apple cider donuts

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I feel like it’s been a month since posting my last recipe.  In reality, it was on Monday.  Maybe it feels like an eternity, because my camera wasn’t taken out of it’s bag for 3 full days?  I don’t think that has happened once, in the past 2 years.  Since this trip is part work + part play, I haven’t had an abundance of time to get creative in the kitchen.  Instead, I’ve wanted to make tried + true recipes, I know the family will love. 

Tonight was cocoa chili in the crockpot.  Throw every ingredient in, set it on low, and let it go for 8hrs.  [The only change is to use 1c veggie broth instead of 1.5-2 – If it’s still not thick enough to your liking, stir in about 2T arrowroot starch mixed with 1T water, and let cook another 30min.]

Dessert however, was a new recipe.  The family has been requesting donuts, and you know I packed oat flour, sweet rice flour, and coconut flour in my suitcase!  What normal person wouldn’t?

This morning, I opened the fridge to find a carton of local apple cider staring me in the face.  Then I remembered back to your fall donut requests, an apple cider variety being one of them.

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I was nervous to see if the apple cider flavor would actually come through, or if it would just turn into a cinnamon donut.

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While I have an undying love for cinnamon, I didn’t want it to overpower the apple cider flavor.  1/2 teaspoon was all this batch needed, along with 1/8t nutmeg.

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The apple cider ended up working perfectly in place of almond milk.  They turned out to have the same distinct cake-donut texture as all the rest.  This might be my favorite variety, but it’s neck + neck with the cinnamon cake donuts.  While the two are similar, they are noticeably different.  Despite my skepticism, the apple cider flavor actually came through!

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I also have a new trick to share with you.

Instead of dipping the donut in melted butter + then dipping it in a sugary topping, I dunked it in the apple cider and then in the sugar!  This was not a means to save calories, it was a method to enhance the apple cider flavor. 

And it worked! 

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AJ, my 16yr old cousin, said, “Whoa.  The texture is really good!”  I was pretty excited that he mentioned the texture, because that is the biggest hurdle in gluten free baking.  And what 16yr old is actually paying attention to texture, not just scarfing down whatever is put in front of them?  High five, AJ!

We enjoyed the donuts alongside salted caramel gelato and a hot cup of coffee.  You better believe there was some dunk action happening.

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**donut pan users**  While baking these, I quickly realized, all donut pans are not the same size.  I’m not referring to the mini pans, but the pans that hold 6 donuts.  I can fill mine at home with this entire batch of batter, resulting in SIX donuts, but my mom’s Wilton brand pan, makes EIGHT!!  I just thought I would point this out.  Also, if yours fits more than 6, the baking time could slightly differ, as less batter is being used.   

Apple Cider Donuts

  • 1/2c oat flour [ground in a blender from certified gluten free oat groats or steel cut oats]
  • 1/2c sweet rice flour
  • 3T coconut flour
  • 4T sunflower oil
  • 1/3c sucanat
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2T unsweetened apple sauce
  • 1/2c apple cider
  • 1/2t ground cinnamon
  • 1/8t ground nutmeg
  • 1.5t vanilla
  • 1/2t salt
  • 1t baking powder
  1. Preheat your oven to 350* + grease your donut pan.
  2. In a medium sized bowl mix together the oat flour, sweet rice flour, coconut flour, sucanat, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg + baking powder.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, apple cider, vanilla, oil + applesauce.
  4. Stir wet into dry, until combined.  Do not over stir.  It will look slightly lumpy.
  5. With a spoon, spatula, or piping bag, transfer the batter to your greased pan, until almost flush with the top of the pan.
  6. Bake for 16-20min.
  7. Test with a toothpick for doneness.  You want a slightly moist toothpick.  Not gooey but not bone dry.  The tops of the donut should be golden brown and it will spring back when you press it lightly.
  8. Let them cool in the pan for 5min then turn out onto a cooling rack.
  9. Add toppings when cooled.

*For high altitude – oven 375*, 3/4t baking powder

*If you can’t find, or don’t want to buy coconut flour, I would add 1T extra oat flour and 2T extra of the sweet rice flour.

Apple Cider Sugar Topping

  • 1/4c sucanat [or pure cane sugar]
  • 1/4t ground cinnamon
  • 1/3c apple cider
  1. Pour cider into a bowl.
  2. Combine sucanat + cinnamon together in a another bowl.
  3. Dip half of the donut [or both sides] in the apple cider, then dunk into the bowl of sugar on 1 or both sides.

For a glazed donut – Mix 3T powdered sugar [or sucanat powdered sugar] with 2-3t apple cider, until smooth.  Dip the donuts and place on a cooling rack to set.

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Don’t forget!!  If you are without a donut pan, a muffin tin is completely acceptable.  They’ll take about 5-8min longer to bake, but will have the same thick, donut texture.

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A quick note – 

To say I was shocked, floored, + honored, to have been nominated as Foodbuzz’s Best Photography Blog, is an understatement.  I cannot believe the path my life has taken in the past two years, but I honestly couldn’t be happier and more excited for the future.  I have ALL of YOU to thank, for coming here day in + day out, supporting my crazy ways. 

Thank.

You.

Voting is now open to the public, until Oct. 17th.  Good luck to all of the nominees!

Ashley