It’s a Sunday morning on Martha’s Vineyard, so to increase our Island’s esteem in the world the Thirsty Test Kitchen crew has decided to embark on a project that will move the cause of humanity forward.

Careful readers of this space will recall the last time this idea struck, we made bacon chocolate bourbon shots. Enough said.

To stick with the theme, and also because Back Door Donuts doesn’t open for hours, let’s make bourbon chocolate donuts!

Steve Myrick

No, wait. Why be normal. Let’s make DOUBLE bourbon chocolate donuts!

Okay, first take the chocolate donut mix and the weird but quite handy donut baking pan off the table, where it has been since one of the Thirsty Test Kitchen minions gave it to us for a thoughtful and unique Christmas gift.

Simply follow the directions on the box. Except where it says to add a half cup of water, replace two tablespoons of that volume with fine bourbon. If you don’t have donut mix, we’re pretty sure any chocolate cake mix would work. In fact, we’re pretty sure donut mix is just cake mix with a different label on the box.

The hardest part of this project, and the part that makes it worthy of such a grand humanitarian gesture, is pouring the thick batter into the donut molds without getting it on the little part of the pan that sticks up and quite ingeniously makes the donut hole.

Pop those babies into a 375 degree oven for six minutes and we’re halfway to double chocolate bourbon donuts.

Now it is time to make a salt caramel bourbon glaze. That’s the double part.

Put a cup of sugar in a heavy saucepan and add four tablespoons of bourbon. Cook over medium-high heat for about five minutes, swirling the pan until the glaze gets a deep amber color, then remove from the heat.

Next, whisk in four tablespoons of heavy whipping cream. This will spatter and pop, so be careful and try to remain calm. Whisk until smooth, then let cool. Throw in a big pinch of kosher salt, give it a quick stir, and the glaze is done.

Now put your wire rack with the thoroughly cooled donuts in the sink because this is the messy part. Drizzle the glaze over the donuts. Try to get more on the donuts than on the rack and in the sink. This is also a hard part.

Fortunately, the hard parts are over. Now the easy part. Eat them. They are excellent. Pass some out to your friends and let them marvel at your boozy baking.

Finally, a general rule of thumb when cooking with booze. A light hand is better than a heavy pour when cooking with your favorite libation. We’re trying to impart flavor here, not get taken into protective custody. Remember, more bourbon is not always a good idea.

This is a good lesson for donuts and humanity.