Apple Cider Doughnuts

Sugar and spice and everything nice, that’s what these doughnuts are made of. # 193: Apple Cider Doughnuts

Close your eyes, take a bite, and suddenly you’re in a sunny orchard! A mug of mulled cider in one hand and a bucket of freshly picked apples in the other. There’s a fluffy scarf around your neck and you’re dreaming about all the pies you’re going to bake when you get home. Sounds pretty good huh? I haven’t quite perfected doughnut teleportation but I’ll let you know when I get it down.

These doughnuts doughn’t need anything else, but I couldn’t say no to a skull full of cider. Shout out to Nate’s shotglass collection from college having the perfect spooky cider vessel!

Are you Team Baked Doughnuts or Team Fried Doughnuts? I’m all about a crispy edge on a cakey old-fashioned with chocolate glaze. Literally drooling as I type this…

Usually the recipes that call for baking instead of frying are trying to pass as healthy, which is definitely not something I’m looking for in a doughnut. Also the few times I’ve tried baking them at home, they’ve turned out dry and less flavorful than promised.

But not today! Even if you’re the staunchest fried doughnut fiend, this recipe will convert you. They’re moist, fluffy, and coated in crunchy spiced sugar. Basically tiny spiced cider cakes shaped in a ring, how could they be bad?

As far as I can tell, the only difference between cider and juice is the level of filtration. They’re both 100% apples, but juice is perfectly clear and cider is cloudy. Maybe cider is just trying to be mysterious to help get us into a spooky October mood.

I cut the recipe in half so Nate and I wouldn’t be swimming in doughnuts, but it came down to half an egg which made me feel a bit silly. Luckily I was making a scramble for breakfast at the same time so just plopped the second half of the egg in there.

The recipe called for reducing the cider down to half its volume and mixing it with butter. The kitchen smells soo good still.

It felt so weird to mix a whole batch of something in such a small bowl. Have you ever seen the tiny kitchen videos? They so freaking improbable and adorable.

On your marks, get set, pipe! (In your best Noel Fielding voice.)

I don’t know if it actually helps, but I always try to evenly distribute the batter if I’m not using the whole tin. It might help with more consistent browning! We’ll go with that.

Et voila!

I got two new ramekins on a whim yesterday. I would say I have a ramekin problem but they’re just so darn useful. These ones are wider and shallower – perfect for dunking doughnuts!