Baked Apple Cider Donuts
 
 
Yield: 12-14 donuts
Ingredients
for the donuts
  • 1¾ cups apple cider, see first instruction
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¾ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom or allspice
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 egg, room temperature
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup milk, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
for the sugar topping
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom or allspice
Directions
for the donuts
  1. Reduce the apple cider. Heat in a saucepan over medium-low heat for about 30 minutes, or until it has reduced to ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons. It can take a while so be patient; you most likely aren’t doing anything wrong and it just needs to reduce longer. The apple cider will not get thicker, it will just reduce down to less liquid and also get a little darker. Let cool for 10 minutes before using in the recipe.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray donut pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
  3. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices and salt in a large mixing bowl.
  4. Whisk together the melted butter, egg, sugar, brown sugar, milk and vanilla in a medium mixing bowl. Pour the butter mixture into the flour mixture and whisk until combined. Add ½ cup of the reduced apple cider and whisk. Carefully pour the batter into the prepared donut pan so that the cavities are filled halfway up. I use Wilton batter spoons; you could also pipe from a piping bag. Bake for 12-14 minutes. The tops of the donuts should be browned and they should spring back lightly when you press them. Cool in the pan for 2-4 minutes then remove to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
for the sugar topping
  1. Place the melted butter and the remaining 2 tablespoons of reduced apple cider in one bowl large enough to dip one donut at a time. In another bowl combine the sugar and spices. Dunk the donut in the melted butter mixture (being sure not to oversaturate) and then dip in the cinnamon-sugar mixture to coat completely. Repeat for the remaining donuts. Donuts will taste best fresh, but can also be eaten at room temperature for 2 days.
Recipe by Lemon & Mocha at http://www.lemonandmocha.com/2019/09/03/baked-apple-cider-donuts/