Every Sunday, I have a routine of visiting my local farmers market and stocking up on fresh fruits and veggies for the week. Recently, my favorite produce stand has gotten into the habit of bringing these deliciously spiced, absolutely scrumptious apple cider doughnuts with them every Sunday. So naturally, apple cider doughnuts have found their way into my weekly routine.
But this past weekend, I was trying to be good, and opt for the sweet apples, instead of the sweet fried dough. While I slowly passed the farm stand, salivating at cinnamon-sugar drenched doughnuts only a few feet away, I resisted my craving and walked on by.
I felt good about it, until a few hours later when I realized that my craving hadn’t stopped and I still was thinking about that doughnut. What’s a girl to do? The farmer’s stalls had closed up shop and were packing up their produce into their trucks, so there was only one thing I could do – make them myself.
To make myself feel a little better about my doughnut craving I decided to bake these doughnuts instead of fry them. So I grabbed my doughnut pan and went about researching the best apple cider doughnut. I had apple butter and cider left over from this here bundt cake, so no run to the store was needed. In less than 30 minutes, I had my hands on a slightly healthier version of my favorite fall guilty pleasure. And I didn’t feel an ounce of guilt at having eaten more than my share.
Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts
Very roughly adapted from The Kitchn
Ingredients
For the doughnuts:
- 1 cup good apple cider
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cups sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cups apple butter (plain or spiced), applesauce or milk
- 1 teaspoon molasses
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
For the coating:
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
Recipe
In a medium saucepan, simmer the apple cider over medium high heat, until it is reduced to 1/2 cup (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Preheat the oven to 325 degree Fahrenheit. Grease a 6 cavity doughnut pan and set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
Combine the reduced apple cider, apple butter, molasses, eggs, vanilla and butter in a large bowl. Slowly add the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and beat with a wooden spoon until batter is smooth and flour is evenly distributed.
Spoon the batter into each donut mold until about 1/2 full (about 2 tablespoons if you’re using this size donut pan). Bake for 10-12 minutes, until lightly golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.
To coat the doughnuts: Dip each doughnut in the melted butter so that both sides and the outer ring is covered. Roll the doughnut in the cinnamon sugar mixture until coated completely. Repeat with remaining doughnuts.
Doughnuts will keep for 3 days at room temperature, stored in an air-tight container.
Cassie's Kitchen 
My daughter made the Apple Cider doughnuts for Thanksgiving and they were delicious!
These were delicious!! I made them for Thanksgiving and guests were fighting over the last one (I had to make additional batches the next day to distribute to family and friends just to keep the peace). I made another batch just for my boyfriend and I and they did not last more than two days…my boyfriend could not keep his hands of these doughnuts! Perfect recipe, thank you for sharing! Looking forward to more of your doughnut recipes 🙂