Apple Cider Donuts

Homemade cider donuts made with brown butter, apple butter and apple pie spice.

Prep Time 36

Cook Time 3 40

Chill Time 1

Servings donuts

Equipment

digital thermometer

Ingredients

Apple Pie Spice

1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon allspice

Donut Dough

6 tablespoons or 85g unsalted butter
2 teaspoons apple pie spice from above
½ cup or 140g apple butter
½ cup or 120g sour cream full fat
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons boiled or reduced cider* see ingredient notes above
3/4 tsp fine sea salt
150g or ¾ cup brown sugar light or dark
1 tsp baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
450g or 3 ½ cups all purpose flour
Canola or vegetable oil for frying
granulated sugar for coating

Instructions

Brown the butter

In a frying pan set the butter over medium low heat. Cook as it melts, then sputters and bubbles until little brown bits appear at the bottom. Stir while it browns fully - but don't let the brown bits turn black. Transfer to a heatproof bowl. Add 2 teaspoons of the apple pie spices - this will bloom them so the flavor will be stronger.

Make the dough

Whisk together the cooled brown butter, apple butter, sugars, sour cream, eggs, salt, and boiled cider.
Separately, whisk together the flour and baking powder and soda. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet until you have a thick dough.
Line a half sized greased cookie sheet with parchment paper. Dust it with a thin layer of flour all over. Spread the donut dough over the parchment and use floured hands or a roller to get it into an even layer of about half an inch. Setting another sheet of parchment on top, after dusting with flour will help smooth it out. Set in the freezer to chill for at least 30 minutes or in the fridge for an hour.

Fry the donuts

Whisk together about 1/2 cup of granulated sugar and 1 tsp apple pie spice. Fill a large, deep skillet with oil until it is about 2-3 inches deep. Set it over medium high heat and keep a thermometer nearby as well as another cookie sheet lined with paper towels.
Using a donut cutter (or a round biscuit cutter and a piping tip) to punch out donut shapes. You can re-roll this dough to keep cutting out donuts. The dough is sticky so use flour as needed.
When the temperature of the oil reaches about 360 F, you can begin frying the donuts. Don’t do more than four at a time, they cook quickly. Once they are fully browned on the bottom - after about 3 minutes, turn them to cook on the other side. Once browned all over, use a spider strainer to remove them and set them on the paper towels.
While they are still hot but you’re able to handle them, dip them in the sugar mix to coat on both sides. It’s important to do this before the oil cools so that the sugar will stick to the donut.
Donuts are best the day of (while warm!) but store fine in an airtight container kept at room temperature.

Video

Notes

Note: if you would like to do a cider glaze instead of the sugar, whisk together 1 cup powdered sugar with 2-3 tablespoons fresh cider. I like to add vanilla, cinnamon and a pinch of salt as well.