Ingredients
For the doughnuts: I grate some apples to add to the batter no measurement to eyeball it
1 cup apple cider
1 cup granulated sugar
3 1/2 cups flour, plus additional for the work surface
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk (low-fat or nonfat works fine)
For the glaze:1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons apple cider
Or for a maple syrup glaze:
1 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
Or granulated sugar coating
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
And vegetable oil for frying
Directions
Boil the apple cider in small saucepan until it is reduced to 1/4 cup. That will take 20 to 30 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Combine the sugar and eggs, mix well, then add buttermilk, grated apples and reduced cider .
Stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg in another bowl.
Add these to liquid ingredients; mix just enough to combine.
Transfer dough to lightly floured parchment or wax paper and sprinkle the doughnuts with flour.
Turn the dough over onto one of the sheets and sprinkle the tops with flour.
Roll the dough until it is about 1/2 inch thick. Use more flour if the dough is still sticky.
Put the dough to the freezer until it is slightly hardened, about 20 minutes. Then remove the dough from the freezer.
Make the glaze: While the cut doughnut shapes are in the refrigerator, make the glaze by whisking together the confectioners' sugar and the cider until the mixture is smooth. (or follow the maple syrup glave recipe) Both are below) Set aside.
Using a 3-inch doughnut cutter, cut out the doughnut shapes or a glass cup and a medcine cap for hole like I did...lol.
Put the cut doughnuts and doughnut holes onto the second cookie sheet pan.
Refrigerate the doughnuts for 20 to 30 minutes. (If you have leftover dough scraps, just re-roll them, refrigerate them briefly and cut additional doughnuts from the dough.)
Add enough oil or shortening to fill a deep pan 3 inches; heat the oil to 350 F (check with a frying or candy thermomenter).
Fry several doughnuts at a time, turning once or twice, until golden brown and cooked through. That should be about 1 minutes per side. Watch them carefully; they'll quickly burn otherwise.
Remove the doughnuts with metal tongs or a slotted spoon and set on paper towels to drain.
While still warm, shake a few at a time in a paper bag containing cinnamon sugar OR pour the glaze (see ingredients) over them.
Cool on a rack.
