Best 3 Apple Cider Donut Recipes

SUNNY'S APPLE CIDER DONUT PUDDING

Steps:

• Place the donuts cut-side up on a baking sheet. Turn the oven to 350 degrees F and while it's preheating, place the baking sheet with the donuts inside to toast, flipping once after about 10 minutes. Continue to cook until lightly toasted on both sides, another 5 minutes. Remove the baking sheet and continue to preheat the oven.
• Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, add the cranberries and 1 cup of the orange juice. Bring to a simmer and cook until the cranberries are plump, 10 to 15 minutes (the orange juice will reduce; that's just fine). Set aside.
• Cube 7 tablespoons of the butter. In a large bowl, add the pecans, flour, salt, lemon zest, 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar and the cubed butter. Using a pastry cutter or your fingertips, mix everything together until crumbly. Refrigerate until ready to bake.
• In a separate large bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar and egg yolks until well incorporated, less gritty and slightly lighter yellow in color. Add the pumpkin pie spice, vanilla extract and remaining 1/3 cup brown sugar and whisk until everything is well blended. Slowly add the heavy cream while continuing to whisk, then whisk in the lemon juice and remaining 1 cup orange juice. Slowly add the simmered cranberries and orange juice.
• Butter the bottom and sides of an 8-by-8-inch casserole dish with the remaining tablespoon of butter. Break the donuts into large chunks and add to the casserole dish. Pour half of the custard mixture over top, making sure to nestle the cranberries in the nooks and crannies. Press everything down into the custard and allow it to soak for 10 minutes. Pour the remaining custard over top. Remove the topping from the refrigerator and sprinkle evenly over the top.
• Bake until golden brown and bubbly around the edges, 35 to 40 minutes. Let sit 15 minutes before serving warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

AIR FRYER APPLE CIDER DONUT BITES

Steps:

• Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) for 5 minutes.
• Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, apple pie spice, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk together.
• Combine applesauce, sparkling apple cider, melted butter, egg, and vinegar in a small bowl; whisk until well combined. Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients using a spatula and blend until just combined. Using a spring-hinged ice cream scoop, fill each individual cavity of the silicone donut mold with 2 tablespoons batter. Place mold into the air fryer basket.
• Decrease temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and cook for 8 minutes. Carefully turn out the donut bites and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
• Remove donut bites from the basket when done and let cool completely on a wire rack before glazing, about 30 minutes.
• Combine powdered sugar and apple pie spice in a small bowl and whisk together. Add sparkling apple cider and caramel extract; whisk together until the glaze is smooth.
• Dip each donut bite into the glaze, rolling it so that all sides are covered with the glaze. Set on a wire rack to allow the glaze to dry and harden before eating.

HOT APPLE CIDER DONUT MOCKTAIL

Steps:

• Combine the cider, maple syrup, nutmeg, orange bitters, cinnamon sticks, cloves, vanilla bean and seeds and the orange half in a medium saucepot. Whisk to combine, then bring up to a boil over medium-high heat. Immediately turn the heat down to low and let simmer for 5 minutes.
• Carefully remove the cinnamon sticks, cloves and orange half. With a ladle, divide the cider into 2 mugs (see Cook's Note). Place 2 donut holes on 6-inch skewers or skewer them on the cinnamon sticks. Garnish each mug with a cinnamon stick and donut skewer or dried apple slices. Serve warm.