Recipe Notes
- This dough is very sticky at first, but don’t let that scare you. Just use a generous amount of dusting flour throughout the process to coat the outside of the dough and keep it from sticking (be careful not to fold too much flour into the dough, and brush off any excess flour before frying)
- The boiled cider as well as the butterscotch dipping sauce can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the fridge. Just be sure to bring the boiled cider to room temperature before using.
- You can use any neutral, high-smoke-point oil you prefer for frying, but we like a combination of canola oil and vegetable shortening for frying cake doughnuts.
- Boiling 4 cups of cider produces 1 cup of boiled cider, which is enough for the doughnut recipe and the dipping sauce (plus a little extra)–just be sure to use the amounts called for in the recipes.
To Make Boiled Cider
Add 4 cups of apple cider to a medium saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Simmer until it has reduced in volume to 1 cup–this will take around 30 minutes once it starts boiling, but the time may vary depending on your setup. If you reduce it too much and end up with less than 1 cup, you can add additional fresh apple cider to the boiled cider until you have a full cup.
Ingredients
- ½ cup (140g) boiled apple cider
- ½ cup (145g) apple butter
- 2 tablespoons (30g) buttermilk
- 3 cups (375g) reclamation gluten-free cake flour
- ¾ teaspoon (4.7g) table salt
- 2 teaspoons (10g) baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon (1.4g) baking soda
- 1 teaspoon (2g) ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon (0.5g) ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon (0.25g) ground cloves
- 1 large (50g) egg, room temperature
- 1 large (16g) egg yolk, room temperature
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (55g) light brown sugar
- 6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon (2g) ground cinnamon
Cider Butterscotch Sauce
- 4 tablespoons (57g) unsalted butter
- ¾ cup (165g) dark brown sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon (0.8g) table salt
- ½ cup (120g) heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons (34g) boiled cider
- 1 teaspoon (5g) vanilla extract
Directions
Step 1
Make the dipping sauce - add the butter, brown sugar, salt, heavy cream, and boiled cider to a medium saucepan or saucier. Heat over medium heat, whisking constantly. Stop whisking once everything is smooth and fully dissolved. Bring to a gentle boil, and let the mixture continue to boil for about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Pour into a heatproof bowl or container and let cool. Serve warm. If making ahead of time, store in the fridge until ready to use.
Step 2
For the doughnut dough - whisk together the boiled cider, apple butter, and buttermilk in a small bowl or glass measuring cup.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and ground cloves.
Step 3
In a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the egg, egg yolk, granulated sugar, and brown sugar, and beat with an electric mixer on medium high speed until lightened and thickened, about 3 minutes. With the mixer running, slowly add the melted butter and continue mixing until combined and smooth.
Step 4
If using a stand mixer, switch to the paddle attachment.
Add the flour mixture to the sugar/egg mixture in 3 separate additions, alternating with adding half of the apple cider mixture at a time. Mix after each addition just until combined. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the bowl and ensure everything is evenly combined.
Cover the bowl and transfer to the fridge to chill for at least 1 hour.
Step 5
Line your work surface with parchment paper and generously dust with cake flour. Transfer the chilled dough to your work surface, then generously dust the top and sides of the dough with flour. The dough will be very sticky, but will become easier to work after dusting with flour. Using floured hands, gently pat the dough into a rough rectangle that is about ½” thick. At this point you can transfer the dough to the freezer for about 15 minutes to firm up before cutting if desired.
Cut out doughnut shapes using a 3-inch circle cutter for the outside and a 1-inch circle cutter to cut out the hole in the middle. Dust the cutters with flour as needed to prevent sticking. Brush off any excess flour from the doughnuts, then transfer them to a parchment lined and lightly floured baking sheet. You can chill the cut doughnuts in the fridge while heating up your oil to prevent them from becoming too soft, especially if your kitchen is warm.
Step 6
To fry the doughnuts - add about 2 inches of oil to a large heavy bottomed pot or deep fryer, and heat the oil to 340°F - 350°F. Make sure to maintain this temperature range throughout frying.
While the oil heats, prepare the cinnamon sugar mixture for coating the doughnuts by whisking together the sugar and cinnamon in a wide, shallow bowl. Line a sheet pan with a wire rack, then place a triple layer of paper towels over half of the rack.
Step 7
Fry the doughnuts in batches (be careful not to crowd the pot as it can cause your oil temperature to drop too low). Fry the doughnuts for about 3 - 4 minutes, flipping them after each minute. The exact time will depend on your setup and the temperature and thickness of your dough, so it’s best to fry a test doughnut first to determine the correct frying time – when done, the doughnut will be a deep golden brown color and the internal temperature should be around 200°F.
Step 8
Carefully transfer the doughnuts to the paper-towel lined rack and allow them to cool for a minute while the paper towels soak up any excess oil. While still hot, coat the doughnuts in the cinnamon sugar mixture, then transfer them to the bare wire rack to cool.
Serving & Storage Information
The doughnuts are best while still warm and freshly fried, but allow them to cool for at least 10 minutes before eating for the best results (this gives the starches a chance to cool and set, and improves the texture of the doughnuts). Serve with dipping sauce.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day (warm the doughnuts in the microwave for a few seconds before serving).
