• Ready to bring this delicious donut to life? Let’s dive into the process!

Step 1: Prepare the Dough

• In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Give it a gentle mix. In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, melted butter, egg, cherry juice, and extracts. Then, slowly combine your wet and dry ingredients.

Step 2: Fold in the Cherries

• Gently fold in the chopped maraschino cherries into your dough mixture. This is where the magic happens! Each bite will be studded with sweet, juicy cherries.

Step 3: Heat the Oil

• In a deep pot, heat about two inches of vegetable oil to around 350°F. You want it hot enough for frying but not so hot that it starts smoking. A deep-frying thermometer can be handy here.

Step 4: Fry the Donuts

• Using a spoon or your hands, drop spoonfuls of the dough into the hot oil. Fry them for about 2-3 minutes until golden brown on each side. Keep an eye on them; they tend to puff up quickly!

Step 5: Drain and Cool

• Once golden, remove the donuts and place them on paper towels to drain excess oil. Allow them to cool slightly before icing.

Step 6: Make the Glaze

• In a separate bowl, whisk the powdered sugar with the cherry juice and bourbon until it reaches a smooth consistency. If it’s too thick, add a bit more cherry juice.

Step 7: Glaze the Donuts

• Once the donuts cool down, dip or drizzle the glaze over each donut. Add cherry chunks on top for decoration if you have any left over.