There’s something truly magical about fall in upstate New York. Growing up, it meant crisp air, colorful leaves, and, of course, the irresistible smell of fresh apple cider doughnuts. These soft, spiced treats were a staple at local farm stands. They were also found at apple orchards. No trip to pick apples felt complete without grabbing a warm doughnut (or two). Now that I’m living in the south, I’ve found myself missing those nostalgic autumn flavors—especially the iconic apple cider doughnuts.
Over the years, I’ve tried several recipes hoping to recreate that perfect doughnut. While some came close, they were always just a little too dense. They didn’t quite capture that unique blend of flavors that made those doughnuts so special. I experimented for a long time. Finally, I created a recipe that’s almost there. It was so close, in fact, that I couldn’t resist sharing it with you!
This recipe captures the essence of fall in every bite: the deep, spiced flavor of cinnamon and nutmeg combined with the sweet, tangy kick of fresh apple cider. The doughnuts are soft and airy and they fry up perfectly golden and crisp. Coating them in cinnamon sugar adds that extra touch of warmth and nostalgia that reminds me of autumn mornings back home.
Whether you’re in the northeast and enjoying apple picking season, or somewhere else dreaming of the fall season. These apple cider doughnuts will bring a little taste of that magic to your kitchen. They’re perfect for cozy mornings, sharing with friends, or even as a special treat for holiday gatherings.
So grab your cider, get your doughnut pan (or fryer), and give this recipe a try. I can’t wait to hear what you think—let me know in the comments and enjoy every delicious bite!
Preparing the Dough
Start by mixing the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. This will ensure that the spices and leavening agents are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
In a separate large bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients: apple cider, sugar, buttermilk, melted butter, and egg. The apple cider adds the distinct fall flavor, while the buttermilk makes the doughnuts soft and tender.
Next, add half of the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and whisk until smooth, making sure there are no lumps. Once the mixture is well-combined, fold in the remaining dry ingredients using a rubber or silicone spatula. Be careful not to overwork the dough, as you want it to remain light and airy.
Shaping the Doughnuts
Once your dough is mixed, lightly flour your work surface. Turn the dough out onto the counter, and sprinkle a bit more flour on top. Using your hands, gently pat the dough into a 1/3-inch thick round, about 10 to 12 inches in diameter. This thickness is key to getting that perfect doughnut texture.
Now it’s time to cut the doughnuts. Using a 3-inch round cutter, cut out about 10 rounds. Then, use a 1-inch round cutter to punch out the center of each doughnut, leaving you with perfect doughnut shapes. Don’t forget to save the doughnut holes!
Transfer the cut doughnuts and doughnut holes to a lightly floured baking sheet, and refrigerate them while you prepare to fry. Chilling the dough helps the doughnuts hold their shape during frying.
Frying the Doughnuts
While the doughnuts chill, set up your frying station. Place a wire rack over a sheet tray and cover half of it with paper towels to absorb excess oil after frying.
In a large Dutch oven or cast-iron skillet, add enough oil to reach about 1 1/2 inches deep. Heat the oil over medium heat until it reaches 350°F. This is the ideal temperature for frying doughnuts—too hot and they’ll burn; too cold and they won’t cook properly.
Once the oil is at the right temperature, carefully lower 4 to 6 doughnuts into the oil at a time. Be sure not to overcrowd the pan, as this can cause the temperature to drop. Fry the doughnuts for about 2 minutes, turning them every 30 seconds to ensure they brown evenly. They should turn a rich, golden brown when they’re ready.
Using a skimmer or slotted spoon, transfer the doughnuts to the paper towel-lined wire rack to drain. Repeat with the remaining doughnuts, making sure the oil temperature stays at 350°F throughout the frying process. Once the doughnuts are done, don’t forget to fry the doughnut holes—these cook up quickly and are just as delicious as the full-sized doughnuts. Fry them for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally to cook them evenly.
Coating the Doughnuts
For the final touch, make your cinnamon sugar coating. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the sugar, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. This sweet, spiced mixture will add that classic flavor to your doughnuts.
