need a fine, smooth wheat flour (type 480 in Austria), which gives the dough a silky texture.
And here comes the crucial tip that makes all the difference: freshly ground flour. If you grind wheat grains directly before baking, they develop an incomparable aroma and still contain all the valuable nutrients of the whole grain. This not only makes the dough tastier, but also noticeably more lively and elastic. It is precisely this philosophy of appreciation for natural ingredients that we live by at the Salzburg Grain Mill. With a grain mill at home, you have the freshness and quality of your flour in your own hands – a difference you can taste and feel.
Your recipe for authentic Salzburg farmer’s doughnuts
This recipe is designed for approx. 12-15 pieces and is easy to prepare.
Ingredients:
- 500 g wheat flour (ideal: type 480, preferably freshly ground)
- 250 ml lukewarm milk
- 1/2 cube of fresh yeast (approx. 21 g) or 1 packet of dry yeast
- 60 g soft butter
- 50 g sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 whole egg
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest (untreated)
- 2 tbsp rum (optional, prevents fat from being absorbed)
- Approx. 1 liter of vegetable oil or clarified butter for frying
- Powdered sugar for sprinkling
- Cranberry jam (“Granggn”) or apricot jam for filling
Instructions:
- Prepare the pre-dough (“Dampfl”): Crumble the yeast into the lukewarm milk, add a spoonful of sugar and stir until smooth. Sprinkle a little flour over it, cover and leave to rise in a warm place for about 15 minutes until bubbles form.
- Prepare the dough: Place the remaining flour in a large bowl. Add the sugar, egg yolk, whole egg, soft butter, salt, lemon zest, rum and the prepared steam. Mix everything with the dough hook of the food processor or vigorously with a wooden spoon to form a smooth, supple dough. The dough should bubble and pull away from the sides of the bowl.
- Leave to rest: Cover the dough and leave it to rise in a warm place for approx. 45-60 minutes until it has doubled in volume.
- Shape the doughnuts: Knead the dough briefly on a floured work surface and divide into equal pieces. Roll each piece into a smooth ball and place on a floured cloth. Cover again and leave to rise for approx. 20 minutes.
- “Stripping”: Heat the fat in a wide pan or pot to approx. 160-170°C (it is hot enough when bubbles rise from a wooden stick). Now carefully stretch the dough balls with floured fingers from the center out into a thin disc, leaving a thicker edge.
- Bake: Place the doughnuts upside down in the hot fat. They should be able to float in it. First cover and bake until golden brown (approx. 2-3 minutes), then turn and finish baking without the lid.
- Serve: Remove the finished Bauernkrapfen from the fat with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Sprinkle with powdered sugar while still warm and put a dollop of jam in the hollow.
Sweet or savory – you decide!
Traditionally, sweet farmer’s doughnuts are eaten with coffee. But did you know that they are also delicious savory? Leave out the sugar and serve the doughnuts fresh from the pan with warm sauerkraut. A hearty treat that will delight you!
We wish you lots of fun baking and enjoying! Bring a piece of Salzburg tradition into your kitchen and discover the difference that freshly ground flour can make. Tell us how your Bauernkrapfen turned out in the comments!
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