Description
Delicious homemade apple cider donuts with a crispy exterior and a soft, flavorful interior infused with warm spices. These donuts are boiled down apple cider reduced to a syrup, combined with classic baking ingredients, then deep-fried and coated in cinnamon sugar for a perfect treat that captures the essence of fall.
Ingredients
Scale
Apple Cider Reduction
- 2 1/2 cups apple cider or unfiltered apple juice
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
Dry Ingredients
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
- 2 or 4 teaspoons baking powder (2 teaspoons if frying immediately, 4 teaspoons if chilling dough overnight)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, preferably freshly grated
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/3 cup cold buttermilk or kefir
- 2 cold large eggs
Coating and Frying
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 quarts vegetable, canola, or peanut oil, for deep frying (enough for at least 1 1/2 inches depth)
Instructions
- Reduce the Apple Cider: Bring 2 1/2 cups apple cider to a boil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Boil until reduced to 1/3 cup and syrupy, about 10 minutes. If reduced too much, add water to get back to 1/3 cup. Meanwhile, cut 6 tablespoons unsalted butter into 6 pieces for easier melting.
- Combine Butter and Sugar with Cider: Remove the pan from heat, add butter pieces and whisk until melted and combined. Then add 1/2 cup packed brown sugar and whisk until melted. Scrape this warm mixture into a medium bowl.
- Add Wet Ingredients: To the bowl with cider mixture, add 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce, 1/3 cup cold buttermilk or kefir, and 2 cold large eggs. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and uniform.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 2 teaspoons baking powder (or 4 teaspoons for overnight chill), 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg until evenly combined.
- Form Dough: Pour the cider mixture into the dry ingredients and gently stir with a rubber spatula until a sticky dough forms. Be careful not to overmix, as this can toughen the donuts.
- Chill Dough: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour, or overnight if you used 4 teaspoons baking powder. Meanwhile, combine the remaining 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon with 1 cup granulated sugar in a wide shallow bowl or pie plate for the coating.
- Prepare for Frying: Fill a Dutch oven or large heavy-bottomed pot with 2 quarts vegetable oil, at least 1 1/2 inches deep, clip on a deep-fry thermometer, and heat the oil over medium-high heat to 350ºF (177ºC). Set a wire rack on a baking sheet nearby. Lightly flour a second baking sheet for placing cut donuts.
- Roll out Dough: Generously flour a clean work surface. Transfer chilled dough to the surface — it will be sticky and uneven. Dust the dough and your rolling pin with flour. Roll the dough out to 1/2-inch thickness, aiming for about a 12-inch diameter round.
- Cut Donuts: Use a floured doughnut cutter or two round cutters (about 3-inch outer and 1-inch inner diameters) to cut out donuts and holes. Twist cutters as needed to get clean cuts despite stickiness. Transfer donuts and holes to the floured baking sheet. Gather scraps, re-roll, and repeat cutting to make at least 12 donuts and 12 holes. Refrigerate if oil is not hot yet.
- Fry Donuts: Fry donuts in batches of 4. Gently place donuts into hot oil and fry, flipping once, until puffed and golden brown, about 1 minute per side. Maintain oil temperature at 350ºF. Use tongs or chopsticks to remove donuts, letting excess oil drip over the pot, then transfer to wire rack.
- Coat Donuts: Immediately toss each hot donut in the cinnamon sugar mixture, coating all sides well. Place back on wire rack to cool. Repeat frying and coating with remaining donuts and donut holes, adjusting heat to keep oil temperature steady.
Notes
- Make ahead: Dough can be mixed and refrigerated overnight before rolling out and frying for convenience and enhanced flavor.
- Storage: Best enjoyed the day they are made. Store cooled donuts in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days. Reheat in a 325ºF (163ºC) oven for about 8 minutes for fresh taste.
- Use a deep-fry thermometer to maintain consistent oil temperature, ensuring even cooking and crispness.
- Be gentle when frying and removing donuts to avoid deflating their light texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 donut
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 190mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 33g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
