Description
Whipping up these apple cider donuts takes just an hour of pure baking bliss, letting your kitchen fill with the warmth of autumn’s sweetest treat. Grab your apron and get ready to create a batch of crispy, cinnamon-dusted delights that’ll have friends and family begging for seconds.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup apple cider
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup grated apple
Spices and Seasonings:
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
Wet Ingredients:
- ¼ cup buttermilk
- ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Whisk 2 cups flour, ½ cup sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, and ⅛ teaspoon cloves in a large mixing bowl.
- Combine ½ cup apple cider, ¼ cup buttermilk, ¼ cup applesauce, 1 egg, 2 tablespoons melted butter, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in a separate bowl.
- Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients, stirring until just mixed. Avoid overmixing your batter.
- Fold 1 cup grated apple gently into the dough, ensuring even distribution.
- Dust your work surface with flour and roll dough to ½-inch thickness.
- Cut donuts using a donut cutter or two round cookie cutters – one large, one small.
- Transfer cut donuts carefully onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Heat vegetable oil to exactly 350°F in a deep fryer or large pot.
- Fry donuts in small batches for 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown.
- Remove donuts with a slotted spoon, placing them on paper towels to drain excess oil.
- Mix ½ cup sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in a shallow dish.
- Roll warm donuts in cinnamon sugar mixture, coating completely.
- Serve donuts immediately while warm and fresh.
Notes
- Use fresh, high-quality apple cider for the most robust flavor in the donuts.
- Check oil temperature carefully with a thermometer to ensure perfect frying and prevent greasy results.
- Let donuts cool slightly before coating in cinnamon sugar so the mixture adheres evenly without clumping.
- For a gluten-free version, swap all-purpose flour with a cup-for-cup gluten-free blend and add an extra pinch of xanthan gum for better texture.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Donuts
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 172 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 160 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.3 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 29 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg