An Apple Cider Doughnut Recipe To Transport You To The Orchard
Making an annual trip to your favorite apple orchard usually involves a lot more than simply picking apples. Many orchards also have sunflower fields, pumpkin patches and little markets to pick up local products. And then there are the apple cider doughnuts.
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Hot out of the fryer, grease soaking through the paper bag, brown sugar and cinnamon sprinkling off with every bite. It's hard to buy a dozen and not want to eat them all on the way home.
Luckily, you don't just have to make a fall day trip to get this seasonal favorite — you can make them yourself at home. You're going to want to make sure you save some apple cider to enjoy with the doughnuts — hot apple cider with its namesake pastry is a combo no one should miss out on.
This recipe is a bit different in that it has tiny bits of toffee to add some sweetness (that's the brickle part of the recipe). The brickle pieces are mixed in with the dough and will add a hint of crunch, but if you decide you just want the classic cider doughnuts, go ahead and leave the brickle pieces out of your dough mixture.
And if you're looking for something savory to pair with your doughnuts, here is a whole list of apple recipes to try this season.
Ingredients:
For the doughnuts
2 cups apple cider
2 cinnamon sticks
2 tablespoons apple butter
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2/3 cups packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
2 large eggs, room temperature
6 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
1 cup brickle bits
Vegetable oil for frying
For the sugar coating
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/4 cup brickle bits
Directions:
For the doughnuts
Place the cider and cinnamon sticks in a small pan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil until the cider is reduced by half. Remove from heat, remove the cinnamon sticks and discard.
Stir the apple butter. Whisk together flours, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and allspice.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, melted butter and cooled cider.
Add the cider mixture to the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Mix in the brickle pieces. The dough will be sticky. Cover the bowl with plastic cling film and refrigerate for one hour.
On a floured surface, pat out the dough to about 1/3-inch thick. Cut out the doughnuts with a floured doughnut cutter.
Heat the oil in a large pot to 325 degrees F. Place a double layer of paper towels nearby. Gently transfer the cut doughnuts to the skillet or fryer, a few at a time. Fry until golden brown on both sides.
Drain briefly on paper towels.
For the sugar coating
Spread the cinnamon sugar and brickle mixture out on a plate. Dip the warm doughnuts and holes into the mixture. Arrange on a platter and serve.
Courtesy of Diary of a Mad Hausfrau