Apple Cider Donuts

Apple Cider Donuts, the perfect sweet treat for Fall, and even better with naturally sweetened dough and beef tallow for frying! This is my healthier take on a really great fall treat that we all love!

Apple cider donuts are everywhere this time of year! They are at every apple orchard or pumpkin patch and they are really so good. My kids love them as a special treat and requested them one day. SO I figured I would try them, and of course, sweeten them with maple syrup instead of refined sugar!

They are just as sweet, just as crispy, and just as fluffy as the ones you find out and about this time of year. The spices in these donuts are so warming and comforting.

Now, I did dip some in a cinnamon and sugar mixture as well as a glaze, but if you eat them with nothing on the exterior, they are free of refined sugars!

I took it a step further and fried them in beef tallow. I use beef tallow for all of my savory frying, such as sweet potatoes and chicken strips, but I had never used it for bread. It was great! Frying in beef tallow gave the donuts an added richness. I love the beef tallow from Dutch Meadows! Minimizing sugars and frying donuts in beef tallow are small ways and easy swaps to make these fall treats healthier.

Details and Tips!

These apple cider donuts are really easy to make. The best part is you can mix up the dough and it can sit in the fridge for up to 24 hours, ready to fry fresh in the morning or evening! This recipe also calls for very simple ingredients!

First, you are going to melt some real butter. You can brown it if you would like. I accidentally did due to not paying much attention to it, and the donuts were just as good! Set that aside to cool slightly. While the butter is melting, you will want to simmer some apple cider for 15 minutes or so. This is going to reduce the apple cider and give it a more concentrated flavor.

I use a stand mixer to mix up the dough. You will simply add in the maple syrup, egg yolks, melted butter, reduced apple cider, and yogurt. Give it a mix and then gently add in the dry ingredients on top. Give it a gentle mix with a whisk or fork and then turn the stand mixer on low to gently mix everything together.

Once everything is just mixed together, stop the mixer and scrape the dough onto some plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes, up to 24 hours, before frying!

You will roll the dough out until it is about 1/2 inch thick. Cut the donuts into a circle, cutting the smaller center hole out into donut holes (we will fry those too!). That would be the traditional look. I, however, cut the donuts into squares and cut the center out so I do not waste any dough! We will want to freeze the donuts just for 15 minutes before frying. Frying them really cold will give us those crispy crackles on the exterior, my personal favorite part!

You will fry the donuts in a few inches of beef tallow or avocado oil at 350 degrees for just a few minutes on each side until they are golden brown. I like to fry in a dutch oven or a stainless steel pot just to control the temperature of the oil more easily. Set them on a wire rack once they are done frying. If you are adding a glaze or cinnamon and sugar, make sure to do this once the donuts are still warm but cool enough to handle.

This will stay good on an air tight container for a few days!

What you need!

• pure maple syrup
• unsalted butter
• egg yolks
• pure vanilla extract
• plain greek yogurt
• flour
• baking powder
• salt
• cinnamon
• nutmeg
• apple cider
• beef tallow - avocado oil will also work here
• cinnamon and sugar - optional
• powdered sugar - optional
• milk - optional
• plastic wrap
• large dutch oven or stainless steel pot - for frying
• wire rack - for cooling

Looking for similar recipes?

Customize!

There are some easy to swaps to make if you would like. The first thing is to use a different neutral oil if you do not want to use beef tallow or don't have any. Avocado oil would be the best second option here.

You can cut these donuts into any shape you like. The thing is, you really cannot roll out the dough again so whatever you get the first time is really it. So I like to roll out my dough into a rectangle and then use a knife to cut the donuts into squares. I cut out the center and then this way, we don't waste any dough! I get about 10 donuts out of this mixture!

Lastly, you can certainly make a glaze or cinnamon and sugar mixture to dip the donuts in once they come out of the oil. This will obviously not make them naturally sweetened, but will add the more traditional look to them. We have removed refined sugars in the dough so adding a little to the exterior would be fine if you want!

Explore more!

I hope you love these and are able to make them soon! They are so fun for fall time and a special little treat! If you make them, make sure to leave a comment or let us know on social media! We love to hear from you!

Apple Cider Donuts

One of the best treats for fall! The dough is naturally sweetened with maple syrup and really easy to whip up! Enjoy!

For the donuts

• 1 cup apple cider
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted)
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 3 egg yolks
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt (full fat)
• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 4-8 cups beef tallow

For the glaze - optional

• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• salt (just a pinch)

For the cinnamon and sugar coating - optional

• 1 cup cane sugar
• 3 tablespoons cinnamon (or more if preferred)

1. Add the apple cider to a sauce pan over medium heat. Let it simmer for 15 minutes or so until it has thickened slightly and reduced but half. Set aside to cool.

2. Using a stand mixer, mix together the reduced apple cider, melted butter, maple syrup, egg yolks, vanilla, and greek yogurt.

3. Gently add the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg over the wet ingredients. give everything a quick whisk and then turn the stand mixer on low to gently mix everything together.

4. Once everything is just mixed, turn of the mixer. Scrape the dough out onto plastic wrap and wrap it up tightly. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, up to 24 hours before frying.

5. When you are ready to fry, heat the beef tallow to 350 degrees in a heavy bottomed pot or dutch oven. The amount of oil you need will depend on the size of your pot. You will need about 4 inches of oil in the pot.

6. While the oil is heating, roll out your dough into a rectangle. The dough should be about 1/2 inch thick and the size of rectangle will be about 7 inches by 12 inches.

7. Using a sharp knife, cut the rectangle in half lengthwise. Then cut each long half into 5 equal squares. Cut the center of each donut out with a small circle cookie cutter or biscuit cutter. Place each donut and the center piece on a cookie sheet and place in the freezer for 15 minutes.

8. Carefully place the donuts and donut holes in the oil to fry in batches. I fry 3-4 donuts at a time. Fry on each side for 3 minutes or until they are golden brown.

9. Remove the donuts from the oil and place on a wire rack to cool.

10. If dipping in glaze or cinnamon and sugar, wait to do this until the donuts are cooled slightly but still warm.

11. Store in an airtight container for a few days at room temperature! Enjoy!

Breakfast

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