1. Mix the Dry Ingredients

• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg.
• Set aside while preparing the wet ingredients.

2. Cream Butter and Sugar

• In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
• Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

3. Add Buttermilk and Vanilla

• Stir in the buttermilk and vanilla extract until combined.
• The mixture may look slightly curdled — that’s normal.

4. Combine Wet and Dry

• Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring just until a soft dough forms.
• Avoid overmixing to keep the doughnuts tender.

5. Chill the Dough

• Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• Chilling helps firm the dough and makes shaping easier.

6. Roll and Cut

• Lightly flour a surface and roll the dough out to about 1/2-inch thickness.
• Use a doughnut cutter or two round cutters (one large, one small) to cut out doughnuts and holes.

7. Heat the Oil

• Heat oil in a deep fryer or heavy-bottomed pot to 350°F (175°C).
• Test with a thermometer to maintain even temperature.

8. Fry the Doughnuts

• Fry 2–3 doughnuts at a time, 1–2 minutes per side until golden brown and puffed.
• Fry doughnut holes for about 1 minute, turning halfway through.

9. Drain and Cool

• Transfer fried doughnuts to a paper towel-lined rack to drain excess oil.
• Allow to cool slightly before glazing or coating.

10. Glaze or Sugar-Coat

• For glaze: whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Dip warm doughnuts and let set on a rack.
• For sugar coating: roll warm doughnuts in granulated sugar or cinnamon sugar.