Filled with a spiced apple cider reduction, dark brown sugar, and plenty of fall spices, these easy fried apple cider donuts will take your fall baking to a new level of cozy.
As the leaves begin to turn and the air fills with the sweet aroma of autumn, there's no better time to indulge in the comforting flavors of the season. In this recipe, we'll guide you through crafting your very own Easy Fried Apple Cider Donuts—a delightful treat that captures the essence of fall in every bite. These pillowy donuts are infused with the warmth of spiced apple cider, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, making them the perfect accompaniment to a cozy cup of coffee or a chilly evening by the fireplace. Let’s make them.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup spiced apple cider (Heated and reduced to about ½ cup)
- ¼ cup salted butter (melted)
- ⅓ cup dark brown sugar (packed)
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- Vegetable oil for frying
Topping:
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Caramel sauce for dipping or filling (my 3-ingredient caramel sauce is perfect in this recipe!)
Instructions:
1. Reduce the Apple Cider:
Begin by taking your apple cider and placing it in a small saucepan over medium to high heat. Allow it to simmer and come to a low rolling boil, which should take approximately 12-15 minutes. This will reduce the liquid from one cup to about ½ cup. Set the cider reduction aside to cool slightly while you gather your other ingredients.
2. Prepare the Donut Dough:
In a medium-sized bowl, combine the melted butter, apple cider reduction, brown sugar, and room-temperature egg. Whisk until fully incorporated, about 15 seconds. Add the pure vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground cloves, baking powder, and salt. Mix until all ingredients are well combined. Gradually add the all-purpose flour and mix gently until no flour remains unmixed.
3. Roll and Cut the Dough:
On a floured surface, roll out the dough to about ½ to three-quarter inch thickness. To create classic donut shapes, use a circular cookie cutter measuring 2-4 inches in diameter. If you prefer smaller donuts, you can cut out a smaller circle from the center to create donut holes.
4. Heat the Vegetable Oil:
In a deep, heavy-bottomed pan, heat approximately 4 inches of vegetable oil to 350°F (175°C).
5. Fry the Donuts:
Carefully add 2-3 larger donuts or 5-6 smaller ones to the hot oil. Fry until they turn a beautiful golden brown, which should take around 1-3 minutes on each side, depending on the size of your donuts.
6. Prepare the Cinnamon Sugar Topping:
While your first batch of donuts is frying, mix the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon in a small bowl. Set this mixture aside.
7. Coat the Donuts:
Place a paper towel on top of a cooling rack. Once the donuts are done frying, remove them from the oil directly onto the paper towel to allow excess oil to drip off. While they are still warm but cool enough to handle, toss each donut in the cinnamon sugar mixture, ensuring they are evenly coated.
8. Serve and Enjoy:
These delightful fried apple cider donuts are best served warm. If you desire an extra layer of indulgence, serve them alongside warm caramel sauce for dipping or filling.
9. Storage:
Store any leftover donuts at room temperature in an airtight container for up to three days, although they are best enjoyed on the day they are made.
Products:
Here is one link to the products I used in making these donuts.
Peruse my entire storefront for the items that I bake and style with daily! My promise to you is to never share a product that I don’t personally use and love.
Dietary Substitutions:
I love providing gluten and dairy free substitutions so that those with alternate dietary needs can enjoy my recipes to their fullest! These are subs that I have either used and continue to stock in my own home, or that have come highly recommended from others. I want your baking experience to be the best it can be, and avoiding gluten or dairy shouldn’t hinder that process in the slightest.
As always, here is a list of tried and true dietary substitutes, so that you can enjoy this recipe without the additions of gluten or dairy.
Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free Baking Flour is a wonderful all-purpose sub, and its cup for cup, so use the same measurements as you would all-purpose flour.
Miyokos butter is a plant based brick that closely resembles dairy butter not only in its look, but it’s taste as well. It melts, browns, and spreads just like real butter, and truly is a fantastic substitute in this recipe. Use it as a 1:1 ratio sub, same as the flour, so the recipe measurements will not change.
Conclusion:
These Easy Fried Apple Cider Donuts are the epitome of fall flavors, capturing the essence of the season in each delectable bite. With the warm spices, the sweet aroma of apple cider, and the satisfying crunch of cinnamon sugar, they're the perfect treat for cool autumn mornings or cozy evenings by the fire. So, embrace the spirit of fall and delight in making—and savoring—these homemade donuts.
If you loved this recipe, I’d be so grateful for you to leave a 5 star rating + review.
Tag @heathershomebakery on Instagram if you upload a pic too, because I want to see your creations.
Lastly, post this recipe to any of your boards by tapping the Pinterest icon and clicking on your favorite photo. Save and enjoy!
XO,
Heather
PS: Try my Cinnamon Donuts with Browned Butter Caramel Sauce. This is another seasonal favorite of mine and I hope you love it as well.
Easy Fried Apple Cider Donuts
Ingredients
For the Donuts:
- 1 Cup Spiced Apple Cider, headed and reduced to about ½ cup
- ¼ Cup Salted Butter, melted
- ⅓ Cup Dark Brown Sugar, packed
- 1 Large Egg, room temperature
- 1 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- ½ Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
- ¼ Teaspoon Ground Cloves
- 1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
- ¼ Teaspoon Salt
- 2 ½ Cups All Purpose Flour
- Vegetable Oil, for frying
Topping:
- ⅓ Cup Granulated Sugar
- 2 Teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
- Caramel Sauce for dipping, optional
Instructions
- In a deep heavy bottomed pan, heat around 4 inches of vegetable oil to 350°. Try to keep the heat from dropping below 325° 325° during the frying process.
- Reduce the apple cider: place the apple cider in a small saucepan on medium to high heat. Allow it to simmer and come to a low rolling boil, about 12-15 minutes. This should reduce the liquid from one cup to about ½ cup. Set the cider reduction aside to cool slightly while you gather your other ingredients.
- Instructions: In a medium size bowl, place the melted butter, apple cider, brown sugar, and egg. Whisk until full incorporated, about 15 seconds. Add the vanilla, spices, baking powder, salt. Mix to combine. Add the flour and mix gently until no powder remains unmixed.
- Roll the dough out on a flowered surface to about ½ to three-quarter inch thickness. Using a circle cookie cutter of 2-4 inches, cut circles out of your dough to the size do you want your donuts to be. If you don’t answer larger, cut a smaller circle out of the center for that standard donut luck, and fry at the middles as donut holes.
- Fry the donuts 2-3 at a time if they are larger; or 5-6 at a time if smaller. Fry until they are golden brown, about 1-3 minutes on each side depending on the donut size. While your first batch of donuts is frying up, mix the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl and set this aside. Place a paper towel on top of a cooling rack.
- Remove the donuts from the oil directly to the paper towel to allow the excess oil to drip off. While they are still warm but cool enough to handle, toss each donut in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Serve alongside warm caramel sauce if desired. Store any leftover donuts at room temperature in an airtight container for up to three days. Best served day of. Enjoy!
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