Breakfast

Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts - 2021
​​Recipe courtesy of Ben Wozny

A delicious autumn treat... Can be made as muffins too!

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INGREDIENTS
  • 1 ¾ cup (225 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
  • ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 2 sticks unsalted butter,
    ​room temperature, divided
  • ¾ cup (165 grams) light brown sugar
  • ¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar, divided
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup apple cider
  • Nonstick cooking spray
  • Gallon size resealable bag - optional

​PREPARATION
  1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, add flour, baking powder, salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and nutmeg and whisk to combine. Set aside.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream 10 tablespoons/140 grams butter, brown sugar and 1/4 cup/50 grams granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time and mix until well incorporated after each addition, scraping the bowl as necessary. Beat in the vanilla extract. 
  3. Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until incorporated. With the mixer running, add the apple cider in a slow, steady stream and mix to combine. Scrape the bowl to make sure the batter is mixed well.
  4. Lightly grease 2 (6-cavity) doughnut pans (or a 12-cup muffin tin) with nonstick spray. Spoon or pipe the batter into prepared doughnut pans, filling them about 2/3 of the way. (Highly recommend using a resealable plastic bag with a 1/2-inch opening cut from one corner, or a disposable piping bag.) Bake until evenly golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the thickest portion comes out clean, 12 to 15 minutes. Rotate the pans halfway through baking. (If you are making muffins, divide batter evenly between the prepared cups and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, rotating halfway through.) 
  5. While the doughnuts bake, whisk the remaining 1/2 cup/100 grams granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon together in a small bowl to combine. In a separate small bowl, melt the remaining 6 tablespoons butter in the microwave. Let the doughnuts cool for 5 minutes after baking, then unmold them from the pans, brush with the melted butter and dredge them in the cinnamon sugar while they are still warm. Serve immediately, or let cool to room temperature.
Apple cider doughnuts are one of my mom's Fall favorites, and she loves going to Dexter's Cider Mill in Michigan with Aunt Terry for apple cider and apple cider doughnuts. Mom says, "These are legit!"