If you have a craving for donuts, my Apple Cider Donuts recipe is essential — they're covered in cinnamon sugar and have all the spices you could want.
- 1 ½ cups (12floz/ 340ml) apple cider Homemade or store-bought)
- 5 tablespoons (2 ½oz/71g) butter softened
- 1 cup (8oz/225g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup (4oz/115g) yogurt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 ½ cups (17 ½ oz /497g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- oil, for frying (veg, canola, sunflower, etc.)
- ¾ cups (6oz/170g) granulated sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoons cinnamon
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Reduce the apple cider: pour the cider into a shallow saucepan and let boil until the liquid is reduced to ⅓ cup (2 ½ floz/71ml). Let cool completely.
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Line a baking sheet with parchment and sprinkle with flour.
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Beat butter and sugar together for 5 minutes, until light and fluffy.
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Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and then add in the cooled cider, yogurt, and vanilla.
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In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, and nutmeg, and then gradually stir into the wet ingredients.
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When just combined, place the dough on the prepared baking sheet, sprinkle with more flour, and roll or pat out to ¾ inch (2cm) thickness.
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The dough will be very soft. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 15 minutes to allow it to firm up for easier cutting and handling.
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While the dough is chilling, heat up the oil: pour oil 2-3 inches (5-8cm) deep in a saucepan set over medium heat or clip a thermometer in the oil if you are using one and let it heat to 325°F (165°C). Adjust the heat to keep the oil at this temperature.
Note: You can bake these for about 12-15 minutes at 350oF (180oC). Dust them in sugar when they come hot out of the oven.
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Make the cinnamon sugar: combine the sugar and cinnamon in a bowl and set next to the oil.
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Place a wire rack on a baking sheet and place near the oil and cinnamon sugar.
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After the dough has chilled for 15 minutes, cut circles with a 3-inch (7 ½ cm) cutter. Gather, re-pat, and cut any scraps.
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With a 1-inch (2.5cm) cutter, cut out a hole in the center of each circle to make the doughnut shape.
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Carefully place 2-3 doughnuts or 4-5 holes in the oil and place the rest of the dough in the freezer to stay chilled while waiting to be fried. (If the dough gets too warm it may break apart in the oil.)
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Fry for about 2 or 3 minutes, until golden brown on one side, and then flip to fry the other side.
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Once done, remove the doughnuts from the oil, let drain for a minute, then toss in the cinnamon sugar and return to the wire rack to cool.
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Serve with a steaming cup of hot apple cider! These doughnuts are best eaten the day they are made, but you can store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days.