Comments: This is a bit of work, but there’s nothing like homemade and if it was easy, everyone would do it. Okay to substitute half-and-half or even regular milk for buttermilk.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon table salt
- 1/2 cup thawed apple juice concentrate
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 large egg
- 2 quarts vegetable oil, for frying
Directions
- FOR THE COATING: Whisk cinnamon, sugar, and salt together in a medium bowl; set aside.
- FOR THE DONUTS: Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt together in a bowl. Whisk apple juice concentrate, sugar, buttermilk, melted butter, and egg together in a large bowl. Whisk half of flour mixture into apple juice concentrate mixture until smooth. Add remaining flour mixture; using rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix and press dough until all flower is hydrated and no dry bits remain (Dough can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 24 hours).
- Dust counter heavily with flour. Turn out dough onto floured counter, then dust top of dough with additional flour. Using your floured hands, gently pat Doe into 1/3 inch round, 10 to 11 inches in diameter. Using flowered 3 inch round cutter, cut out 9 to 10 donut rounds. Using 1 inch round cutter, cut hole in center of each round.
- Lightly dust rimmed baking sheet with flour. Transfer donut rounds and holes to prepared sheet. Combine dough scraps, then need into cohesive ball and Pat into 1/3 inch thick round. Cut out two or three more doughnut rounds and holes (you should have 12 of each). Transfer to sheet and refrigerate while heating oil.
- Set wire rack in second rimmed baking sheet and line half of rack with triple layer of paper towels. Add oil to large Dutch oven until it measures about 1 1/2 inches deep and heat over medium high heat to 350°. Add six donut rounds and cook, flipping every 30 seconds, until deep golden brown, about two minutes. Adjust burner as needed to maintain oil temperature between 3 to 25 and 350°.
- Using a spider skimmer or slotted spoon, transfer donuts to paper towel-lined side of prepared crack and let sit while frying remaining donut rounds.
