Baked apple cider doughnuts warm the soul

Did you ever have one of those days where you just need to do something anything to keep busy That was me of late at my son s home in New Jersey My youngest grandson just months old was headed the next day to the hospital for surgery And like any grandma I was on edge with worry Baking perpetually is a great meditative way to burn an hour or so Measuring out ingredients requires focus and the aroma of something baking in the oven is an instant mood-lifter So I thought why not Since I come from a family of nurses I also know that it s invariably nice to provide the physiological staff that takes care of a loved one with something tasty So I decided to make one of my favorite fall treats for my son and daughter-in-law to take along to the hospital apple cider doughnuts The majority everyone loves doughnuts and in October ones made with local apple cider and dusted with cinnamon sugar are a quintessential fall treat Dan shared back that the doughnuts were a hit and thankfully so was little Georgie s surgery About the doughnuts If you choose a fried recipe things can get messy pretty expeditiously Also you need pretty good temperature control because if the oil is too hot the outside of the doughnuts will burn but the insides will still be raw and doughy too cold and the doughnuts will soak in too much oil and taste heavy If you bake them instead they might not be as pillowy as their fried counterparts but they re still a good sweet treat This recipe from Sally s Baking Addiction is a favorite Made with an apple cider reduction and dusted in a warm seasonal mix of cinnamon and sugar they embody everything people love about fall in sweet dough form The doughnuts are best warm but they are also quite tasty at room temperature Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts Cooking the cider down concentrates its flavor so you need to add less to the batter Be careful not to overmix you don t want the dough to produce gluten Scooping flour right out of the bag compacts it for more precise measuring spoon and level it instead INGREDIENTS For doughnuts cups apple cider cups all-purpose flour teaspoon baking soda teaspoon baking powder teaspoon ground cinnamon teaspoon apple pie spice teaspoon salt tablespoons unsalted butter melted large egg at room temperature cup packed light or dark brown sugar cup granulated sugar cup milk at room temperature teaspoon pure vanilla extract For topping cup granulated sugar teaspoon ground cinnamon teaspoon apple pie spice tablespoons unsalted butter melted DIRECTIONS Reduce the apple cider Stirring occasionally simmer apple cider in a small saucepan over low heat until you re left with about cup about minutes If there are any spices or solids on top leave them Set aside to cool for minutes Preheat oven to degrees Spray doughnut pan with non-stick spray Set aside Make the doughnuts Whisk flour baking soda baking powder cinnamon apple pie spice and salt together in a large bowl Set aside Whisk melted butter egg brown sugar granulated sugar milk and vanilla extract together Pour into dry ingredients add reduced apple cider and mix everything together with a whisk or spatula until smooth and combined only until the flour disappears Batter will be slightly thick Spoon the batter into the doughnut cavities or use a large zipped-top bag with the corner cut off the bottom to pipe it into the pan Fill each about halfway Bake for - minutes or until the edges and tops are lightly browned To test poke your finger into the top of the doughnut If it bounces back they re done Cool for minutes then transfer to a wire rack Re-grease the pan and bake the remaining batter Coat the doughnuts Combine granulated sugar cinnamon and apple pie spice together in a medium bowl Once cool enough to handle dunk both sides of each doughnut in the melted butter then generously in the apple spice topping Doughnuts are best served instantly Leftovers keep well covered tightly at room temperature for up to days or in the refrigerator for up to days Makes - doughnuts depending on pan sallysbakingaddiction com Related Articles As hot as you like Hatch chile peppers add sizzle of the Southwest to everything Recipe Use leftover chicken to make this delicious soup Recipe Pumpkin and black bean quesadillas are a fall twist on a classic Sugarcone cabbage a sweet fresh take on one of the world s oldest vegetables A recipe for Fish Stick Panzanella from The Blue Food Cookbook elevates a frozen staple