Baked Apple Cider Donuts

When Fall hits, apple cider donuts are in a lot of places. I like them. I thought I would make some in my Wilton donut pans. This way I could bake them and they would be lower in fat.

This recipe calls for concentrated apple cider, so you may want to make it the night before to save time.

Baked Apple Cider Donuts

1 and 1/2 cups apple cider, reduced to 1/2 cup

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon apple pie spice *

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons butter, melted

1 egg

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

Topping

1 cup sugar

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 apple pie spice*

Reduce the apple cider by simmering it in a small saucepan over low heat.  It took mine about 20 minutes, but you should check about 10 minutes and then again at 15.  Set aside to cool.  If you made it earlier, you can start right away.

Preheat the oven to 350°.  Spray the donut pans with Pam.  

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, apple pie spice and salt together.  

In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, sugar, milk and vanilla. Pour the dry mix into the large bowl.  

Add the reduced cider and mix together until smooth.

I use a medium freezer Ziploc bag to pipe the dough into at the donut pans.  The freezer bags are thicker and less likely to burst than the regular bags.  You can use a spoon and then clean the drips, that works, too. Cut off a corner of the filled bag and fill the holes about halfway.  Don't overfill as the donuts will overflow and not be a round shape.

I had more dough than I had donut pans. I put the rest into a mini cupcake pan. Then I would have donut holes!

Bake for 10-11 minutes or until the tops are lightly browned.  The tops should spring back when gently pressed.  Cool for 2 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.  If you also used a mini cupcake pan, cook them for 8-9 minutes.

While they cool slightly, mix the topping.  Place the sugar, cinnamon and apple spice mix in a medium bowl.  Dip and roll the donuts in the topping and set aside.  You can dip them first into melted butter to have the topping stick, but I don't do that.  

These donuts are best served immediately.  They will keep for a few days when covered tightly.  If eaten the next day, pop them into the microwave for about 8 seconds to refresh them a bit.  You can freeze them at this point, if you like.

I saved the remaining cinnamon sugar and used it in coffee.  It made a nice cinnamon coffee to go with the donuts!

*If you don't have apple pie spice, you can make your own.

1 1/2 Tablespoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon cardamon

1/2 teaspoon allspice

Baked Orange Donuts

I got up early Valentine's Day to make my husband some baked donuts for breakfast.  I had just bought some oranges and decided that was a good change from baked lemon donuts I have made before.  Besides, I didn't have any lemons!

Baking makes them a little less decadent, but they are still a special treat.

   

Baked Orange Donuts

2 cups flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons melted butter
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
zest from one orange
1/3 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla

Glaze

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup orange juice
zest from one orange

   


Spray donut baking pans with Pam and preheat the oven to 425°.


   

Zest and squeeze two oranges.

   

Place the sugar and zest of one orange in a medium bowl, stir and let it sit to combine flavors.

   

In a large bowl, sift the flour, baking powder and salt.

   

Stir the melted butter into the sugar mixture.

   

Add the beaten eggs, orange juice and vanilla.  Whisk to combine.

   

Add half the sugar mixture and half the milk to the flour and stir.  Then add the rest of the liquids to the batter and mix, just until combined.

You can try to spoon the batter into the donut shapes on the pans, but it can get messy. The easiest way is to fill a quart sized Ziploc bag with the batter and pipe it into the donut pan.

   

Roll the top of the bag down and scoop the batter into it.  Grab the bag above the batter and snip of fa small bit of one corner. Then you can easily pipe the batter into the donut shapes without dripping all over the place.  Then just toss the Ziploc bag.

   

Bake for 8-9 minutes. I needed 9 minutes.

   

Let the donuts cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Use a plastic knife to remove them to the cooling rack.

While the donuts bake,  prepare the glaze.  Whisk the zest and juice into the powdered sugar until smooth.

   

Place some waxed paper under the cooling rack to catch the drips from the glaze.  Grab the donuts from the bottom and twist the tops in the glaze.  Return them top side up to the rack.  I had enough glaze to dip the donuts twice.

   

   

I served the donuts with scrambled eggs. It seemed like a (mostly) healthy meal to me!

   

Lee liked it, at least.