I don’t know if I have mentioned this before or not, but at my wedding (which is completely non-existent at this point and purely hypothetical) I want donuts instead of cake. More specifically, I want Apple Donuts.

Ever since I was young, as in before I remember, we have been going to Apple Hill every Fall. Apple Hill is this little place about 45 minutes away that is a community of different apple farms and stands. Located in the foothills, Apple Hill is the quintessential Fall location with the mountains and trees. I think my love of Fall and the desire to live in a New England Fall stems from the yearly trips we take to Apple Hill.

Whenever we go, we always go to High Hill Ranch and have their chicken salad sandwiches for lunch. They are delicious! And while you wait in line to order lunch, you can see the caramel apples and apple donuts being made, tempting you to buy them all.

Oh, if only I could…

These apple donuts are AMAZING!! Seriously, the best donuts ever! If I had to chose one donut to eat for the rest of my life, it would be the apple donuts from Apple Hill. Since I clearly think they are God’s gift to baked goods, I decided it was time to recreate them at home so I can start to enjoy them year round instead of just one weekend.

I have donut pans to make baked donuts but let’s be honest, baked donuts just aren’t quite the same as fried donuts no matter how good they are. Since I didn’t have anything to cut/form these donuts, I just stuck with a cookie scoop and made donut holes. Some didn’t quite cook the whole way through because the donut holes were a little too large but the ones that did… delicious!! Apple Hill apple donuts will always be my favorite but these give them a run for their money! Hope you enjoy 🙂

-Kelly

recipe adapted from Heather’s French Press Pumpkin Apple Cider Doughnuts
Ingredients:

• 4 cups flour
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 4 tbls butter, melted
• 1 cup applesauce
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 2 apples, peeled and finely chopped

Directions:

1. Cream together butter, sugar and eggs. Meanwhile, in separate bowl, mix together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
2. Add applesauce to butter mixture.
3. Add flour mixture to butter mixture, alternating with buttermilk. Mix until incorporated and the dough is not sticky. If dough is too sticky, add flour 1tbls. at  a time.
4. In a pan, pour a bottle of canola oil or vegetable oil and heat until 250 degrees. Using a cookie scoop, or something smaller, drop balls of dough into hot oil.  (If you want to make actual donuts, transfer dough onto well-floured surface and use a rolling pin to roll out about 1 inch thick and form donuts.)
5. Fry about 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Using a slotted spoon, remove donut holes from oil onto paper towels to cool.
6. Once donuts are cool, melt an additional 4 tbls of butter and add cinnamon and sugar. Pour over donut holes as a glaze.  Enjoy!