I love the connotation of fall that apple cider doughnuts provides. The moment I see them, I instantly wish I were sitting on a hay bale in the middle of a pumpkin patch eating as many doughnuts as possible. They’re just the perfect amount of sweet with a lovely tang from the cider. Apple cider doughnuts were off of my radar for so long. It wasn’t until my college years that I learned about them. They are so fluffy on the inside with a perfectly crisp exterior, I really think they might be some of my best work. Go whip up a batch of these, light a bonfire in your backyard, and bask in the crisp cool air of autumn.
What’s the difference between apple cider and apple juice?
I know you’ve probably wondered at some point, what is the difference between apple cider and apple juice? Aren’t they both just juice from apples? Yes, they are. Where they differ is in the extraction and preservation process of said apple “juice”. The distinction between the two can get a bit hazy, so I’ll say this with caution. Fresh apple cider is raw apple juice that has not undergone a filtration process to remove the pulp or sediment. Apple juice is filtered juice that is also pasteurized. This pasteurization makes sure that it will stay fresh longer. Apple cider can be pasteurized and unpasteurized depending on the maker. Unpasteurized apple cider has natural yeast in it that promotes fermentation. This is why some ciders become fizzy and even alcoholic over time. There are a couple other “distinctions”, but they seem a bit superficial, so I will stick with the difference being in the process. If you do want to learn more though, I highly recommend checking out this link!
Apple Cider Doughnuts
Ingredients
For the Doughnuts:
- 3 cups Apple Cider
- 3¾ cups All-Purpose Flour
- ⅔ cup Brown Sugar
- ⅓ cup Granulated Sugar
- 1½ teaspoons Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1½ teaspoon Cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon Nutmeg
- 2 Large Eggs
- 4 tablespoons Unsalted Butter
- 3 cups Vegetable Oil
For the Sugar Coating:
- ½ cup Granulated Sugar
- 4 teaspoons Cinnamon
Instructions
For the Sugar Coating:
- Whisk together sugar and cinnamon in a medium sized bowl. Set aside.
For the Doughnuts:
- Begin by boiling the 3 cups of apple cider for 10-20 minutes until you reduce it to 1 cup of concentrated apple cider. Set aside to cool before beginning to make the doughnuts.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Whisk to combine.
- In a separate bowl, add the melted butter, eggs, and concentrated apple cider that you made earlier (there should be about 1 cup of apple cider concentrate being added). Whisk to combine.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix together until a shaggy dough forms. Put it in the refridgerator and let it cool for 1-2 hours.
- In the meantime, heat up the oil in a pot to 350°F. After the dough has been refrigerating, remove it and pat it into a rectangle. Roll it out to about a quarter inch thick and cut with a biscuit cutter. I use the fat end of a piping tip to punch out my doughnut holes, you should use whatever works best for you.
- Once the dough has been cut, refrigerate it again if you think the dough is too pliable. If it is still stiff, then you can begin frying.
- Fry 1-2 doughnuts at a time (or however many you feel comfortable with and will fit in your pot. Fry for 1-2 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove from fryer with a spider and place onto a paper towel. Let some of the oil drip off, then place the doughnut into the bowl of the cinnamon sugar mixture. Coat the doughnut, and move it to a cooling rack. Repeat for every doughnut, let cool, and enjoy!
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