Apple Cider Doughnuts
1 h 5 min
|
intermediate
|
vegetarian
Recipe by Eunice
Introduction
Classic at Northeast farm stands, these apple cider doughnuts hit you with real cider, warm spice, and a crisp cinnamon sugar jacket over a tender, cakey center.
Perfect for cozy fall mornings, bake sales, or a post-apple-picking reward, they fry up golden and make the whole kitchen smell like you actually know what you are doing.
Ingredients (14 servings)
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Ingredients for the Doughnuts:
- 2 cups apple cider apple cider 16 fl oz
- 3½ cups all-purpose flour all-purpose flour 0.96 lb
- 2 tsp baking powder baking powder 0.33 oz
- 1 tsp baking soda baking soda 0.17 oz
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon ground cinnamon 0.09 oz
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg ground nutmeg 0.08 oz
- ½ tsp salt salt
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened unsalted butter 2 oz
- 1 cup granulated sugar granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs large eggs 2 ct
- ½ cup buttermilk buttermilk 4 fl oz
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract pure vanilla extract 1 tsp
- vegetable oil vegetable oil
Ingredients for the Cinnamon Sugar Coating:
- 1 cup granulated sugar granulated sugar
- 1½ Tbsp ground cinnamon ground cinnamon 0.41 oz
How to Make Apple Cider Doughnuts
-
Reduce the cider
Add 2 cups apple cider to a small saucepan and simmer over medium heat until reduced to about 1/2 cup, 12 to 15 minutes.
Pour into a shallow dish to cool completely so it does not melt your butter later.
-
Mix the dry ingredients
Whisk together 3 1/2 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl until no spice streaks remain.
-
Cream butter and sugar
Beat softened butter and 1 cup sugar in a stand mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Beat in the eggs one at a time, then mix in vanilla, buttermilk, and the cooled cider concentrate until smooth and slightly thick.
-
Bring the dough together
Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix on low just until no dry flour remains, scraping the bowl once.
The dough will be soft and a little sticky, which is correct for a tender crumb.
-
Chill for clean cutting
Scrape dough onto a lightly floured sheet of parchment, pat into a 1-inch-thick slab, wrap, and chill until firm, at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
-
Roll and cut
On a lightly floured board, roll dough to 1/2 inch thickness with a floured rolling pin.
Cut 3-inch rounds and punch 1-inch centers for holes, flouring the cutters between cuts and gathering scraps once for a final roll.
-
Heat the oil
Pour 2 to 3 inches vegetable oil into a heavy pot and heat to 350 F over medium heat, using a clip-on thermometer for control.
Keep a wire rack over a sheet pan ready for draining.
-
Fry in small batches
Fry 2 to 3 doughnuts at a time for 60 to 75 seconds per side until deep golden, adjusting heat to keep the oil between 350 and 365 F.
Lift with a spider and drain on the rack for 1 minute so surfaces stay slightly tacky for sugar.
-
Cinnamon-sugar finish
Stir 1 cup sugar with 1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon in a wide bowl.
Toss warm doughnuts and holes in the mixture until evenly coated, working in batches so the sugar stays dry.
Substitutions
- Buttermilk -> whole milk + acid
- Use 1/2 cup whole milk mixed with 2 teaspoons lemon juice or apple cider vinegar and rest 5 minutes; you get the same tender crumb and tang that balances the sweetness.
- All-purpose flour -> 1:1 gluten-free baking blend
- Swap in a cup-for-cup gluten-free blend with xanthan gum and chill the dough an extra 20 minutes; the dough stays workable and fries up with a delicate, almost shortbread-like crumb.
- Vegetable oil -> peanut or refined coconut oil for frying
- Both have clean flavor and high smoke points; peanut gives a classic doughnut-shop finish while refined coconut adds a faint, cozy aroma without tasting like sunscreen.
Tips
- Reduce the cider properly
- Aim for 1/2 cup reduction that lightly syrup-coats a spoon, because that concentration is where the apple flavor pops without watering down the dough.
- Keep the dough cold
- Cold dough cuts cleanly, absorbs less oil, and holds sharp edges for that beautiful ring; if your kitchen is warm, stash cut doughnuts in the fridge while the oil heats.
- Thermometer discipline
- Fry at 350 to 365 F and wait for the oil to recover between batches to avoid greasy doughnuts or raw centers.
- Flour the cutter, not the dough
- Dust the cutters lightly and brush excess flour off the surface so you do not toughen the crust or dull the sugar coating.
- Drain on a rack, then sugar while warm
- A rack prevents steam sog and keeps the exterior slightly moist from residual oil so the cinnamon sugar clings in an even, crunchy layer.
- Reuse the scraps once
- Press scraps together without overworking and give them 10 minutes in the fridge before rerolling so gluten relaxes and the second batch fries tender.
- Season your sugar
- A small pinch of fine salt in the cinnamon sugar wakes up the apple flavor and keeps the coating from tasting flat.
Nutrition Facts *
| Energy | 254 | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 7 | g |
| Total Fat | 3 | g |
| Carbohydrates | 52 | g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0 | g |
* Approximate, per serving.
Data source: USDA FoodData Central.
FAQ
- My dough is too sticky to roll. What should I do?
- Chill it longer until firm to the touch, then use a very light dusting of flour on the board and rolling pin; if needed, work in 1 to 2 tablespoons more flour during rolling only, not in the mixing bowl.
- Why are my doughnuts greasy?
- Your oil was too cool or you overcrowded the pot; fry fewer at a time and keep the oil in the 350 to 365 F pocket, letting it rebound between batches.
- The centers are raw but the outside is dark. How do I fix that?
- Lower the oil to 345 to 350 F and roll the dough slightly thinner, about 1/2 inch, so the interior cooks through at the same pace as the crust browns.
- Can I bake these instead of frying?
- You can get close by brushing cut doughnuts lightly with oil, baking at 375 F on a parchment-lined sheet for 10 to 12 minutes, then brushing with melted butter before tossing in cinnamon sugar, though the texture will be more cake than classic doughnut-shop.
- How do I make the apple flavor stronger?
- Reduce the cider a touch further to a loose syrup and stir in 1 tablespoon apple butter with the wet ingredients for a deeper apple note.
- How should I store or freeze them?
- Best the day they are fried; store leftovers uncoated in an airtight container at room temp up to 1 day, rewarm at 300 F for 5 to 7 minutes, then toss in fresh cinnamon sugar, or freeze up to 2 months and coat after reheating.
Serving Suggestions
Hot coffee or a cold glass of cider is the obvious move, but a little cup of warm salted caramel on the side for dipping turns these into a situation.
If you want a twist, swap the coating for maple sugar with a pinch of cardamom or drizzle a thin maple glaze and finish with flaky salt for a sweet-salty snap.
More pairings:
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