Bring the flavors of fall into your own kitchen with this amazingly easy Apple Cider Donut recipe that can be baked or fried, depending on your personal preference.
For the Donuts, You’ll Need:
1 cup apple cider
1 cup granulated sugar
3 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 tablespoons room temperature butter
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk (or add 1 Tbs Vinegar to 1/2 cup measuring cup & fill remaining space with milk, wait 10 minutes before using )
For the Cider glaze:
1 cup Apple Cider (reduced!)
1/2 cup Confectioners Sugar (aka powdered sugar)
Or for a maple syrup glaze:
1 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
Directions:
In a small saucepan over med-high heat, add the apple cider, bringing it to a boil. Let it boil for approximately 11 minutes uncovered, until it is reduced to 1/4 cup. Set aside to cool.
In a medium bowl beat the sugar and butter together until smooth. Add eggs, one a time, beating well, Set aside. Add the buttermilk and reduced (cooled) cider.
In another medium bowl mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg together until well combined.
Add the flour mixture to the liquid mixture and mix only until the ingredients are incorporated, do not overmix or the donuts will be “tough”.
If Baking, Preheat the oven to 400F
Spoon the soft dough into Donut Pans that have been sprayed lightly with olive oil. Bake for 9 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in the pan 2 minutes before removing them, glaze as desired or dip them in cinnamon/sugar mix.
To Fry:
Lightly flour a clean counter-top, transfer the dough to the counter, lightly flour the top of the dough.
Roll the dough until it is about 1/2 inch thick. Alternatively, you can roll the dough out on parchment paper or a silpat to make it easier to pick the soft dough donuts up after! Cut with donut cutter.
Place the cut donuts on a tray and refrigerate them for 15-20 minutes to make them a little easier to handle.
In a deep pan add about 3″ of canola oil and heat it to 350F
Place up to 3 donuts in the pan at once, Fry the donuts for about 1 minute per side, flipping once. Remove from hot oil, drain on paper towels. Glaze or dip in sugar.
Apple Cider Glaze Directions:
Reduce the apple cider as directed above, whisk in confectioners sugar until well blended. Set aside until needed.
Estimated calories per doughnut: 200 calories
Other Notes: If you really don’t want to boil your apple cider, you can purchase boiled apple cider (for various recipes).
This is going to be on my menu for next week for sure!!!!