Apple 'n Spice Donut Recipe

Preheat

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 6- to 12-cavity donut pan (depending on size) or line with donut liners.

Dry ingredients

In a large bowl whisk together 2.25 cups all-purpose flour, 0.75 cup granulated sugar, 0.25 cup light brown sugar, 2 tsp baking powder, 0.5 tsp baking soda, 2 tsp ground cinnamon, 0.25 tsp ground nutmeg, and 0.5 tsp salt until evenly combined.

Wet ingredients

In a separate medium bowl, beat 2 large eggs lightly. Whisk in 0.5 cup whole milk, 0.5 cup buttermilk, 0.5 cup melted unsalted butter, and 1 tsp vanilla extract until smooth.

Combine and fold in apples

Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour the wet mixture into it. Stir gently with a spatula until just combined; do not overmix. Fold in 1 cup grated peeled apple and 0.5 cup finely chopped apple until evenly distributed. The batter should be thick but pipeable/scoopable. If too thick, add up to 1-2 tbsp milk; if too thin, add 1-2 tbsp flour.

Portion

Spoon or pipe batter into prepared donut pan, filling each cavity about 3/4 full. Smooth tops with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon.

Bake

Bake in the preheated oven for 10–14 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the donut body (not the hole) comes out with a few moist crumbs and the tops spring back when lightly pressed.

Cool

Allow donuts to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool for another 10 minutes until warm but not hot (so coating or glaze will adhere).

While donuts bake, make the filling. In a small saucepan melt 1 tbsp unsalted butter over medium heat. Add 1 cup diced apple and sauté 2–3 minutes until softened. Stir in 2 tbsp light brown sugar and 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon and cook 1–2 minutes until syrupy. Mix 0.5 tsp cornstarch with 1 tbsp water to form a slurry, add to pan and cook 30–60 seconds until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in 0.5 tsp lemon juice. Cool to room temperature before filling.

To fill: when donuts are cooled, use a small piping tip or a paring knife to make a shallow hole in each donut and pipe or spoon 1–2 teaspoons of the spiced apple filling into the center.

Combine 0.5 cup granulated sugar and 2 tsp ground cinnamon in a shallow bowl and mix thoroughly.

If using coating: while donuts are still warm (not hot), brush each donut lightly with melted butter (about 2 tbsp total for the batch), then toss or press the donut into the cinnamon-sugar mixture to coat evenly. Place coated donuts back on the wire rack to set.

To make the glaze, whisk together 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tbsp milk, 0.5 tsp vanilla extract, and 0.25 tsp ground cinnamon until smooth. If glaze is too thick, add milk 1 tsp at a time until desired consistency is reached.

Dip the tops of cooled donuts into the glaze, return to wire rack, and let glaze set for 10–15 minutes. If using spiced apple filling, glaze after filling so glaze sits on top.