Apple Cider Donuts

Crispy on the outside and deliciously moist on the inside, these apple cider donuts are the perfect fall treat! Tender, airy, and infused with apple flavor, they’re perfect for breakfast, dessert, or a snack.

Makes about 12 donuts and 12 donut holes

Course Dessert/Snack

Cuisine American

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 15

Resting Time 1

Total Time 1 40

Servings

Calories 330kcal

Author Imma

Ingredients

2 cups apple cider
3½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 cup granulated sugar
⅓ cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
vegetable oil, such as canola oil for frying
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

Pour your apple cider into a small pot over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil until reduced to ⅓ cup and syrupy, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside. If the cider over-reduces to less than ⅓ cup, add enough water to make up the measurement.
Place all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl: all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt. Whisk together thoroughly.
Whisk the melted butter and granulated sugar in a medium-sized mixing bowl with a hand mixer until the sugar melts, 3-5 minutes.
Then add buttermilk, eggs, vanilla extract, and reduced cider. Mix until thoroughly combined and smooth.
Next, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix with a wooden spoon gently just until fully moistened. Do not overmix.
Transfer the dough to a generously floured work surface, and dust the top of it and the rolling pin with flour. Then knead the dough a few times until it comes together. Add 1-2 tablespoons of flour if the dough is too sticky to handle.
Form the dough into a ball and roll it out using the rolling pin so it's ½-inch thick. Cut out rounds with a 3-inch floured donut cutter (or use 2 round cookie cutters; a 3-inch one to form the donut and a 1-inch to create the holes). The dough may be a bit sticky, so you can twist the cutters as you push them in to get a clean cut.
Transfer the donuts and donut holes to a floured baking sheet. Then gather the scraps and form them into a ball. Roll it out until ½-inch thick, repeating the process until you have at least 12 donuts and 12 donut holes. Cover them with plastic wrap and place them in the refrigerator to rest for about an hour.
While the dough is chilling in the refrigerator, make the cinnamon sugar by mixing sugar and cinnamon in a wide shallow mixing bowl and mixing until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
Pour your vegetable oil into a Dutch oven or large, heavy-bottomed pot (about 1½ inches deep), and place the pot over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer reads 350℉/177℃.
Working in batches, gently place four donuts at a time in the oil and fry, flipping once, until puffed, golden brown, and crispy, 1-2 minutes on each side.
Use tongs or a slotted spoon to carefully remove the donuts from the hot oil, holding them over the pot for a few seconds so the excess oil can drain off. Then transfer your doughnuts to a paper towel-lined plate for about 30 seconds. Roll them while still warm in the cinnamon sugar mixture to coat and place them on the wire rack to cool.
Repeat the frying process with the remaining doughnuts, adjusting the heat as necessary to maintain an oil temperature of 350ºF/177℃. Toss each batch in the cinnamon sugar 30 seconds after they cool on the paper towel-lined plate.
Fry the donut holes in 2 batches (about 1 minute on each side) and coat them with cinnamon sugar.

Notes

If you don't have a Dutch oven, use a deep pot for frying. Donuts expand in oil, and you don't want any overflows.
Draining excess oil from the donuts twice will keep them crispier. Drain once over the pot of oil using a slotted spoon or spatula for about 10 seconds. Then lay them on a paper towel-lined surface to remove more excess oil. Finally, transfer them to a cooling rack before serving.
Be sure to use enough oil so your donuts can float. That will help them cook uniformly. And don't worry because you can reuse the frying oil later!
Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.

Nutrition