Previous | Next

A Doughnut Cutter is a special hand-held and operated cutting tool that cuts out a circle, and then a small circle at the centre of that circle.

To use, you you roll out the doughnut dough first, then press the cutter into the dough, and twist the cutter to cut out the shape.

You can get doughnut cutters that will make heart-shaped holes.

Commercially, machines push doughnut batter out in rings of batter straight into the hot oil.

Cooking Tips
Most recipes will advise to flour the cutter between each cut.

Substitutes
One large biscuit cutter (or glass) to cut out the doughnut plus one small biscuit cutter (or glass) to cut out the centre.

History
Most sources report that doughnut cutters were invented by a John F. Blondell of Thomaston, Maine in 1872. In fact, he received American patent 128,783 (on 9 July 1872) for an "Improvement in Doughnut Cutters":

"My invention has for its object to furnish an improved device for removing the dough from the cutter-tube automatically... A represents the cutter for cutting dougnuts and other cakes.

B is a tube which serves as a handle in using the cutter, and which passes through and is secured to the center of the top of said cutter, and which is designed to cut a hole through the center of the doughnut or cake. In the middle part of the tube B is placed a coiled spring, C, to the outer end of which is attached a plunger, D.

By this construction, when the cutter is forced through the dough, the follower D is forced inward, compressing the spring C. As the cutter is raised from the dough, the spring C pushes the dough out of the center tube B, leaving said center tube free for making another cut...."

The drawing appears to depict the device made of wood.

His patent, however, makes no mention of restricting the construction to any particular medium.

See Also:

Doughnuts

Other entries for: Cooking Tools

Alambic Stills, Apple Corer, Avocado Slicers, Baking Mats, Baking Stones, Batterie de Cuisine, Biscuit Brake, Blowtorches, Branding Iron, Bread Bins, Bread Machines, Bulb Baster, Butter Bell, Butter Muslin, Caja China, Can Openers, Canning Funnels, Cans, Chopsticks, Contact Paper, Cookware, Cooling Racks, Corkscrews, CorningWare, Cuppitiello, Dishwashers, Doughnut Cutters, Egg Cups, Esky, Fat Separators, Firkins, Flour Dredgers, Flour Duster, Food Pushers, Funnels, Girdle, Graters, Griddles, Heat Diffuser, Ice Pick, Icing Syringe, Kitchen String, Kitchen Tongs, Kneading Gloves, Knives, Measuring Cups, Melon Baller, Mesquite, Milk Cellar, Non-Electrical Rotisseries, Olive Pitter, Oshibori, Oxo Good Grips, Paraffin, Pastry Brush, Pastry Frame, Pea Sheller, Petites Marmites, Pie Plates, Pie Racks, Pizzelle Iron, Proof Box, Ramekins, Rolling Cookie Cutters, Rolling Pins, Salad Spinner, Salamanders, Scales, Spatulas, Steamers, Sugar Cutters, Sushi-oke, Tassie Cups, Tea Trappings, Thermometers, Tortilla Warmers, Treen, Tupperware, Uchiwa, Waffle Iron, Whisks