Apple Cider Donuts

I live in apple country and Apple Cider Donuts are a regional favorite. They can be purchased at many local establishments, but this NYTimes recipe is excellent and I can a dozen donuts for the same price as buying just 2 at a local orchard. Give them a try and discover for yourself why apple cider donuts are so popular.

Note: you can make this recipe with ground nutmeg from your pantry, but I highly recommend grinding the nutmeg fresh — it makes all the difference.

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• donut pan(s) https://amzn.to/3wIlVl9

• pure vanilla extract https://amzn.to/3DnJkvZ

• Baker’s Joy baking spray https://amzn.to/3DsuvZ6

• whole nutmeg https://amzn.to/3DnIGP5

• microplane grater https://amzn.to/3HFTwlX

• large disposable pastry bag https://amzn.to/3JsNJ4n

• pastry brush https://amzn.to/40haz4Z

• mini electric donut maker https://amzn.to/3RgHym9

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Apple Cider Donuts

makes 12

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

Donuts:

• 1 3/4 (225g) cups all purpose flour

• 1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

• 3/4 teaspoon fine table salt

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

• 3/4 cup light brown sugar

• 1/4 cup white granulated sugar

• 2 large eggs, room temperature

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup apple cider

Topping:

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/2 cup white granulated sugar

Directions

To Make the Donuts:

1. Preheat oven to 350F and place rack in center position.

2. Prepare donut pan(s) with nonstick baking spray like Baker’s Joy.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg; set aside.

4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, light brown sugar, and white granulated sugar until light in color and fluffy in texture.

5. Add the eggs, one at a time, until each in fully incorporated; scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

6. Add the flour mixture and mix until no traces of dry ingredients remain.

7. With the mixer on medium-low speed, add the pure vanilla extract and apple cider and mix; scrape the sides of the bowl as needed, until the mixture is homogeneous.

8. Pour the batter into a very large disposable pastry bag or a gallon-size freezer bag (see notes below); clip a 1/2-inch opening in the bag and fill each donut pan(s) about 2/3s full with the batter.

9. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

10. Remove from oven and rest for 5 minutes before dipping in melted butter and cinnamon sugar mixture.

To Finish the Donuts:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar and ground cinnamon.

2. Brush warm donuts in melted butter and immediately toss in cinnamon sugar mixture.

Notes

1. I strongly recommend using freshly grated nutmeg for this recipe. Whole nutmeg will keep indefinitely in a cool dry place. I keep mine in a glass jar and grate it as needed using a microplane grater.

2. For the most mess-free way to fill the donut pan(s), use a very large disposable pastry bag (at least 18-inches) or a gallon-size zip top FREEZER bag (storage bag seams tend to break). Place the pastry bag in a tall vase to fill.

3. To make apple cider muffins, bake batter for 15-20 minutes in a standard muffin pan instead (this pan is my favorite) — recipe will make 12 muffins.

4. To make mini donuts, use an electric donut maker.

5. I prefer to use a silicone pastry brush over a standard one when dealing with greasy/oily ingredients because I find it easier to clean the silicone bristles.

adapted from nytimes.com

Mini Pumpkin Spice Donuts with Vanilla Bean Glaze

Happy first day of Fall.  Here in Virginia, the weather has begun to turn chilly and I can't wait to start making all my favorite cold weather foods, beginning with these delicious Mini Pumpkin Spice Donuts with Vanilla Bean Glaze.  They're such a fun way to celebrate the change of season.  

I've baked mini donuts in pans like this, but I find I get much better results using an electric donut maker like this.  There really isn't anything wrong with donut pans that go in the oven, but the donuts they produce usually have one flat side, whereas the ones baked in the donut maker are domed on both sides. Also, you can crank out batch after batch pretty quickly.   

To prepare the donut maker, I use a silicone pastry brush to coat the indentations with a little vegetable oil or shortening.  The electric donut maker has a non-stick finish, but brushing with a little oil helps make donut removal a little easier.

The ingredients are mixed together easily.  No special techniques here, but I love using my BeaterBlade attachment so I don't have to stop to scrape down the sides of my mixer bowl.  If you don't have a BeaterBlade, you can use a standard flat beater, or feel free to mix everything together using a hand mixer if you don't own a stand mixer. 

To neatly dispense the batter into the donut indentations, I like to use a large disposable pastry bag.  It helps me fill the indentations quickly and easily.  Really cuts down on the mess too.  

No piping tip necessary, I just cut a small opening at the end of the bag.

I evenly pipe the batter, filling the indentations to the rim.  

Then I close the donut maker and wait 4-5 minutes until the mini donuts spring back when pressed slightly.   

Open the donut maker up and suddenly I have one dozen of the most perfectly shaped, evenly domed mini donuts.  Aren't they adorable? 

The mini donuts are removed from the donut maker and placed on a cooling rack to cool completely before glazing. 

Time to make the vanilla bean glaze.  Vanilla bean paste is full of those tiny little black vanilla bean seeds that look so nice on baked goods.  If you don't have vanilla bean paste, you can substitute pure vanilla extract.  Be sure to use the good stuff! 

Whisk together the glaze ingredients until smooth - it should be about this thick to coat the donuts nicely.  If needed, add more confectioners sugar or half & half to adjust the consistency.  As soon as the glaze is ready, start dipping the donuts.

Dip the top half of the cooled donuts in the glaze and place them back onto the rack to rest for about 30 minutes so the glaze can set up. 

That's all there is to it.  Hope you give these tasty mini donuts a try.  Happy fall! 

Mini Pumpkin Spice Donuts with Vanilla Bean Glaze

makes 24 mini donuts

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

FOR THE DONUTS:

• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

• 1 large egg

• 3/4 cup 100% pure pumpkin puree

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 1/2 cup whole milk

• 1/4 cup canola oil

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

FOR THE GLAZE:

• 1 cup confectioners sugar

• 1 tablespoon half and half

• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla bean paste (or pure vanilla extract)

Directions

To make the donuts:

1. Preheat electric donut maker and brush indentations with vegetable oil or shortening.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt.

3. Add remaining ingredients and mix until combined using BeaterBlade attachment (or mix with a hand mixer).

4. Using a large pastry bag, fill bottom half of the prepared donut maker, filling each indentation to the rim.

5. Close donut maker and bake for 4-5 minutes (use a toothpick to check for doneness - the should spring back when pressed lightly).

6. Carefully remove mini donuts from maker and cool completely on wire rack before glazing.

To make the glaze:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the confectioners sugar, half and half, and vanilla bean paste until smooth.

2. Dip tops of cooled mini donuts in glaze immediately; allow glaze to dry for 30 minutes.

Note

• To use mini donut pans, preheat oven to 350F. Bake for 8-12 minutes until done.