The dough isn’t finicky, but it does require some rising time and a little bit of kneading. It’s a really flavorful dough – with apple cider as the liquid, plenty of melted butter, and a little cinnamon and nutmeg to spice things up. After its initial rising time, you roll it out, cut it into circles and let it rise a little more. (You want to be sure you have a nice and fluffy donut, after all.)
INGREDIENTS
- For the donuts:
- 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
- 2 packages (1/4 oz each) active dry yeast
- 1 cup warm apple cider (110°F)
- 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and divided
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 3 egg yolks
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/3 cup apple pie filling, no large fruit pieces
- For the cinnamon-sugar:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
PREPARATION
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375°F with a rack in the center of the oven.
- Add the yeast and warm cider to a small bowl and set aside until it foams up, about 5 minutes.
- In a large bowl, combine the 6 tablespoons melted butter and sugar and whisk until combined.
- Whisk in egg yolks, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, yeast mixture, and 3 cups of the flour. Beat on medium-low speed with an electric mixer or dough hook until smooth.
- Add remaining flour and beat until a ball of dough starts to form. Transfer dough to a large bowl that's been greased with oil or nonstick spray. Cover and set aside in a warm spot until dough has tripled in size, about 1 hour.
- Gently punch down dough, turn out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead dough 7-8 times until smooth and uniform in texture.
- Roll dough out to 1/2-inch thick rectangle, and cut out in circles using a 2 1/2-inch cookie cutter. Re-roll scraps and cut out enough donuts to make 12 total.
- Place donuts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover lightly with Saran Wrap and let rise until puffy, 45 minutes.
- Bake until golden brown and puffed, 10-12 minutes.
- In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon and sugar. Brush donuts with remaining melted butter and roll them in the cinnamon sugar mixture.
- If your apple pie filling has large chunks, mash it using a fork or immersion blender into small pieces. (It doesn't need to be pureed.) Place apple pie filling in a piping bag, cut a slit in each donut and pipe filling into each one. Enjoy!