Apple Pie Doughnuts

close up of apple pie doughnut on top of other doughnuts in white casserole.

The perfect way to start your mornings this Fall! These Apple Pie Doughnuts are tender, flavorful, and so much easier to make than you might think. The best part? Every bite tastes just like apple pie! SO. GOOD.

Course: Snack

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 1

Cook Time: 30

Proofing Time: 2 15

Total Time: 3 45

Servings: doughnuts

Calories: 314kcal

Ingredients

Filling

4 pounds Granny Smith Apples
1½ cups powdered sugar
6 Tablespoons all purpose flour
6 Tablespoons fresh apple cider
3 Tablespoons salted butter
1½ Tablespoons vanilla extract
2½ teaspoons apple pie spice
½ teaspoon salt

Doughnuts

2 cups all purpose flour
3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon instant yeast
2 teaspoons apple pie spice
⅓ teaspoon salt
½ cup fresh apple cider room temperature
1 large egg room temperature
1 large egg yolk room temperature
3 Tablespoons salted butter softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping

1 cup granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon apple pie spice

Instructions

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.

Doughnuts

Spray a lidded container, or large glass bowl, with cooking spray. Set aside.
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.
Increase speed to medium.
Knead 8-10 minutes, or until dough is smooth and cleans the bowl (no longer sticks to the bowl).
Turn dough into prepared container.
Cover with lid or plastic wrap.
Let rise at warm room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 1 - 1½ hours. (If using a proofing box, leave bowl uncovered, fill water tray, and set temperature to 78℉/26℃.)

Topping

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

Doughnuts

Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.
Spray lightly with cooking spray. Set aside.
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.
After 15-20 minutes, pour 2 inches of oil into a heavy duty pot.
Heat oil to 355℉-360℉/179℃-182℃. (This should give doughnuts a total proof time of 30-45 minutes.)
Fry doughnuts 2 or 3 at a time, for 1-2 minutes on each side, until golden brown and cooked through.
Drain.

Assembly

Roll still warm doughnuts in spiced sugar.
Snip the end off of a large piping bag, or gallon size zip top bag.
Fit with a large round tip, such as a 1A.
Fill bag with apple pie filling.
Insert tip into each doughnut.
Gently squeeze desired amount into doughnut, being careful not to overfill and pop the doughnut.

Notes

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.
Room temperature is about 70℉/21℃.
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℉/179℃, doughnuts won’t puff as well. But, if the oil temperature is higher than 360℉/182℃, they’ll get too brown before they have a chance to puff fully.
If doughnuts are too cool, sugar won’t stick.
Be careful not to over-fill the doughnuts!

Nutrition