Apple Cider Donuts

INGREDIENTS

For the Cinnamon Sugar:

• 1 cup granulated sugar. 200g
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

For the Cider Donuts:

• 2 ½ cups apple cider (600mL)
• ½ cup light brown sugar (110g)
• ¼ cup granulated sugar (50g)
• 2 large eggs room temperature
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted (85g)
• 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour (420g)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Peanut or vegetable oil for frying

DIRECTIONS

For the Cinnamon Sugar:

1. Whisk together sugar and cinnamon until well combined. Set aside.

For the Cider Donuts:

1. In a small saucepan, bring the cider to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil until reduced to 1 cup, about 45 minutes. Transfer to a heat-proof mixing bowl and cool to room temperature.
2. To cooled cider, whisk in sugars, eggs, and melted butter until well combined.
3. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and spices. Pour cider mixture into the flour mixture and stir together until fully combined.
4. Cover dough and chill until firm to the touch, about 2 hours or up to 12 hours.
5. Once the dough is chilled, place a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet. Fill a Dutch oven with 3-inches of oil. Heat over medium heat to 350F.
6. While oil is heating, scrape the chilled dough out onto a very well-floured surface. Flour the top of the dough and pat to ½-inch thickness. Cut out rounds using a 3-inch donut cutter or a 3-inch round cookie cutter along with a 1-inch cutter to cut holes in the center of each round dipped in flour. (The dough will be very sticky. Don’t be afraid to use more flour on your surface if you need it!)
7. Working a few at a time, fry donuts in the hot oil until golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes per side for large donuts and 1 minute for the donut holes. Transfer to the wire rack to drain for a few minutes. Toss warm donuts in the cinnamon sugar. These donuts are best if consumed within a few hours of frying.

NOTES

• For extra fall flavor, you can replace 1 teaspoon of cinnamon with 1 teaspoon ground ginger and/or ½ teaspoon ground cardamom in the cinnamon sugar.
• You cannot skip reducing the apple cider, as it concentrates the apple cider flavor. The liquid should be thick and syrup-like so that it packs a flavor punch. When not reduced, you will not taste the cider in your donuts.
• The cider and melted butter must have a chance to cool before you make the dough. If they are still hot, you will cook the eggs. To cut down on waiting time, you can simmer the apple cider the night before.
• Avoid adding too much flour by measuring your flour correctly! Adding too much flour to the recipe is the most common mistake and will make your donuts dense. The best way to measure flour is by using a scale. If you don’t have one, then fluff your flour with a spoon, sprinkle it into your measuring cup, and use a knife to level it off.
• Be sure to use a large pot for the oil you are frying with. The donuts expand when fried, and you don’t want the oil overflowing.
• Keep an eye on your thermometer. When frying donuts, if the oil is not hot enough, the donuts become tough and greasy.
• Avoid adding too many donuts at once into the oil as the increase in donuts will lower the oil’s temperature. The donuts will also need room to expand, and it’s easier to flip when there’s space.
• Always allow the donuts to drain on a wire rack so the excess oil can drip off. If you’re placing them on a lined plate, the donuts will be sitting in the oil and become soggy.