Rosh Hashana seemed like the perfect time of year to give apple cider doughnuts a try. L'Shana Tova roughly means "for a good year". On Rosh Hashana (the Jewish new year) we dip apples in honey to show our wish for a sweet new year. Why not make apple cider doughnuts dipped in honey this year?!
Apple cider doughnuts are typically baked, not fried. They are essentially cake doughnuts made with apple cider. Because apple cider doughnuts are cake, the doughnut recipe also worked as a cupcake! In the photo above, you see a doughnut on top of a cupcake - both made with the same batter.
Were the Apple Cider Doughnuts Worthy of My Dreams
Our dinner guest, St. Louis food blogger Andrew Mark Veety, said that my apple cider doughnuts would be "killer with a cup of coffee for breakfast." However, he and his wife both felt that they could hardly be called doughnuts. I had to agree. The apple cider doughnuts were moist, fluffy, and sweet, but tasted more like tiny apple muffins than doughnuts. These doughnuts could be a great way to trick your kid or yourself into eating something healthier than a typical fried doughnut, but if you are expecting a Krispy Kreme, don't bother making these.
Apple Cider Doughnut Recipe
To make these apple cider doughnuts, you'll need a doughnut pan. The cool thing is that you can make any cake recipe into a cake doughnut with one of these pans - so fun!! I prefer the mini doughnut pan - that way they fit on top of my cupcakes (I understand that this may not be your priority).
I found the recipe for the apple cider doughnuts on Jen's food blog, Milk and Cookies. Jen adapted the recipe from one found on Diana's Desserts. I am reprinting it here, with my notes.
Makes approximately 36 mini doughnuts or 12 cupcakes.
- 2 C all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 t baking powder
- 1 1/2 t baking soda
- 1/2 t salt
- 2 t ground cinnamon
- 1/2 t grated nutmeg
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 2/3 C packed brown sugar
- 1/2 C apple butter
- 1/3 C pure maple syrup
- 1/3 C apple cider
- 1/3 C plain yogurt
- 3 tbsp hazelnut oil, plus extra for coating the pan (If hazelnut oil is not available, you can substitute with macadamia nut oil or vegetable oil.)
- approximately 3 tbsp sugar for baking pans
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg; set aside.
- In another bowl, whisk together egg, brown sugar, apple butter, maple syrup, cider, yogurt and hazelnut oil.
- Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir just until moistened.
- Brush cavities of a doughnut pan with hazelnut oil and sprinkle with sugar. If making cupcakes, simply fill cupcake tin with cupcake liners.
- For doughnuts, fill each cavity about halfway. For cupcakes, fill cupcake liners about 3/4 full.
- Bake at 375 F for 10 to 15 minutes (doughnuts) or 20 minutes (cupcakes) or until the tops spring back when touched lightly.
I topped each apple cider doughnut with a honey glaze and then dipped the doughnuts in cinnamon and sugar. For the honey glaze, simply combine and microwave two parts honey to every one part apple cider (i.e. 4 T honey and 2 T apple cider) until hot.
I used the same glaze to top the cupcakes, and I added some powdered sugar for kicks.
They look fantastic - what a great flavour combination for doughnuts. I like that you have to make sure they are mini so that they fit on top of your cupcakes.
ReplyDeleteOoh these sound delicious. I love your mini doughnut pan. I'll definitely have to try these. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
ReplyDeleteI am very against frying things myself, so I am delighted that these are baked doughnuts!
ReplyDeleteOne of my new GA friends just mentioned readying herself for Rosh Hashana, so I'm going to send her this link. :)
These donuts look incredible. I love that they are baked and not fried.
ReplyDeletethey looks too good and love the combination.nice presentation
ReplyDeleteYou're a crazy lady/driven to the cupckae extreme super woman. Didn't you just have a baby!
ReplyDeleteLooks incredibly tasty. If you have any leftover after the holiday can I have one?
ReplyDeleteElliot
(ps: shanah tovah!)
Looks wonderfully delicious.
ReplyDeleteEvery autumn I take my children to the same pumpkin patch and we always wait in line for some warm apple cider doughnuts.
ReplyDeleteThis looks like a fabulous recipe with the honey glaze!
MMM.... I love cupcakes and thinking of new ways to make them unique! Plus donuts+cupcakes= heaven! And since they're baked you don't have to worry about all the grease and extra calories (not that a few hundred more will make a difference while coupled with cupcakes haha) that come with frying.
ReplyDeleteCupcake CRAZE stretches to Middle East! Check it out: http://besenretail.wordpress.com/2009/09/23/cupcake-craze-stretches-to-middle-east/
ReplyDeleteGreat post, but apple cider donuts are typically fried, not baked as you asserted, at least throughout the Midwest and East Coast. That said, great to have an alternative baked version!
ReplyDeleteyep, our orchards are always fried. and SO good. clever recipe though!
ReplyDeleteWhen baked instead of fried, this dough qualifies as a muffin or cake. Revisionist history cannot change the FACT that doughnuts are fried. Oliekoek (Dutch original reference to what we call a doughnut) anyone?
ReplyDeleteI have always wanted to try a gluten free lifestyle to see if it helped my weight situation. I thought it would be hard to buy or make things that were gluten free, but this recipe looks absolutely delicious!!
ReplyDelete