On the Menu: Apple Cider Donuts

I’d love to welcome Amanda Frederickson as Sacramento Street’s newest contributor. I’ve been thinking a lot about ways to bring back our recipes post, which I know you all adore. Since I can’t manage to do them myself these days, I wanted to find the perfect person to bring on as our food contributor. Amanda has an incredible blog called A Life Well Lived (pop over for more delicious recipes) – when I was first introduced to her site I was in awe of her recipes and instantly thought she would fit right in here on Sacramento Street. Please give her a warm welcome. I guarantee all of you will be drooling over her bi-weekly recipes. They are amazing!

Thanks for the sweet intro, I’m thrilled to be here sharing some of my favorite fall recipes. I recently got back from a trip to Boston – where I lived during college. It’s one of my favorite cities but honestly, fall in New England can’t be beat. While I was there I had vivid memories of our yearly adventure outside of the city to go apple picking. The air was crisp, the leaves were at the peak of their color, and somehow it was always the perfect fall day. By the end of the day we would have bags and bags of freshly picked apples. One thing that was deadly were the apple cider donuts that were sold at the orchards, by the end of the day we could barely move from eating so many. The taste of those donuts is just so perfectly fall.

Here is my version of the traditional apple cider donut. Apple cider gives just a hint of acid and sourness to this cake donut that has been lightly fried and tossed in cinnamon and sugar. It is not overly apple and has the perfect amount of warm cinnamon. I dare you to eat one of these apple cider donuts and not dream about leaves changing, comfy sweaters and crisp clear fall days. Plus, when you make your own homemade donuts, you get the donut holes all to yourself, which might be the best part.

Enjoy!

PS. I have no idea if it is donut or doughnut. I grew up on Dunkin’ Donuts so I have always spelled them – donuts.

(Makes about 2 dozen donuts)

- 1 cup unfiltered apple cider

– 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour

– 1 tablespoon baking powder

– 1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda

– 1 teaspoon salt

– 2 teaspoons cinnamon, divided

– ½ cup well-shaken buttermilk

– 3/4 stick unsalted butter, melted

– 2 large eggs

– 2 cups sugar, divided

– 2 quarts vegetable oil

1.) In a small saucepan, boil apple cider until reduced to about 1/3 cup, 12 to 15 minutes, then set aside to cool.

2.) In a medium sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.

3.) In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix together reduced cider, buttermilk, butter, eggs, and 1 cup sugar until well combined. Add flour mixture and mix on medium speed until a dough forms (it will be sticky). This can also be done by hand if you don’t have a stand mixer.

4.) Turn out dough onto a well-floured surface and roll dough into a 13-inch round (about 1/3 inch thick). Cut out rounds with floured donut cutter, about 2- 3” in diameter and transfer to a floured baking sheet. Repeat with scraps. Reroll the dough only once, as it will start to become tough if it is rerolled too many times.

5.) Meanwhile pour vegetable oil into a 5-quart heavy pot and heat oil over medium- high heat to 370°F. (If you don’t have a deep fat-thermometer, sprinkle a tiny bit of flour into the oil, when it sizzles, the oil is ready.) Carefully slide donuts one at a time into the oil careful not to crowd pan. (If pan gets crowded with donuts the temperature will drop and you will have soggy donuts)

6.) When dropped into the oil, the donut will sink to the bottom, not to worry it will float to the top after about 20 seconds. When each donut floats to surface, turn over and continue to fry until golden brown, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Fry all of the donuts, making sure the oil stays around 370°F .

7.) Cool slightly; dredge in cinnamon sugar made from remaining cup of sugar and remaining teaspoon of cinnamon.

Note: These donuts are best right when you make them, but if you want to make them ahead of time, fry them off and do not dredge them in cinnamon sugar. Instead let them cool then wrap them tightly in plastic wrap. Right before you want to serve them, heat them in a 250 °F oven for about 10 to 15 minutes then toss them in cinnamon and sugar. You can make them up to a day ahead.

Recipe by Amanda Frederickson for Sacramento Street