Why You’ll Love These
These apple cider donuts are full of warm cinnamon, nutmeg, and tangy apple cider. These fried treats are bursting with apple cider flavor like the ones you would get in Vermont! They have a tender, moist interior with a crispy cinnamon sugar-coated exterior. Make your own Homemade Apple Cider and have donuts all year round! Try it with our Spiced Apple Cider Biscotti.
Key Ingredients
Apple Cider – Use a good quality fresh apple cider for the best flavor.Spices – In this cider donuts recipe, we are using apple pie spice. It’s a mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom or allspice.
How To Make Apple Cider Donuts
This recipe is super easy to whip up—no need for an electric mixer. You need to reduce the cider to achieve a concentrated apple cider flavor. Start by bringing the apple cider to a boil in a small saucepan. Boil and reduce the apple cider to 1 cup, about 15-20 minutes. Let cool completely. I do this step right after I pour my first cup of coffee in the morning. Whisk together the all-purpose flour, dark brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, apple pie spice, fresh ground nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk together the melted butter, room temperature eggs, and cooled apple cider in a separate bowl. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined and all the flour mixture is moistened. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour. I usually allow it to refrigerate for about an hour and a half. It just makes it easier to lift the cut-out dough into the oil for frying. Line a baking sheet with paper towels set aside. Mix the granulated sugar, fresh ground nutmeg, and cinnamon in a small bowl or paper bag. Set aside. Heat the vegetable oil in a dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat to 375 degrees F. Watch closely and adjust as needed to make sure it doesn’t overheat. Or use an electric deep fryer. Divide the dough in half, working with one half at a time place it on a floured surface. Pat into 1/2 inch thick round. Place the remaining half of the dough back into the fridge. Cut into rounds using a doughnut cutter or a 3-inch round cutter. Use a 1-inch round cutter for the hole. Working in batches, carefully slide the donuts into the heated oil. Cook for one minute per side until evenly golden brown. Transfer to the paper towel-lined baking sheet or a wire rack. Let cool for about 1 minute. Place the warm donut into the cinnamon-sugar mixture, and shake to coat evenly. If using a bowl, roll the donut in the mixture. Fry the donut holes for about 30 seconds on each side. Toss with the cinnamon-sugar mixture, and enjoy this as a poppable bite! Plate those deep-fried apple cider donuts and serve warm!
Tips
Do not skip boiling the cider! This is key to achieving apple cider flavor. If you don’t reduce the cider, these donuts will not have much apple cider flavor.Pour the boiled apple cider into a measuring cup to make sure it has been reduced to exactly 1 cup.If you don’t have apple pie spice, you can substitute one teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg, and 1/8 teaspoon of ground allspice.Do not overcrowd your pan. Avoid adding too many doughnuts to the pan. They need room to expand, and it will lower the oil temperature.Use a neutral oil like vegetable or canola oil. They have a high smoke point and a neutral flavor.If frying in a pot, use a thermometer to keep an eye on the oil temperature. Be sure to adjust the heat and keep the temperature at 375 degrees F.
