

Saturday, as we were enjoying some fresh donuts on the car ride home, Mike asked me - what makes them cider donuts? Is there actually cider in them? I had no idea.
After a little googling I discovered that, in fact, they do. The cider gives them an acid bite and makes them extra moist. The recipes I found online recommended making them with a condensed cider made simply by boiling the cider for 15 minutes to concentrate the flavor.
As it is officially October, we spent another weekend farm and orchard hoping. Our "field trip" this time was to a real pumpkin patch. This was the first time in 25 years that I've actually picked pumpkins from a field. I know - I can hardly believe it myself. It was so much more fun than picking them out at the market. Emma picked her very own pumpkins - all just her size.
Emma had the best time. Each time she found one, she would say... "Look, there's one! There's a punkin'!" We have all of her pint size pumpkins lined up on our front steps.
Last weekend's donut stop was not the best, but this weekend, oh my. Oh my. I bought a dozen and they were gone by Sunday morning at 8 am... leaving us craving more by the afternoon.
The beauty of these donut is that they are baked - in just about 10 minutes! I don't think you can make it to the donut shop and back in that time. You will need a donut pan - which you can find in my store : Donut Pan for $14.
baked
Cider Donuts

......
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
3/4 cups milk
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla
.........
4 tablespoons butter1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees with the donut pan in the oven.

4 tablespoons butter1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees with the donut pan in the oven.
Begin by condensing the cider - boil 1 1/2 cup for 15 minutes until it has reduced.
Pour the cider into a measuring cup, then add butter, milk, vanilla and egg. Stir to combine.
Combine all of the dry ingredients, then stir in wet cider mixture.
It should be about the consistency of waffle batter.
Remove the donut pan from the pre-heated oven, then spray or butter the donut pan. Then spoon in mixture 3/4 of the way up the pan.
Combine sugar and cinnamon in a shallow bowl.
Remove from pan, and one at a time brush with melted butter, then coat donut with cinnamon sugar.
Serve warm, if possible.

Cider donuts have become a weekend morning tradition for us - I'm so glad we can make our own version at home. Now I'm wondering... cider pancakes? cider waffles? cider scones with a maple glaze?!
What are you favorite fall weekend morning traditions?
Find the donut pan, here>
I found out at a cider doughnut booth at a festival this weekend that some cider doughnuts are actually made with 7up. Wierd I know!
ReplyDeleteoh delightful! this is like a scratch and sniff page of cider loveliness.
ReplyDeletehttp://semiweeklyeats.blogspot.com/2013/10/the-little-things.html
I'm so excited to give these a try!! I just saw a recipe on Food 52 (have you seen that website yet?!!) that looked realty amazing but they weren't baked and I loathe frying doughnuts. Yours will be breakfast this weekend! I've never had a cider doughnut but I've been dreaming about them ever since I saw another blog friend post them last year. Happy October! xo, Tessa
ReplyDeleteps. we went pumpkin picking last Friday - so much more fun to pick from a field, I agree!! even though the fresh stems are a bit prickly for little hands.
Yes - luckily, Emma only pulled on the actual pumpkin and we would break the stem for her. I haven't looked at Food 52 - I'll be sure to stop by! Thanks for sending the boxwood resources... love them!!!
DeleteJenny
So excited to try these! My husband and I are BIG fans of cider donuts whether they are from farm stands, pumpkin patches, or a little shop on Block Island where we go most summers. Now, I'm so excited to surprise him with a batch of freshly made baked ones in our own home this weekend! So thank you!
ReplyDeleteQuick question - how do you prepare your hot apple cider? I am nearly obsessed with a company called Aspen Taste and their "Original Spice Blend" that I stir into cider heating in a crockpot. But I'm always curious to learn about other people's recipes for hot apple cider. How do you make yours? Thank you again!
I grew up with the Aspen Taste! It really is good. My favorite is from local mills - all I do is heat it up. If it is not in season, or I want to add extra goodness, I put some orange peel in with it - love the combo.
DeleteJenny
I ran out after work to get the ingredients to make these! Am I supposed to use 1 1/4 cups of cider and then reduce it, or 1 1/2 cups? Thanks! I can't wait to make these!
ReplyDeleteSorry! Just fixed this - cook the 1 1/2 cups down, you should end up with about 1/2 cup of the reduced mixture to use.
DeleteJenny
Thank you so much! I was so anxious to make these that I just went for it. I decided to go for the 1 1/2 cups to be safe. I only had whole wheat flour though, and they turned out a little heavy, but still really good. My husband and I ate way too many last night. Thank you!
DeleteGood grief. First my sister makes pumpkin spice doughnuts and then I come across your apple cider doughnuts!!! I'm going to have to make something too. These look DELISH and I just bought some apple cider yesterday!
ReplyDeleteWhere did you buy your doughnut pans? I need to find some. Just curious about your source.
ReplyDeleteI got mine at Sur La Table around christmas time. It was very inexpensive - maybe $10.
DeleteJenny
Jenny,
ReplyDeleteI haven't heard of cider donuts before, but these look delicious. I just watched the episode (recorded) of Ina's doughnut baking.
Karen
I will make these !!! Where did you get the beautiful glasses ?
ReplyDeleteThese look just wonderful...and Emma is sooooo adorable!
ReplyDeleteHey Jenny,
ReplyDeleteDidn't know how else to contact you...what size are the linen napkins on your store site?
I love fried cider donuts, but I don't love all the work involved; I will definitely try this recipe next time I need a quick fix! Linked to your recipe in my post on cider donuts the easier way... http://slowmama.com/fooddrink/cider-donuts-the-easy-way/
ReplyDeleteThanks again for sharing!
I was looking for more Halloween Recipes and found your blog site. I hope it’s fine with you if I could pin some of these photos on my Pinterest boards. Thank you and keep sharing :D They look yummy than scary btw! Haha
ReplyDeleteMade these last weekend and they were a huge hit! Making them again this weekend, too. I also wanted to let you know that I loved everything that I ordered from your on line shop - including the packaging. I hope it continues to be successful for you.
ReplyDeletenot to be rude but i really dont like the recipe section the link takes you to pinterest is there a list of recipes instad ?
ReplyDeleteCould you use reduced apple juice if you don't have the cider?
ReplyDeleteCurious if this would work ok baking in a muffin tin? I don't have a donut pan and I basically am the captain of impatience and I want to make them now. Haha.
ReplyDelete