These apple cider sourdough doughnuts are a delicious fall treat! They're soft and fluffy on the inside with a nice crunch on the outside-- perfectly spiced and with just a hint of apple cider. I'm sure you're going to love them!
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time15 minutesmins
Rest Time2 hourshrs
Total Time2 hourshrs25 minutesmins
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Apple Cider, Doughtnuts, Sourdough
Servings: 142" doughnuts
Calories: 120kcal
Ingredients
½cupapple cider
2tbsp+ ½ cup sugarseparated
1tspactive dry yeast
1/2cup100% hydration sourdough discard
3tbspbuttermelted
1egg
½tspvanilla extract
2+ 1/4cupsall-purpose flour
2 tspground cinnamon*divided
1/8 tsp ground allspice *
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg*
1/8 tsp ground cardamom*
½tspkosher salt
Instructions
Heat the apple cider until warm (100-105°F). Add 2 tbsp of sugar, the yeast, and the sourdough discard. Stir to combine and then allow it to rest for 5 minutes.
Once the yeast has become foamy on top, add the melted butter, eggs, and vanilla and whisk to combine.
Next, add the four, nutmeg, allspice, cardamom, salt, and 1 tsp of cinnamon. Stir with a dough whisk or wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms. The dough will seem wet but it will come together when you start kneading.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead until the dough becomes smooth-- about 2 minutes.
Oil the bowl lightly and place the dough back into the bowl. Allow it to rise for one hour, or until doubled in size.
After an hour, turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface again and roll it out to ½” thick. Using a round cookie cutter, cut the dough into your desired doughnut size. I use a 2" round cookie cutter to cut out the doughnut and the larger end of a piping tip to cut out the center hole.
Place the doughnuts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and cover them with a clean dish towel. Let them rise for another 45 minutes, or until doubled in size again.
Heat a heavy-bottomed pan or cast iron dutch oven with about 2” of oil. When the oil reaches 350°F, cook the doughnuts for about 45 seconds per side. The exact cook time will depend on the size of your doughnuts but they are finished when they are a deep golden brown on all sides. Make sure not to crowd the pan-- the doughnuts need plenty of room to move around.
Combine the remaining ½ cup sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon in a large bowl. Remove the doughnuts from the oil (make sure to let any excess oil drip off) and toss them in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Enjoy!
Notes
*You can substitute the spices (cinnamon, cardamom, allspice, and nutmeg) for 1.5 tsp of apple pie spice in the doughnuts.