This holiday season, I put together a surprise for Santa’s little helpers – donuts! These lil’ cuties are infused with apple cider, cinnamon and nutmeg and they are the perfect reward for the hard-working Scout Elves. Whether you’re setting them out as a sweet surprise or enjoying them together by the Christmas tree (or any time, really), share the joy, one tiny donut at a time, with your magical visitors. The apple compote is great as a topping for yogurt, oatmeal, pancakes and waffles, or even as a side dish for pork or poultry, but especially on tiny, Scout Elf-sized donuts!!
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 1 hr 10 min |
| Active: | 35 min |
| Yield: | about 33 miniature donuts |
Ingredients
- 1 Honeycrisp apple or any other apple variety you prefer, peeled and chopped into bite-size pieces
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, plus more as needed
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more as needed
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice, optional, but recommended!
- Nonstick cooking spray, for the pan
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup lightly packed light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce or one 3.2-ounce kids’ applesauce packet
- 1/3 cup apple cider
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- For the apple compote: In a small saucepan, combine the apple, granulated sugar, cinnamon and 1/4 cup water. If you’d like a hint of tartness, add the optional lemon juice. Place the saucepan over medium heat and stir to dissolve the sugar. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes or until the apples are tender and the mixture has thickened slightly.
- Taste the compote and adjust the sweetness or cinnamon to your liking. If you want it sweeter, add a little more sugar; for more cinnamon flavor, sprinkle in a bit more ground cinnamon.
- Once the apple compote has reached your desired consistency and flavor, remove it from the heat. Let it cool slightly before serving. You can serve it warm or at room temperature.
- For the donuts: Preheat and Prep: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease a 12- to 18-cavity mini donut pan with cooking spray.
- Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg and salt. Set aside.
- Wet Ingredients: In a separate small bowl, combine the brown sugar, applesauce, apple cider, vegetable oil, vanilla extract and egg. Whisk until well combined.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring until just combined. Avoid overmixing, as it can result in dense donuts. Prepare for Baking: Spoon the batter into a piping bag or resealable plastic bag with the corner snipped off. Pipe the batter into the prepared mini donut pan, filling each cavity about two-thirds full.
- Bake: Bake, rotating the pan halfway through baking for even cooking, 10 to 12 minutes (7 to 8 minutes for an extra mini pan) or until a toothpick inserted into the donuts comes out clean.
- Make Cinnamon Sugar Coating: While the donuts are baking, mix together the granulated sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a shallow bowl to prepare the cinnamon sugar coating.
- Coat with Butter: Once the donuts are done baking, let them cool for a few minutes. Carefully remove the donuts from the pan. Using a silicone brush, brush each one with the melted butter, coating the entire top.
- Roll in Cinnamon Sugar: Immediately roll the butter-coated donuts in the cinnamon sugar mixture until they are evenly coated on all sides.
- Cool: Place the sugared donuts on a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat the process with the remaining donuts.
- Serve and Enjoy: Once cooled, serve with the apple compote and enjoy your homemade apple cider baked donuts! They pair perfectly with a cup of hot apple cider or your favorite warm beverage.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 33 servings |
| Calories | 99 |
| Total Fat | 4 g |
| Saturated Fat | 1 g |
| Carbohydrates | 16 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0 g |
| Sugar | 11 g |
| Protein | 1 g |
| Cholesterol | 9 mg |
| Sodium | 54 mg |