Homemade Cider Doughnuts

Doughnuts are a mainstay in Plain kitchens.  I've posted about Amish-made doughnuts plenty of times on this site.  I didn't think there was much more to say about doughnuts. But then Plain Kansas columnist Rosanna sent me her photos of their homemade "cider doughnuts."  Doughnuts flavored with apple cider are delicious.

There's a little Amish bakery up in Michigan that sells cider doughnuts in season and, wow, are they amazing.  You can buy some apple cider in the store and enjoy these cider doughnuts year-round.

Below are some scenes from Rosanna's kitchen as they went through the process of making the cider doughnuts.  And below is a recipe common in Brethren and Amish kitchens for these delectable creations.

The brown sugar glaze just makes them sing!

Homemade Cider Dougnuts

 

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Ingredients

• 2 cups apple cider
• ½ cup sugar
• ¼ cup butter
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1¾ cups flour
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ---
• Glaze:
• 2 cups packed brown sugar
• ½ cup water
• Pinch salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

1. Bring the cider to a boil, and simmer until it's reduced to 1 cup.
2. Cut butter into 4 pieces and place in a large bowl.
3. Pour the hot cider over the butter.
4. Stir gently until butter is melted. Stir in sugar.
5. Whisk the egg and the vanilla into the butter/sugar/cider mixture.
6. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
7. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until a soft dough forms.
8. Dump the dough out onto a floured surface and knead gently, adding more flour until you have a smooth dough that's not sticky.
9. Let dough rest for 5 minutes. While the dough is resting, heat several inches of oil to 350 degrees.
10. Roll dough out ¾ inches thick. With a doughnut cutter (or one large and one small biscuit cutter) cut out the doughnuts and place them on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper.
11. Gather up scraps after cutting out as many doughnuts as possible, knead gently, let rest, then reroll dough and cut more. You can save the doughnut holes and fry them too, or reroll them to make more doughnuts.
12. Fry doughnuts in batches, turning once, until dark golden brown and puffed, about 3-4 minutes. Drain doughnuts on paper towels.
13. Make glaze: Bring 1 brown sugar, salt, and water to a boil and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
14. Dip doughnuts into warm glaze, turning to coat both sides. Let excess drip off then place doughnuts on cookie sheet to cool.
15. Makes about 16 doughnuts, depending on size.

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