Apple-Cider Doughnuts

Pair this up with some Hot Chocolate and call it a day! Seasonal and delicious!
You obviously wont be making these every day but it would be something fun to do with the kids or as a special holiday treat!
What you need:

• 1 cup applesauce
• 1 cup apple cider
• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 3 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• 1 2/3 cups sugar
• 3 Tbsp. shortening
• 1 large egg + egg yoke
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1tsp. vanilla
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• vegetable oil for frying

Making the dough:

1. Whisk flour, baking powder and soda, 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg in a medium bowl.

2. In a large bowl beat 2/3 cup sugar and shortening, mix until sandy. Then beat in egg + yoke, and gradually mix in applesauce. Beat in 1/2 the flour mix, then add buttermilk and vanilla, and then finish beating in the rest of the flour mix. Dough should be sticky, don't overmix.

3. Scrape the dough on to some floured wax paper and pat into a 7x11 inch rectangle, about a 1 1/2 thick. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (you can even let it set up over night).

Making the Glaze:

4. Simmer the apple cider in a small pot over med-high heat until reduced to 1/4 cup. Whisk powdered sugar in until dissolved. Set aside. Mix remaining cup of sugar and 2 tsp. of cinnamon in a shallow bowl; set aside.

5. Heat about 1-2 inches of veggie oil in large pot over med. heat. Line a cooling rack or cooking sheet with paper towels. Cut chilled dough into 12 rounds, I used a cup for this and then a small measuring spoon for the donut holes. Put 2-3 doughnuts at a time in the oil. fry 1-2 min on each side. Transfer to paper towels to cool.

6. Dip one side of each doughnut into the cider mix and then into the cinnamon-sugar. Serve and ENJOY!

***I had a hard time with the frying part of this because I didn't at first use enough flour to manipulate the sticky dough. Also make sure your doughnuts are no bigger then a 1 1/2 in thick. These didn't look as pretty as I was hoping for but I had all of Brandon's family over and some friends later on that day and EVERYONE gobbled them up! They said they were so good... So it made it well worth the WORK!