‘Tis the season for everything apple cider.
Last Autumn, I went on a heartbreaking quest for apple cider doughnuts in Portland, and came up empty. I went to the farm that Yelp claimed had the best apple cider doughnuts in town, and they were sad. Bland. Tasteless. As you know, I’m a little picky about my doughnuts (hello, Portland Doughnut Crawl!), but I don’t think it’s too much to ask that apple cider doughnuts taste like apple cider. Right? Right.So, this Autumn, rather than entering a heartbreaking chase around Portland for a doughnut that will only end in disappointment, I made my own. And I made them easy. We’re baking these, because frying things in a 600-square-foot apartment is a dangerous closet-stinking situation.
These look like muffins (because they are baked in a mini muffin pan for maximum easiness), but they have the texture of a doughnut. It’s magic. And the flavor. Oh, the flavor. They taste like apple cider. They taste like cinnamon. They taste like nutmeg. Eric referred to these little doughnut bites as “Autumn in a muffin.”
After baking these doughnut holes, you give them a little butter bath (yes!) and then roll them around in cinnamon sugar. And then you’ll have this magical butter-cinnamon-sugar mixture stuck on your fingers, which is like second dessert. So, go ahead. Treat yo’self.
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup buttermilk
- ½ cup apple cider
- topping:
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1½ tablespoons cinnamon
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and prepare a mini muffin pan with baking spray.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar. Mix in the egg. Add the dry ingredients and mix until incorporated. Stir in the buttermilk and apple cider, one at a time, mixing until smooth.
- Divide the batter evenly between 24 mini muffin cups. Bake for 18-20 minutes. Allow to cool for a few minutes.
- Melt the ½ cup butter in a small bowl. Stir together the sugar and cinnamon in another small bowl.
- Dip each doughnut hole into the melted butter, thoroughly coating it with butter before rolling it in the cinnamon sugar mixture.
-Ally
Jess says
These are the perfect fall anytime treat! Great with coffee or their namesake apple cider!
Ally says
Yes, yes, yes! So glad you enjoyed them, Jess!
Claudia | The Brick Kitchen says
YUM! I love how you baked these – sometimes the idea of deep-frying things is all too much haha. Cinnamon and apple is the perfect combination too, especially in autumn 🙂
Ally says
I totally agree, Claudia! We’re practically swimming in cinnamon things over here!
Becca says
Made these for breakfast this morning (had company). Everyone loved them! Huge hit! Thank you!
Ally says
Yay! So glad to hear it!
webuyhousestoday.wordpress.com says
Very interesting info!Perfect just what I wwas looking for!