Cider Donuts

 Our local orchards all apple cider donuts and they all taste so good.  I Live near two of them and some days, I can smell them cooking from our house.  These are even good without the cinnamon sugar.

CIDER DONUTS

(makes 24)

Ingredients:

*2 cups apple cider

*1/3 cup light brown sugar

*1/4 cup granulated sugar

*2 large eggs

*6 tablespoon butter, melted and cooled to room temperature 

*3 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

*2 teaspoons baking powder

*1/2 teaspoon baking soda

*1 teaspoon salt

*3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

*1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

*cinnamon sugar for dipping

*vegetable oil for frying

Directions:

~Pour cider into a saucepan, and bring to a boil.

~Allow to boil over medium heat for 35-40 minutes or until cider has reduced to half.

~Allow cider to cool to room temperature.  

~Whisk cider (if cider doesn't make 1 cup, add a little to it), brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs and melted butter together.

~In a large mixing bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg together. 

~Pour cider into flour mixture and stir until combined (dough will be wet).

~Cover bowl and refrigerate for 3-8 hours.

~Generously flour a clean surface.

~Fill a dutch oven (or heavy bottom deep skillet) with 3 to 31/2 inch of vegetable oil.

~Bring heat to 350 degrees (you may need to turn heat up and lower it as you fry the donuts to keep the temp at 350 degrees).

~Roll or pat out dough to 350 degrees (if dough is sticking, gently pick it up and put more flour under it) to about 1/2 inch thick.

~Using a donut cutter, cut out donuts and place them on parchment paper.

~Line a plate with paper towel.

~Place a cooling rack on a cookie sheet (if.you don't have one, just use the cookie sheet).

~Gently place a couple donuts into hot oil.  

~Fry about 1 minute per side (donuts holes will take less time).

~Using a slotted spoon or sider remove donuts and place on  the paper towel plate.

~Roll donuts into cinnamon sugar, coating all sides.

*Donuts are best eaten within a few hours of making them.  We eat a few and give the rest away.   BTW, they still are good the next day, just not as good as they are when they are first made.