Am I the only one who thinks things like apple cider & pumpkin pie are fall treats and aren’t meant to be enjoyed after Thanksgiving?  Kind of like wearing white after labor day, it shouldn’t be done? I’m sort of hoping I am the only one who thinks this way, because otherwise this wonderful recipe won’t be tried in time and will be long forgotten when fall rolls around next year.

If you have the ingredients on hand, I urge you to make these before the official fall eating season has turned to Christmas eating (for me, that means the apple cider and pumpkin are replaced by egg nog and chocolate…lots of chocolate).  They are simple so you could even serve them on Thanksgiving morning without over-taxing yourself.  And the sugar buzz will get your long day of cooking off to a nice start.

Easy Apple Cider Doughnuts

recipe courtesy of Marina C.

1 egg
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmet
1 cup apple cider
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup flour
2 cups baking mix (such as Bisquick–I used some generic stuff)

Preheat oil in deep fryer to 375 degrees F. (I just filled a skillet half full of oil and heated it.  Be sure to check the temperature with a candy thermometer.)

Beat egg, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cider and vanilla together.  Add flour and baking mix.

On floured surface, knead dough several times and roll to 1/2-inch thick.  Cut with donut cutter (I used a large & tiny biscuit cutter, or you could use a glass & a pop cap or  use the handle of a wooden spoon to poke a hole).  Drop into hot oil & cook until golden brown, turn, and cook the other side until golden brown.  Keep the candy thermometer in the oil and adjust the heat on the burner as necessary to keep the temperature steady.  You don’t want to let the oil get too hot or it will burn the doughnuts before they have a chance to cook in the middle.  Don’t forget to cook those donut holes as well!  Waste not…)

Drain on paper towels.  Frost or roll in a cinnamon-sugar mixture.  I mixed 1 cup sugar with 1 teaspoon of cinnamon for the coating.

Serves 18-24