Apple Cider Donuts (Printer Version)

Soft, apple cider-flavored donuts coated in fragrant cinnamon sugar, ideal for autumn and festive moments.

# What You'll Need:

→ Wet Ingredients

01 - 1 cup apple cider
02 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
03 - 2 large eggs
04 - 1/2 cup whole milk
05 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Dry Ingredients

06 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
07 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
08 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
09 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
10 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
11 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Coating

12 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
13 - 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
14 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

# How to Prepare:

01 - Pour the apple cider into a small saucepan and simmer over medium heat until reduced to 1/2 cup, approximately 10 to 12 minutes. Allow to cool completely.
02 - Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a standard donut pan thoroughly.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until evenly mixed.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together the reduced apple cider, melted butter, eggs, milk, and vanilla extract until fully combined.
05 - Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and gently stir until just combined, taking care not to overmix.
06 - Spoon or pipe the batter into the prepared donut pan cavities, filling each about three-quarters full.
07 - Bake the donuts for 12 to 15 minutes, or until they spring back when lightly pressed.
08 - Allow donuts to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
09 - Combine sugar and cinnamon in a shallow bowl. Brush warm donuts with melted butter and dip thoroughly in the cinnamon sugar mixture.
10 - Enjoy donuts warm or at room temperature.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • They bake instead of fry, so your kitchen doesn't smell like a deep fryer for three days.
  • You can have a dozen from mixing bowl to plate in just over half an hour.
  • The apple cider reduction creates this subtle, natural sweetness that makes store-bought donuts taste one-dimensional by comparison.
  • They're soft enough that even people who think they don't like cake donuts usually come back for seconds.
02 -
  • Reducing the apple cider first is non-negotiable; fresh cider has too much water and will make your donuts gummy instead of tender.
  • Overmixing the batter is the most common mistake, and it turns your light, cakey donuts into something more like a brick than a breakfast pastry.
  • The coating needs to happen while the donuts are still warm enough that the butter helps the cinnamon sugar cling; try it cold and the coating slides right off.
03 -
  • Don't skip the apple cider reduction; it's the difference between donuts that taste like spiced cake and donuts that taste like autumn captured in a bite.
  • Room-temperature ingredients mix together more evenly than cold ones, so let your eggs and milk sit on the counter for 15 minutes before you start if you remember.
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