Happy National Donut Day!
To celebrate I made a batch of baked donuts with my fancy new donut pan from Target. I started with a basic Buttermilk Baked Donut recipe and then played around with ingredients I had on hand until I was happy with the outcome. The final result? Apple Pie Donuts! Because they were baked not fried they weren’t greasy at all and they puffed up nicely. Apple juice, dried apples, and apple pie spice gave them a delicious spiced pie flavor and the buttermilk batter made them soft and moist. I had to be a little naughty and dip them in a spiced glaze then (why not?) sprinkle them with graham cracker crumbs! Dare I say my friends…. these were better than going out for donuts!
Baked Buttermilk Apple Pie Donuts
Makes 18-20 donuts
Ingredients
For the Donuts:
- 2 cups cake flour
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp apple pie spice
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 eggs beaten
- 2 tbsp butter melted
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup apple juice
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 cup chopped dried apples
- crushed graham crackers for garnish
For the Glaze:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/2 tsp apple pie spice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- In a large bowl add all the dry ingredients: Flour, sugar, baking powder, apple pie spice, and salt.
- Sift together until mixed.
- Whisk in eggs, butter, buttermilk, vanilla, and apple juice.
- Finally add chopped dried apples.
- Grease and flour a donut baking pan (mine has 6 nonstick donut rings).
- I poured my batter into a large measuring cup and poured it into the donut pan, filling each ring 3/4 way.
- Bake 10-12 minutes until golden and they spring back to your touch.
- Remove from oven and after a couple minutes remove to a cooling tray.
- Repeat with remaining batter.
- Meanwhile make the glaze by whisking powdered sugar, milk, and apple pie spice together in a bowl.
- Dunk each mostly cooled donut top into the glaze then sprinkle with crushed graham crackers.
- Place back on the cooling rack until the glaze has hardened and the donuts have cooled (if you can wait that long before eating them!).
In a large bowl add all the dry ingredients: Flour, sugar, baking powder,
apple pie spice, and salt.
Sift together until mixed.
Whisk in eggs, butter, buttermilk, vanilla, and apple juice.
Finally add chopped dried apples.
Don’t have buttermilk? Just add 1 tbsp lemon juice to 1 cup of milk.
Let sit for 5 minutes and you have buttermilk!
How cute is this nonstick donut pan from Nordic Ware?
Grease and flour your pan.
Pour batter into a large measuring cup.
Pour into the donut pan, filling each ring 3/4 way.
Make sure to evenly add the dried apple slices throughout each donut
(don’t let them settle in the bottom of the batter bowl).
Bake 10-12 minutes at 375 degrees until golden and they spring back when you touch them.
Remove from oven and after a couple minutes remove to a cooling tray.
Make the glaze by whisking powdered sugar, milk, and apple pie spice together in a bowl.
Dunk each mostly cooled donut top into the glaze.
Crush a few graham crackers in a food processor.
Sprinkle with crushed graham crackers.
Place back on the cooling rack until the glaze has hardened and the donuts have cooled
(if you can wait that long before eating them!).
Enjoy a donut (or is it doughnut?) or two to celebrate National Doughnut Day 2015!
Wow, those Donuts really look fabulous. I have never used apple pie spice to flavour my donuts before. What a great idea! I must try your recipe. Thanks a lot for sharing it.
Warm wishes, Amelie
Can I use fresh apples in place of dried?
Sure! Hope you enjoy!