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Doughnuts

Apple Cider Donuts

October 2, 2018 by laurenpacek 1 Comment

If Apple Cider Donuts don’t say “Fall”, then I don’t know what does.

These donuts have a lot going for them: lightly tangy apple cider flavor, dense cake-y texture, and crunchy cinnamon sugar coating. There’s no wrong way to eat them, but trust me when I say that these donuts are at their best when eaten fresh and hot.

Apple Cider Donuts | A Nerd Cooks

I’ve shied away from making fried donuts in the past because, frankly, I was a little intimidated. I stuck to baking my donuts in a donut pan. Not that there’s any shame in doing that. Baked donuts are great, too!

But I’m here to tell you that frying your own hot, crispy-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside donuts at home really isn’t a big deal! There’s a little bit of forethought involved, since you need to prep the dough, let it chill, and cut out the donuts. But once you’re past that, it’s pretty simple and everything comes together quickly.

First, you heat canola oil in a heavy bottomed pot (Dutch ovens work well here) until your candy thermometer lets you know you’ve reached the desired temperature. Gently add the donuts (avoid splashing the hot oil!), flipping them a couple of times over the course of 2-3 minutes so that they cook evenly on both sides. Let the cooked donuts drain a little before tossing them in a big dish of cinnamon and sugar. And there you have it!

Hot, delicious, homemade donuts.

Apple Cider Donuts | A Nerd Cooks

I’ve shared baked donuts with you before. Check out these (aptly named) Easy Chocolate Cake Mix Donuts and Pumpkin Streusel Donuts for a a couple of examples.

This Apple Cider Donuts recipe is ever so slightly adapted from Table for Two.

5 from 1 vote
Apple Cider Donuts | A Nerd Cooks
Print
Apple Cider Donuts
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Chilling dough
3 hrs
Total Time
45 mins
 
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12 donuts + donut holes
Ingredients
For the donuts
  • 2 cups apple cider
  • 3.5 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2/3 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 3/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ground allspice
  • 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 2 eggs
  • 6 tbs unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 1 quart canola oil, for frying
For the cinnamon-sugar coating
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1.5 tbs ground cinnamon
Instructions
To prepare the donut dough
  1. In a small saucepan, bring the apple cider to a boil. Cook over high heat until the cider reduces by half. Allow it to cool completely.

  2. While the cider reduces, whisk the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, kosher salt, baking soda, and spices together in a large bowl.

  3. In a medium-sized bowl or a large measuring cup, whisk the eggs, cooled butter, and cooled cider together.

  4. Make a well in the dry ingredients then pour the liquid ingredients into the well. 

  5. With a spatula, fold the flour into the liquid ingredients. Once a sticky dough comes together, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours (overnight would be ideal).

To make the cinnamon-sugar coating
  1. On a plate or in a shallow container (I used a pie dish), thoroughly combine the sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.

To fry the donuts
  1. Once ready, divide dough in half then on a well-floured surface, roll out the dough into 1/2-inch thickness and use a donut cutter to cut the dough (see notes).

  2. Heat the canola oil in a heavy-bottom pot (I use a Dutch oven) to 375 degrees F. 

  3. Fry the donuts, 2-3 at a time, until they are golden brown (about 2-3 minutes on each side).

  4. Place the fried donuts onto a paper towel to drain for a minute. Then immediately toss them in the cinnamon sugar mixture.

Recipe Notes

Notes:

  • I don't have a donut cutter, so I used two round cookie cutters of different sizes to cut the outline of the donut and then to cut the donut hole.

Apple Cider Donuts | A Nerd Cooks

Apple Cider Donuts | A Nerd Cooks

Apple Cider Donuts | A Nerd Cooks

Apple Cider Donuts | A Nerd Cooks Apple Cider Donuts | A Nerd Cooks

Filed Under: All Recipes, Doughnuts, Food

Chocolate Cake Mix Donuts

April 14, 2016 by laurenpacek 10 Comments

These Chocolate Cake Mix Donuts are light and cake-y, doused with a sweet powdered sugar glaze, and topped with chopped Oreos and chocolate sprinkles.

Chocolate Cake Mix Donuts | A Nerd Cooks

Donut… doughnut…  How do you spell it?  I’m partial to “donut” without any real justification for that preference.  The spell check on this computer is flagging “donut” but not “doughnut” as not being a word but… I’m gonna stick to my guns.

Chocolate Cake Mix Donuts | A Nerd Cooks

I’ve been getting my donut on lately (see chocolate peppermint cake donuts and pumpkin streusel donuts), and have plans to make more over the weekend.  So stay tuned next week!

These particular donuts are especially easy to make,  since they start out as a boxed cake mix!  I tend to be a little snobby about making everything from scratch, so I had shied away from recipes that use boxed mixes.  But, really, there’s no need for pretentiousness when a shortcut like this can get donuts into your face hole more quickly.  Come with me; Let us all embrace the boxed cake mix donut!

Chocolate Cake Mix Donuts | A Nerd Cooks

This recipe comes from Kleinworth & Co.

5 from 2 votes
Chocolate Cake Mix Donuts | A Nerd Cooks
Print
Chocolate Cake Mix Donuts
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
25 mins
 
Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12 donuts
Ingredients
For the donuts
  • 1 box chocolate cake mix
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup water
For the glaze
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2-3 tbs milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the toppings
  • chopped Oreo cookies
  • chocolate sprinkles
Instructions
To make the donuts
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a donut pan or two with cooking spray and set them aside.

