Apple Cider Donuts
Recipe by Nicole Thom-Arens
Makes 12 to 24 donuts depending on the size of the cutter
Apple cider donuts are a classic fall treat. Although, donuts are not my favorite indulgence, I do enjoy—even crave—an apple cider donut once the leaves begin to turn and the air is crisp. These cake donuts are easy to make at home. The dough is forgiving and tolerates being rolled and rerolled. The trickiest part is making sure you keep your oil at the right temperature. Take your time and allow the oil to heat back up between batches as necessary.
Ingredients:1 3/4 cups apple cider2 cups all-purpose flour1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons cornstarch1/2 cup whole wheat flour1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg1 teaspoon cinnamon1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened2/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (Reduce to 3/4 teaspoon if not using Diamond.) 3 egg yolks1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste1 tablespoon apple butter1/4 cup whole-fat Greek yogurt2 teaspoons baking powder
Topping:1 cup granulated sugar1 tablespoon cinnamon
Instructions:1. Bring the cider to a boil in a medium saucepan set over high heat on the stovetop. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium boil. Allow to boil for 10 minutes until the cider has reduced then measure out 1 cup and set aside to cool.2. In a medium mixing bowl, add the flours, cornstarch, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir to combine. Set aside.3. In a large mixing bowl, add the butter, salt, and brown sugar. With a hand mixer, mix until light in color and well combined. 4. Add the vanilla bean paste and mix to combine.5. Add the egg yolks one at a time, mixing in between each additional yolk.6. Add the yogurt, apple butter, and 1 cup of the cool, reduced cider. Mix to combine. 7. Add the baking powder and mix to combine. 8. Add the flour, cornstarch, and spice mixture. Mix until it is almost combined. Using a rubber spatula, fold the batter until all the flour is absorbed. 9. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least an hour. 10. While the dough is chilling, prepare your frying station. I used brown paper bags to catch the oil after frying. I set a wire cooling rack over a piece of parchment paper where I allowed the coated donuts to cool. 11. Prepare the topping by mixing the sugar and cinnamon thoroughly in a shallow bowl. Set near the wire cooling rack. 12. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.13. When you’re ready to roll the donuts, add 1 inch of neutral-flavored oil to a Dutch oven.14. Attach a thermometer and heat the oil to 330 to 340 degrees. 15. Remove the dough from the fridge. Flour a worksurface. Transfer the dough from the bowl to the worksurface. Dust the top of the dough with additional flour. 16. Knead the dough 3 to 5 times until it comes together. (It will be a bit sticky, but the few times of kneading brings it together into a nice, soft dough.)17. Roll the dough to a thickness between 1/4 and 1/2 inch. 18. Generously flour your donut cutter. (You can buy a special donut cutter or use a 3-inch biscuit cutter for the donut and a 1-inch cutter for the hole.)19. Cut out donuts from the rolled dough. Place the cut donut and hole on the lined baking sheet. (If using two cutters, cut the hole of the donut while it is on the baking sheet.)20. Reroll the dough scraps and continue until you’ve used all the dough. (I cut additional donut holes from the rerolled dough that was smaller than 3 inches. Scraps too small to be cut into donut holes can be rolled into balls and fried—they’re more rustic looking but still tasty.) 21. When the oil has heated, carefully add the donuts to the oil. (I cooked 2 donuts at a time and up to 6 donut holes at a time. They will first sink to the bottom but will pop up to the top of the oil after a few seconds.)22. Cook the donuts 2 minutes on the first side before flipping. Flip multiple times while continuing to fry the donuts. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes total. (***Note: Keep an eye on the oil temperature. Adjust your heat setting to keep the temperature between 330 and 340 degrees.)23. When the donuts are a deep golden brown, remove from the oil to cool slightly on the paper bags. 24. After 30 seconds of cooling, coat the donuts in the cinnamon sugar topping. 25. Cool the coated donuts on the wire rack set over parchment paper. 26. Store cooled donuts in an airtight container at room temperature. The donuts stay fresh for a day at room temperature. Uncoated donuts can be frozen for several weeks.
Ingredients:1 3/4 cups apple cider2 cups all-purpose flour1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons cornstarch1/2 cup whole wheat flour1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg1 teaspoon cinnamon1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened2/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (Reduce to 3/4 teaspoon if not using Diamond.) 3 egg yolks1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste1 tablespoon apple butter1/4 cup whole-fat Greek yogurt2 teaspoons baking powder
Topping:1 cup granulated sugar1 tablespoon cinnamon
Instructions:1. Bring the cider to a boil in a medium saucepan set over high heat on the stovetop. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium boil. Allow to boil for 10 minutes until the cider has reduced then measure out 1 cup and set aside to cool.2. In a medium mixing bowl, add the flours, cornstarch, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir to combine. Set aside.3. In a large mixing bowl, add the butter, salt, and brown sugar. With a hand mixer, mix until light in color and well combined. 4. Add the vanilla bean paste and mix to combine.5. Add the egg yolks one at a time, mixing in between each additional yolk.6. Add the yogurt, apple butter, and 1 cup of the cool, reduced cider. Mix to combine. 7. Add the baking powder and mix to combine. 8. Add the flour, cornstarch, and spice mixture. Mix until it is almost combined. Using a rubber spatula, fold the batter until all the flour is absorbed. 9. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least an hour. 10. While the dough is chilling, prepare your frying station. I used brown paper bags to catch the oil after frying. I set a wire cooling rack over a piece of parchment paper where I allowed the coated donuts to cool. 11. Prepare the topping by mixing the sugar and cinnamon thoroughly in a shallow bowl. Set near the wire cooling rack. 12. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.13. When you’re ready to roll the donuts, add 1 inch of neutral-flavored oil to a Dutch oven.14. Attach a thermometer and heat the oil to 330 to 340 degrees. 15. Remove the dough from the fridge. Flour a worksurface. Transfer the dough from the bowl to the worksurface. Dust the top of the dough with additional flour. 16. Knead the dough 3 to 5 times until it comes together. (It will be a bit sticky, but the few times of kneading brings it together into a nice, soft dough.)17. Roll the dough to a thickness between 1/4 and 1/2 inch. 18. Generously flour your donut cutter. (You can buy a special donut cutter or use a 3-inch biscuit cutter for the donut and a 1-inch cutter for the hole.)19. Cut out donuts from the rolled dough. Place the cut donut and hole on the lined baking sheet. (If using two cutters, cut the hole of the donut while it is on the baking sheet.)20. Reroll the dough scraps and continue until you’ve used all the dough. (I cut additional donut holes from the rerolled dough that was smaller than 3 inches. Scraps too small to be cut into donut holes can be rolled into balls and fried—they’re more rustic looking but still tasty.) 21. When the oil has heated, carefully add the donuts to the oil. (I cooked 2 donuts at a time and up to 6 donut holes at a time. They will first sink to the bottom but will pop up to the top of the oil after a few seconds.)22. Cook the donuts 2 minutes on the first side before flipping. Flip multiple times while continuing to fry the donuts. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes total. (***Note: Keep an eye on the oil temperature. Adjust your heat setting to keep the temperature between 330 and 340 degrees.)23. When the donuts are a deep golden brown, remove from the oil to cool slightly on the paper bags. 24. After 30 seconds of cooling, coat the donuts in the cinnamon sugar topping. 25. Cool the coated donuts on the wire rack set over parchment paper. 26. Store cooled donuts in an airtight container at room temperature. The donuts stay fresh for a day at room temperature. Uncoated donuts can be frozen for several weeks.