Autumn Spiced Apple Cider Donuts

Two dozen donuts (or more depending on the size of your donut cutter)

Ingredients

• ¾ cup buttermilk, room temperature or a bit warmer

• 1 cup plus 6 Tbsp granulated sugar, divided

• 4 Tbsp honey

• 4 tsp active dry yeast

• 6 ¾ to 7 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 cup apple cider, room temperature

• 12 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled

• 3 large eggs, room temperature

• Autumn spice mix (1 Tbsp cinnamon, 2 tsp ground ginger, ½ tsp ground clove and ½ tsp grated nutmeg)

• 1 Tbsp kosher salt

• Canola (or vegetable) oil for frying

1)     In a standing mixer, stir together with the paddle – the warm buttermilk, 2 Tbsp of the granulated sugar, the honey and the yeast. Let stand until foamy (about 10 minutes).

2)    Add 3 cups of the all-purpose flour, the cider, the melted butter, the eggs, half of your Autumn spice mix, the salt and 4 Tbsp of the granulated sugar. On low, beat until just combined, then increase the speed to medium and beat 1 minute.

3)     Switch to the dough hook and add 3 ½ cups more of the all-purpose flour. Beat on medium speed until dough is soft and slightly sticky and starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Add up to ½ cup more flour (only if necessary – depending on the day’s humidity).

4)     Spray a large bowl with cooking spray and place the dough in the bowl, turning to grease the entire surface.   Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled – about one hour.

5)     Cut 24 4x4” squares of parchment paper and space them, nine to a tray, on cookie sheets.  Spray the parchment square with cooking spray.

6)     Punch done the dough and roll to a ¾” thickness. Cut with a donut cutter dipped in flour (saving the holes to reroll for more donuts).  Place each donut on a prepared parchment square.  Reroll the scraps, let sit for five minutes and then cut as many donuts as you can.  Do not reroll a third time (they will be too tough).

7)     Pour the oil into a large pan to a height of 4”. Heat the oil to 365-370 degrees.

8)     In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 cup granulated sugar and all the remaining Autumn spice mix.

9)      Pick up the donuts by the individual squares and fry (four at a time) until golden, about 1 minute per side. Be careful not to let the parchment touch the oil.  Using a spider strainer, lift out the fried doughnuts and let drain and cool on paper towel lined sheet trays.

10)  While the donuts are still hot, toss them in the sugar spice mix to cover and let cool to room temperature on the wire racks.