  2. In a medium-sized bowl, add the cake mix, egg, vegetable oil, and water. Mix until combined. 

  3. Using a piping bag, or spoon, fill the donut pan(s) up about 1/2-3/4 of the way.

  4. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the donuts are done all the way through. Allow them to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack to finish cooling completely.
To make the glaze
  1. In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar a bit of the milk, and the vanilla extract. (see notes)

  2. Spoon the glaze liberally over the tops of the donuts. Add as many chopped Oreos and sprinkles as your heart desires. 

Recipe Notes

Notes: Find that your glaze is too thin? Add some more powdered sugar. Too thick? More milk. Keep going until you hit on a consistency that you're happy with.

 

Chocolate Cake Mix Donuts | A Nerd Cooks

Chocolate Cake Mix Donuts | A Nerd Cooks Chocolate Cake Mix Donuts | A Nerd Cooks

 

Chocolate Cake Mix Donuts | A Nerd Cooks

Chocolate Cake Mix Donuts | A Nerd Cooks

Filed Under: All Recipes, Breakfast, Dessert, Doughnuts, Food

Chocolate Peppermint Cake Donuts

December 21, 2015 by laurenpacek 6 Comments

These Chocolate Peppermint Cake Donuts are dense, cakey, and the perfect balance of chocolate and mint.Chocolate and peppermint is a quintessential holiday flavor combination.

Chocolate Peppermint Cake Donuts | A Nerd Cooks

Chocolate and peppermint is one of my favorite flavor combinations, holiday or otherwise. I will happily go to town on some York Peppermint Patties or Junior Mints any day of the week. Peppermint mocha? Done. These donuts are a fun, minty way to celebrate the season.

Chocolate Peppermint Cake Donuts | A Nerd Cooks

The donut recipe comes from A Sweet Pea Chef. The frosting recipe is adapted from Joy the Baker’s 2nd cookbook.

Chocolate Peppermint Cake Donuts | A Nerd Cooks
Print
Chocolate Peppermint Cake Donuts
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 16 donuts
Ingredients
For the donuts
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 2 eggs
  • 4 tbs unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 tbs plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the frosting (makes more than needed)
  • 16 tbs unsalted butter, softened
  • 4-5 cups powdered sugar
  • 1-2 tbs milk
  • 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
  • candy canes, crushed
Instructions
To make the donuts
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a donut pan or two and set them aside.

  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugars, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

  3. In another medium bowl, combine the buttermilk, eggs, melted butter, yogurt, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla extract. Mix until just combined.

  4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until just combined.
  5. Spoon or pipe the batter into the  donut pan molds ~3/4 of the way full. Bake 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick, when inserted into a donut, comes out clean.

  6. Allow the donuts to cool for 5 minutes in the pan before removing them to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.
To make the frosting
  1. Beat the softened butter and 2 cups of powdered sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add 1 tbs of milk and the peppermint extract. Add more powdered sugar, beating on low,  until you have achieved the desired consistency. If you need to thin things out, add a little more milk. Once you've reached the desired consistency, beat on medium for a few minutes to fluff up the frosting.

  2. Frost the donuts and top them with crushed candy canes.  

Want more donuts? How about Chocolate Cake Mix Donuts or Pumpkin Streusel (also cake mix) Donuts? Don’t forget Apple Cider Donuts!

Chocolate Peppermint Cake Donuts | A Nerd Cooks

 

Chocolate Peppermint Cake Donuts | A Nerd Cooks Chocolate Peppermint Cake Donuts | A Nerd Cooks

Filed Under: All Recipes, Dessert, Doughnuts, Food

Pumpkin Streusel Donuts

November 16, 2015 by laurenpacek 13 Comments

These Pumpkin Streusel Donuts donuts are sweet, pumpkin-y, and full of Fall spiced flavor. The streusel topping and sweet glaze really put them over the top.

Pumpkin Streusel Donuts | A Nerd Cooks

I bought a donut pan a while back, but rarely use it.  That’s a real shame, because donuts.

I decided to change that this weekend.

Pumpkin Streusel Donuts | A Nerd Cooks

These donuts taste delicious, look great, and are super easy to make since they’re essentially just a gussied up boxed cake mix.

Pumpkin Streusel Donuts | A Nerd Cooks

This recipe comes from the blog Jennifer Meyering.

Pumpkin Streusel Donuts | A Nerd Cooks
Print
Pumpkin Streusel Donuts
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
20 mins
 
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 24 donuts
Ingredients
For the donuts
  • 16.5 oz box spice cake mix
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 tbs butter, melted
For the streusel topping
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 2 tbs butter, melted
For the glaze
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1-2 tbs milk
Instructions
To make the donuts
  1. In a large bowl, mix the cake mix, pumpkin, eggs, and melted butter until well combined.
  2. Scoop the batter into a piping bag or large zip top bag. Snip off the tip/one corner of the bag and pipe the batter into the donut pan, filling about halfway.
To make the streusel
  1. In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the streusel topping. Stir until everything is combined and a bit crumbly.
  2. Top the donuts with ~1 tbs of the streusel mixture.
  3. Bake 8-10 minutes. Allow the donuts to cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before removing them to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.
To make the glaze
  1. Stir the powdered sugar and milk in a small bowl until smooth and the desired consistency has been reached. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled donuts.

 

Pumpkin Streusel Donuts | A Nerd Cooks

Pumpkin Streusel Donuts | A Nerd Cooks

 

Pumpkin Streusel Donuts | A Nerd Cooks

 

Pumpkin Streusel Donuts | A Nerd Cooks

Filed Under: All Recipes, Dessert, Doughnuts, Food

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Hi there!

I’m Lauren. I love to cook, bake, and mix the occasional cocktail. Most of all, I love to share my creations with you! The recipes you’ll find here are ones that my family, friends, and I love to eat. Join me in the kitchen, won’t you?

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