Doughnuts? Who doesn't LOVE doughnuts!? So when I came across this recipe in a magazine, I instantly ripped it out and knew I had to make them. I made three different toppings and they're all equally delicious! These are absolutely perfect for fall. As per usual, I put my own little twist on things and these are now my new favorite!
Here's what you need:
Doughnuts:
- 2 cups apple cider
- ½ cup peeled and grated apple
- ½ cup apple butter
- 1 ½ Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- ½ Tsp vanilla
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 ¼ cup flour
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- ¼ Tsp cinnamon
- ¼ Tsp sea salt
- coconut oil, avocado oil or olive oil for frying (I prefer coconut, it's the most mild)
- toppings and glazes
Pumpkin Cinnamon Spice:
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ Tsp cinnamon
- ½ Tsp pumpkin spice
Milk Glaze:
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 3 Tbsp milk
- ⅛ Tsp salt
Maple Vanilla Glaze:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 3 Tbsp pure maple syrup
- 2-3 Tbsp milk
- 1 Tsp vanilla
- ⅛ Tsp sea salt
Glaze Instructions:
- Make your glazes and toppings first and set them aside, it's easier to have them ready to go rather than try and make them quickly before the doughnuts are too cold.
- For the pumpkin cinnamon topping all you need to do is combine all the ingredients and stir until well combined. For the other two just whisk together ingredients until smooth. If you need to you can always add more milk. Set aside.
Doughnut Instructions:
- In a small saucepan combine the apple cider and grated apple. Cook on medium high for about 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it has reduced to about ½ cup of liquid. Transfer liquid into a bowl to cool down. You want it to be room temperature when you stir in the apple butter, vinegar and vanilla.
- In a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the egg and beat until combined.
- In a large bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Add flour mixture and apple cider mixture alternately into butter and sugar. Starting and ending with the flour mixture. Make sure to beat on low between adding the flour and apple mixtures.
- Flour a surface (I used our counters) and place dough on surface. Roll dough to 12x9 rectangle and about ½ in thick. Use a 2 ½ in circle dough cutter to cut out doughnuts and a 1 in circle cutter for centers. Makes sure to keep centers for doughnut holes! You can re-roll dough to make more doughnuts so you don't waste anything.
- Heat about 2 inches of oil in a deep pan or dutch oven. Make sure the oil isn't too hot! If it's smoking then it's too hot! If you have a clip on thermometer you want it to read about 350º F, if not you can put the end of a wooden spoon into the oil. If the oil bubbles around the spoon it's perfect! If the oil bubbles vigorously then it's too hot.
- Prepare a baking sheet and wire rack for doughnuts. Line the baking sheet with paper towels and place metal rack over baking sheet. This will make clean up SO much easier.
- Fry doughnuts in batches of 3-4 until golden brown. About 1 minute on each side. You want to keep the batches small. Transfer doughnuts with a slotted spoon from oil to metal rack. IMMEDIATELY toss warm doughnuts in pumpkin cinnamon topping if you choose to.
- Fry doughnut holes about 30-45 seconds each side. Repeat with toppings.
- Drizzle glazes on the rest of the cooled doughnuts.
- Voila! There you have it! Enjoy your delicious doughnuts!