Once the doughnuts have cooled enough to handle, gently roll each one in the cinnamon sugar, making sure it’s fully coated on all sides. Then, place the doughnuts on the wire rack to rest and set. The coating will stick to the doughnuts while they cool, giving them that perfect sugary finish.
Enjoy!
Once your doughnuts have cooled slightly and the sugar coating has set, they’re ready to be enjoyed! These apple cider doughnuts are soft, flavorful, and filled with the warmth of fall spices. They’re perfect for breakfast, an afternoon snack, or for sharing with loved ones on a crisp autumn day.
Enjoy your homemade apple cider doughnuts with a warm mug of cider or your favorite hot beverage. Let me know how your doughnuts turned out in the comments below—I can’t wait to hear what you think!
Happy baking!
The Best Apple Cider Doughnuts
Equipment
- 1 Dutch oven You may also use a deep cast iron skillet
Ingredients
For The Doughnuts:
- 2 1/2 Cups All-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup Apple cider (Or thawed apple juice concentrate for a stronger flavor)
- 1/3 cup white sugar
- 1/4 cup buttermilk (or 1/4 cup whole milk with 1 tsp white vinegar)
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter melted and cooled
- 1 large egg
- 2 quarts vegetable oil for frying
For The Coating:
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
Doughnuts:
- Whisk flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl.
- In another large bowl, whisk together the apple cider, sugar, buttermilk, melted butter, and egg.
- Whisk half of the flour mixture into the apple cider mixture until it becomes smooth with no clumps.
- Add the remainder of the flour mixture and, using a rubber or silicone spatula, fold the dough together until the mixture has no clumps remaining.
- Heavily dust a working space on your counter with flour. Turn dough out onto work surface and then dust the top of the dough with additional flour.
- Using your hands, gently pat dough into 1/3 inch thick round about 10 to 12 inches in diameter.
- Now, using a floured 3 inch round cutter, cut about 10 rounds.
- Using a 1 inch round cutter, cut out the centers of each round to form your doughnuts and doughnut holes.
- Lightly dust a baking sheet with flour and transfer doughnut rounds and holes onto the tray.
- Combine your dough scraps and knead together into a ball. Pat down again into a 1/3 inch thick round and cut out the rest of your doughnuts and rounds.
- Transfer them to the sheet tray and refrigerate while you heat your oil.
- Set a wire rack on top of another sheet tray and place 3 layers of paper towels over the top of half of the rack.
- Add your oil to a large dutch oven or cast iron skillet. (You can also obviously use a fryer if you happen to have one.) make sure your oil is at least an inch and a half deep.
- Heat the dutch oven to 350°f on a medium heat.
Cooking:
- Once your oil is up to temperature, remove your doughnuts from the fridge and gently place 4 to 6 doughnuts into the oil.
- Rotate every 30 seconds, so they do not become too dark, for about 2 minutes or until they become a nice golden brown. Adjust your burner as needed to maintain that 350°f.
- Using a skimmer, slotted spoon, or fish spatula in my case, transfer your doughnuts onto the paper towel-lined side of the rack.
- Let them rest while frying the remainder of the doughnuts 4 to 6 at a time. Make sure that your oil stays up to temperature because as you add more doughnuts the temperature will drop.
- Make sure the oil is back at 350°f and add your doughnut holes to the oil.
- Cook until they become a nice golden brown and be sure to stir them often. This should take about 2 minutes. Transfer to the paper towel-lined side of the rack.
Coating:
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk your sugar, cinnamon, and salt together.
- Now lightly coat each doughnut one at a time and transfer them to the wired side of the rack to rest.
Nutrition
For more fall-inspired recipes, check out my seasonal page!
For the best fall doughnuts in the upstate New York Capital region… go to Lansing’s Farm and Market in Latham, or Indian Ladder Farms in Altamont.
Comments
One response to “The Best Apple Cider Doughnuts”
My favorite!