One Idea Leads to Another- Apple Cider Glazed Doughnuts

Last week while clicking through my blog feed I saw Tracy's delicious looking post about the delicious sounding Baked Caramel Apple Donuts. When I had snapped out of my drooling state of desire I realized that it was just a little too much to order a donut pan for one recipe. Especially when I need essential things like spatulas and a muffin pan. But seeing her yummy treats reminded me of this Smitten Kitchen recipe for Apple Cider Doughnuts, which I have always wanted to make. I have that post bookmarked on my work and home computers. That dough for those seemed a bit time intensive to make, though. Especially when I can walk less than a mile to the donut shop. But then, hence the name of this post, I remembered this Easy Dougnuts recipe I had torn out of an old Real Simple magazine. I had always wanted to try it, but been a little nervous, as I'd never really fried anything before. However, I decided to take the plunge this past weekend, and I grabbed the supplies on the way home from work Friday. So, after three doughnut recipes I finally arrived at my destination, which turned out to be a bit of a combination of Deb's recipe and Real Simple's. The doughnut making process is Real Simple, and the glaze comes from Smitten Kitchen.

One of the best part's of making this recipe was the treat I discovered when I went to the store to collect my ingredients. In the refrigerated food section while perusing my biscuit options I found Pillsbury's simply Buttermilk Biscuits. No trans fat, no high fructose corn syrup, and no artificial flavors or colors. These are just biscuits with a completely comprehensible ingredient list. What a nice find!

Apple Cider Glazed Doughnuts & Cinnamon-Sugar Doughnut Holes
Makes 10 doughnuts and 10 doughnut holes

3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 10 count Pillsbury's Simply Biscuits (or your preferred refrigerated biscuits)
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• Heat ½ cup of the oil in a medium skillet over medium-low heat.
• Place the biscuits on a cutting board. Using a 1-inch round cookie cutter or shot glass, cut a hole in the center of each biscuit, reserving the extra dough for "holes."
• Make the glaze by whisking together the confectioners sugar and the cider until the mixture is smooth. Make the cinnamon-sugar by mixing the two together. Set aside.
• Test the heat of the oil by dipping the edge of a doughnut in the pan. When the oil is hot enough, the edge will bubble. Place 4 of the doughnuts and holes in the skillet and cook until golden brown, 1 to 1½ minutes per side. Drain on paper towels for a minute after the doughnuts are fried. Add the remaining oil to the skillet, reheat, and cook the remaining doughnuts and holes.
• Dip the top of the warm doughnuts into the glaze and roll the doughnut holes in the cinnamon sugar mixture and serve immediately.

My notes: The original Real Simple recipe called for the large-style (i.e. Grands) biscuits. Since mine were a little smaller they just needed about a minute frying on each side instead of 1 1/2 . I think next time, if I'm using a similar glaze, then I'd dip both sides in it, instead of just the tops.