Apple cider doughnuts are as American as the roadside orchard stand where they are most commonly found. They emerged from New England's cider mill culture in the 19th century and spread as the American apple harvest season became intertwined with the ritual of fall: hayrides, corn mazes, and the smell of warm doughnuts dusted in cinnamon sugar sold from the farm shop window. The key technique (reducing a full cup of fresh cider down to a syrupy concentrate) was originally a way to intensify apple flavour without adding more liquid. It is still the step that separates a true cider doughnut from an apple-flavoured one.
Ingredients
Cider Reduction
480 ml fresh apple cider (2 cups)
Dough
375 g all-purpose flour (3 cups)
60 g whole wheat flour (½ cup, or use all-purpose)
130 g packed brown sugar (⅔ cup)
2 tsp baking powder
0.75 tsp fine salt
0.5 tsp baking soda
0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
0.25 tsp ground nutmeg
0.25 tsp ground cardamom
0.25 tsp ground allspice
2 piece large eggs, room temperature
85 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled (6 tbsp)
Frying
1 litre neutral oil for deep-frying
Coating
100 g granulated sugar mixed with 1 tsp cinnamon, for coating
Method
Reduce the cider: bring the apple cider to a rapid boil in a wide saucepan over high heat. Boil until reduced to approximately 120 ml (½ cup), about 12–15 minutes. It should be syrupy and deep amber. Cool completely before using.
In a large bowl, whisk together both flours, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and allspice.
In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, melted butter, and the cooled cider reduction until combined.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until just combined into a sticky dough. Do not overmix. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour until firm enough to roll.
Turn the dough onto a well-floured surface. Divide in half, working with one portion at a time. Pat or roll to about 1.5 cm (½-inch) thickness. Cut with a floured 7.5 cm (3-inch) doughnut cutter. Re-roll scraps once.
Heat the oil to 165°C (325°F) in a deep pan. Fry doughnuts in batches, 2–3 minutes per side, until deeply golden. Fry the holes 1 minute per side.
Drain briefly on a wire rack, then immediately toss the warm doughnuts in the cinnamon-sugar mixture to coat.
Notes
Apple cider doughnuts are best eaten within 2 hours of frying. The cinnamon-sugar coating softens overnight. For a baked version, pipe into greased doughnut pans and bake at 175°C (350°F) for 12–15 minutes: the texture differs but the flavour is similar.
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