Grandma's Donuts

My Grandma has been making these donuts for as long as I remember. I have memories of making shapes out of the dough with my cousin when I was about six.

This recipe is based on a recipe in the Betty Crocker Cookbook (circa 1950's) but modified. I wrote down the recipe at Grandma's, but she told me things and did things a bit differently than the recipe, so I hope I'm getting this right!

2 c lukewarm milk
1/2 c sugar
2 tsp salt
2 cakes compressed yeast (2 oz compressed yeast or 2 pkg dry yeast)
2 eggs
1/2 c shortening or lard
7 - 7 1/2 c sifted flour
1 can cherry pie filling (if making filled donuts)
oil for frying
additional sugar

If making filled donuts, put cherry pie filling in colander to drain. Do not stir. Some liquid is fine.Mix together milk, sugar, and salt. Crumble compressed yeast into mixture. Let sit til yeast is dissolved and foamy. Stir in eggs and shortening. Mix in flour with spoon at first, then by hand. Knead 100 x's by hand (or use mixer with dough hooks).

Put dough in greased bowl, turning to coat dough. Cover with towel. Let rise til doubled. Roll out dough and cut out with donut cutter or cut into 3" circles for filled donuts. (Roll dough about 1/2" to 3/4" thick for regular donuts, 1/4" for filled.) For filled donuts, put 3 cherries in middle of a dough circle, making sure to keep cherries and filling away from edges. Rub a little water around the edges of the dough with your finger. Put another circle on top and pinch edges closed. FOR BOTH TYPES OF DONUTS set donuts on a baking sheet and set aside to let rise til puffy.

Fry donuts in oil at 375-400 degrees. Turn halfway through to fry each side. Let donuts drain and cool on paper bags. Roll in sugar just before eating. (Donuts can be frozen before being rolled in sugar.)