Runs on Coffee and Cream

Last fall and winter I was pregnant which meant I avoided a lot of treats that could be bad for a pregnant lady (deli meats, unpasteurized treats, highly caffeinated drinks). I avoided apple cider for the most part because typically fresh apple cider is unpasteurized. Now, not all apple cider is unpasteurized; a lot sold in grocery stores actually have the word 'pasteurized' on their jugs. But I just avoided buying it out of the convenience of not having to look for that word on the packaging when grocery shopping.


Though, a bit of information for all you hot apple cider drinkers at coffee shops - most coffee shops just heat up plain old apple juice and add a caramel syrup and serve it as apple cider. I worked at Starbucks for a short period of time and this is how they make their hot apple cider. This gave me the confidence to drink it at coffee shops while pregnant.  Anytime we went to a coffee shop last winter I would get either a hot apple cider or hot chocolate. I always inquired if they used apple cider or apple juice. Every place told me apple juice and I'd watch them pull out their 99 cents carton of Allen's Apple Juice to pour... so silly.


Now this fall and winter I plan on indulging in all the things I avoided last year. I want my apple cider, pumpkin spice lattes, and egg nog. And I don't have to read any packaging to check for caffeine content or if it's been pasteurized.

So when I came across a recipe for apple cider donuts that I found on Instagram I knew I had to make them! The recipe can be found here.


The recipe calls for apple cider concentrate. I was confused until I continued reading the recipe. It's just regular apple cider boiled down into a dark, thicker concentrate. So it's super easy to make. I avoid all complicated recipes.

The other ingredient this recipe calls for that confused me was apple pie spice. Apparently it's easy to find in the U.S. but I've never seen it in Canada and after checking 2 grocery stores, I couldn't find it.

You can make a batch of it with these other spices (thanks Betty Crocker!):
3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons nutmeg
1 teaspoon cardamom
1 teaspoon allspice

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups apple cider (1/2 cup apple cider concentrate)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon apple pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 large egg
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Topping:
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon apple pie spice
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted


To make apple cider concentrate:
1. Pour 1 1/2 cups apple cider in a small pot. Simmer it over low heat on your stove. Stir occasionally. This will reduce the apple cider. Mine took about 30 minutes for it to reduce to half a cup. Let it cool completely. I made this in the morning and baked the donuts in the evening.

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease donut pan.
2. Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, apple pie spice, and salt together in a large bowl.
3. Whisk the melted butter, egg, brown sugar, granulated sugar, milk, and vanilla extract together in a medium bowl.
4. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and add the reduce apple cider. Whisk everything together until smooth and combined.
5. Pour batter into donut pan. I used a ziploc bag to do this neatly. Put batter into ziploc bag, snip corner and pipe the batter into the donut spots. It's so much easier doing it this way.
6. Bake for 10-11 minutes. To test if done, poke your finger into the top of the donut. If the donut springs back, they're done. If the fingerprint stays, put them back in!
7. Cool donuts completely on wire rack.
8. Mix sugar, cinnamon and apple pie spice together in a medium bowl for coating. Melt butter.
9. Dunk donuts in melted butter (both sides) and then dunk in the apple spice coating. Place on wax paper to dry.



Needless to say these donuts didn't last long in the house. I'll probably need to make another batch during the cold months coming up. They were a yummy breakfast along with a hot coffee.

xo Jen