RECIPE: Basic Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts with Maple or Apple Cider Glaze

Makes 1 dozen

For the doughnuts:

• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce

• 1/3 cup vegetable oil

• 3 large eggs

• 1/4 cup boiled apple cider (see recipe above)

• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 2 tablespoons cinnamon sugar, for coating

For the glaze:

• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

• 3 tablespoons maple syrup or boiled apple cider

• 2 teaspoons milk or 1 tablespoon heavy cream

• Pinch salt

To make the doughnuts: Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease two standard doughnut pans.

In a large bowl, beat together the sugar, applesauce, oil, eggs, boiled cider, vanilla, baking powder, cinnamon and salt until smooth. Add the flour, stirring just until smooth. Fill the wells of the doughnut pans nearly to the rim, using about a 1/4 cup of batter per doughnut.

Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of the doughnuts comes out clean, 15 to 18 minutes. Remove the doughnuts from the oven, and loosen the edges. After 5 minutes, transfer them to a rack.

While the doughnuts are still warm, gently shake them in a bag with the cinnamon sugar, two at a time. Cool completely before glazing.

To make the glaze: In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients until smooth. Spread the glaze over the doughnuts. Let the glaze set before serving.

Photo credit: Lynne Graves/FLICKR