Apple Pie Doughnuts

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Welcoming in the weekend with Apple Pie Doughnuts! A sweet dough flavored with apple cider and apple pie spice, is fried to golden perfection, rolled in a spiced sugar, and filled with the easiest homemade apple pie filling. There’s just so much to love about these sweet Fall spiced doughnuts. The secret? Using fresh apple cider in the dough and the filling! Every bite is hinted with sweet apple, followed by subtle spice, and rich buttery dough. It’s the perfect recipe to use up all of the gorgeous in-season Fall apples!

About The Recipe

Anyone else excited for the weekend? It’s the first Friday of October and I feel like this weekend is reserved for watching Halloween movies, visiting pumpkin patches, picking apples and making these apple pie doughnuts!

At least, those are our weekend plans. After making these doughnuts earlier this week, we just knew we had to make them again ASAP!

They’re not only super easy to make, but every bite is like eating your favorite slice of warm apple pie. Which, if you didn’t know, is mine and my mom’s favorite flavor of pie!

We’ve been sharing these doughnuts with friends and family these past few days and, let me tell you, they have gone QUICK. Everyone has absolutely loved them!

And, between you and me, I think I’ve eaten two or three of these myself.

It’s a light, fluffy, and buttery sweet dough, flavored with fresh apple cider and apple pie spice…I mean, what could be better?! The doughnuts themselves are delicious as-is.

But, once you fill them with our easy apple pie filling – oh, man.

They’re rich, buttery, gooey, apple-y, perfectly spiced, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious!

The best part about these doughnuts might actually be getting to use up all the fresh in-season apples from going apple picking (or from the farmer’s market!). It really makes a difference in this recipe and it makes these doughnuts the perfect way to start your day.

Fried vs Baked Doughnuts – What’s The Difference?

While both are called doughnuts, or donuts, they are vastly different recipes! So, let’s get into it, shall we?

A baked doughnut (or donut) is also known as a cake doughnut. It is made from a batter (just like cake!) rather than a dough and baked in a doughnut pan.

So, let’s talk fried doughnuts. They are a totally different thing! The recipes are vastly different. Instead of a batter, fried doughnuts are made from a yeast-risen sweet dough that’s rolled, cut, and – well, fried!

Reasons You Will Love These Apple Pie Doughnuts

• Tastes SO much better than anything you could buy.
• Every bite is reminiscent of apple pie.
• Easier to make than you might think!
• A great make-ahead treat for Fall weekends or special occasions!
• The perfect breakfast treat for apple lovers.

Equipment Needed

• Apple Peeler & Corer
• 4 Quart Pot
• Wooden Spoon
• Mixing Bowls
• Whisk
• Stand Mixer
• Lidded Plastic Container
• Rolling Pin
• Round Cutters
• Dutch Oven
• Oil Thermometer
• Slotted Spoon
• Piping Bag
• Piping Tips

Ingredients

Full ingredient amounts and instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

For The Filling:

• Granny Smith Apples – give this filling a bright apple flavor, and also keep it from being too sweet.
• Powdered Sugar – adds just the right amount of sweetness.
• All-Purpose Flour – thickens the filling.
• Fresh Apple Cider – is our secret to an utterly delicious apple pie filling.
• Salted Butter – gives a buttery undertone to this filling.
• Vanilla Extract – balances and enhances the flavor of this filling.
• Apple Pie Spice – is the perfect blend of spices to give this filling the flavor of Fall!
• Salt – enhances the flavor.

For The Doughnuts:

• All-Purpose Flour – has just the right amount of protein to add strength to the dough by absorbing moisture and forming gluten.
• Granulated Sugar – sweetens the dough slightly, feeds the yeast, and helps the doughnuts to brown.
• Instant Yeast – is the leavening agent that creates lift and gives this dough its beautiful structure. And as a bonus, it can be mixed in with the dry ingredients.
• Apple Pie Spice – adds a delicious spiced flavor to the dough.
• Salt – cuts some of the sweetness while enhancing the flavor.
• Fresh Apple Cider – gives the dough a subtle apple flavor to compliment the filling.
• Large Eggs – are a binder that also adds moisture and structure.
• Salted Butter – adds fat, flavor, and moisture to make these doughnuts oh-so soft and delicious.
• Vanilla Extract – enhances the flavor of the dough.

For The Spiced Sugar:

• Granulated Sugar – adds extra sweetness and a little bit of crunch to every bite.
• Apple Pie Spice – enhances the flavors of the doughnuts.

How To Make Apple Pie Doughnuts

Step 1: Make filling

Combine all ingredients in a large, heavy duty saucepan. Bring to a bubble over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium low. Continue to cook and stir until apples are softened, about 7-8 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Step 2: Prepare dough

Combine flour, sugar, yeast, spice, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook. Turn on low to mix ingredients.

Add apple cider, egg, egg yolk, butter, and vanilla. Mix ingredients on low speed until combined. Knead 8-10 minutes, or until dough is smooth and cleans the bowl (no longer sticks to the bowl).

Step 3: Proof

Turn dough into prepared container. Let rise at warm room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 1 – 1½ hours

Step 4: Make spiced sugar

While dough is proofing, whisk sugar and spice together in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Step 5: Roll and fry

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle top with flour. Roll to ⅜ inch thick.

Use a 3 inch round cutter to cut dough, re-rolling scraps as necessary. Place on prepared pans. Cover with plastic wrap that has been lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Set aside to proof for 15-20 minutes.

Fry doughnuts in preheated oil 2 or 3 at a time, for 1-2 minutes on each side, until golden brown and cooked through.

Drain.

Step 6: Coat and fill

Roll still warm doughnuts in spiced sugar.

Fill piping bag with apple pie filling. Insert into each doughnut. Gently squeeze desired amount into doughnut.

FAQ’s and Troubleshooting

What Type of Yeast To Use

You need to use an instant yeast. In this recipe, we used SAF Gold!

How To Store

Once these doughnuts are assembled, they only keep for a few days in the refrigerator. Honestly, they’re best eaten fresh, the day you make them!

Expert Tips

• Check your yeast and make sure it’s in-date and active.
• Make sure the butter, milk, and eggs are all at room temperature before beginning this recipe.
• Don’t have a big enough lidded container to allow the dough to rise? You can put the dough in a glass bowl and cover it with plastic wrap!
• You can actually re-roll the dough scraps. Just don’t add any extra flour! The doughnuts from the dough scraps won’t be quite as pretty and may be a little tougher.
• If dough is difficult to work with when re-rolling, cover it, and let it rest for 10 minutes to relax the gluten.
• This recipe makes 11 doughnuts if you don’t re-roll scraps. If you do re-roll the scraps, it’ll make 14!
• Use a thermometer to keep oil at a steady temperature.
• If oil is lower than 355℉, doughnuts won’t puff as well. But, if the oil temperature is higher than 360℉, they’ll get too brown before they have a chance to puff fully.
• If doughnuts are too cool, sugar won’t stick.
• Be careful to not over-fill the doughnuts!

When you make these Apple Pie Doughnuts, leave a comment down below! We love hearing from you and answering any questions you might have! Also, be sure to tag us on social media and hashtag it #BakersTable.

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