Hot Apple Cider Donut Mocktail Recipes

APPLE CIDER (BAKED) DONUTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray four 6-cavity donut pans with nonstick baking spray.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon zest. Whisk for 30 seconds to distribute the leavening.
• In a liquid measure cup, combine the cider, buttermilk and vanilla.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar. Mix on high until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well between each addition. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl.
• With the mixer on low, add one-third of the flour mixture and then half of the cider mixture. Continue alternating between the two until the batter is just combined. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and, using a large rubber spatula, fold the batter a few times to make sure the ingredients are well distributed.
• Transfer the batter to a piping bag or a large zip-close bag with a corner snipped off, and pipe into two of the donut pans. Top each pan with a second, inverted pan and use clips to hold them in place. (Some pans come with clips; otherwise, use metal hardware or paper clips.) Bake until the cake just springs back when gently touched, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Turn the donuts out onto a cooling rack; immediately brush with melted butter, then dip in the cinnamon sugar.

BAKED APPLE CIDER DONUTS

Steps:

• Stirring occasionally, simmer the apple cider in a small saucepan over low heat until you're left with about 1/2 cup. Start checking at 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 20 minutes, etc until you have 1/2 cup (120ml). Mine takes about 20 minutes. If there are any spices or solids on top of your reduced apple cider, leave them. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Spray donut pan with non-stick spray. Set aside.
• Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, apple pie spice, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.
• Whisk the melted butter, egg, brown sugar, granulated sugar, milk, and vanilla extract together. Pour into the dry ingredients, add the reduced apple cider, and whisk everything together until smooth and combined. Batter will be slightly thick.
• Spoon the batter into the donut cavities-for ease, I highly recommend using a large zipped-top bag. Cut a corner off the bottom of the bag and pipe the batter into each donut cup, filling about halfway.
• Bake for 10-11 minutes or until the edges and tops are lightly browned. To test, poke your finger into the top of the donut. If the donut bounces back, they're done. Cool donuts for 2 minutes then transfer to a wire rack. Re-grease the pan and bake the remaining donut batter.
• Combine the granulated sugar, cinnamon, and apple pie spice together in a medium bowl. Once cool enough to handle, dunk both sides of each donut in the melted butter, then generously in the apple spice topping.
• Donuts are best served immediately. Leftovers keep well covered tightly at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

APPLE CIDER DOUGHNUTS

Steps:

• Mix 1 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon together in a resealable freezer bag.
• Bring apple cider to a boil in a saucepan; cook, stirring occasionally, until cider has reduced to 1/2 cup, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.
• Whisk 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, and salt together in a large bowl. Mix butter, eggs, egg yolk, and cooled cider together in a separate bowl until smooth; stir into flour mixture. Stir remaining 2 3/4 cup flour into mixture until dough is smooth. Refrigerate dough for 10 minutes.
• Heat oil in a large pot or deep-fryer to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Turn dough onto a well-floured work surface using floured hands; pat dough into 1/2-inch thickness. Cut dough into doughnuts using a doughnut cutter or 2 round cookie cutters (1 large and 1 small). Gather scraps and re-pat dough to cut out as many doughnuts as possible.
• Carefully slide doughnuts, working in batches, into hot oil; fry until doughnuts rise to the surface and begin to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip doughnuts and continue frying until opposite side is browned, about 1 1/2 minutes.
• Remove doughnuts with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel-lined plate to cool until easily handled, about 1 minute. Toss cooled doughnuts in the reserved bag of cinnamon-sugar. Bring oil back to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) before frying next batch.

THANKSGIVING MOCKTAIL

Steps:

• Add the blood orange juice, sugar and thyme to a small saucepan and place over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar, and cook for 2 minutes to let the flavors infuse. Turn off the heat and let the mixture steep and cool to room temperature.
• Discard the thyme; strain the syrup through a sieve. At this point, the syrup can be covered and refrigerated until ready to use, up to 1 week.
• Add 2 tablespoons of the blood-orange syrup to each of 2 highball glasses filled with ice. Top each glass with half of the ginger beer, then half of the cranberry juice. Stir and serve with some frozen cranberries and 1 blood orange slice.

HOT APPLE CIDER TODDY

Steps:

• Heat the apple cider in a nonreactive saucepan.
• In a bowl, combine the softened butter, brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves. Whip until the butter becomes creamy and the ingredients are incorporated. Place the graham crackers and pumpkin pie spice in a plastic baggie and crush with a rolling pin. Combine the rum extract with the non-dairy whipped topping. In a footed coffee glass, place a single cinnamon stick and a slice of spiced butter. Pour 1 shot whiskey into the glass. Ladle the hot cider to fill the glass. Garnish with a dollop of rum-flavored topping and a sprinkle of graham cracker crumb mixture. Serve warm.

HOT APPLE CIDER DONUT MOCKTAIL

Steps:

• Combine the cider, maple syrup, nutmeg, orange bitters, cinnamon sticks, cloves, vanilla bean and seeds and the orange half in a medium saucepot. Whisk to combine, then bring up to a boil over medium-high heat. Immediately turn the heat down to low and let simmer for 5 minutes.
• Carefully remove the cinnamon sticks, cloves and orange half. With a ladle, divide the cider into 2 mugs (see Cook's Note). Place 2 donut holes on 6-inch skewers or skewer them on the cinnamon sticks. Garnish each mug with a cinnamon stick and donut skewer or dried apple slices. Serve warm.