Baked Apple Cider Doughnut Holes

These doughnuts have the perfect apple cider flavor and they are baked not fried.

The batter for these doughnuts will fill more than one mini muffin tin. If you happen to have two mini muffin tins, then you are all set, but if you do not have two, like I don't, then you can use one mini muffin tin and part of one regular muffin tin.

Once these doughnuts were done I decided to skip rolling them in butter and rolled them directly in the cinnamon sugar. The sugar stuck to the bottom part of the doughnuts, but not the top. Next time I use the butter so that the cinnamon sugar will stick to the entire doughnut.

Baked Apple Cider Doughnut Holes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup apple cider
• 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
• 1 teaspoon ground clove
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 large egg
• 2/3 cup light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/3 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons canola oil

Topping

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan add in the apple cider and cook over low heat, stirring often, until it has reduced to 1/3 cup.
2. In another small saucepan add in the applesauce, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, clove and nutmeg. Cook over low heat, stirring often, until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 15-30 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 400º F. Spray two mini muffin tins with cooking spray or one mini muffin tin and four spots in a regular muffin tin.
4. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon.
5. In another large mixing bowl combine the egg, brown sugar, cooked applesauce, vanilla extract, honey, reduce apple cider, yogurt and canola oil.
6. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir just until mixed, do not over mix.
7. Fill prepared mini muffins tins with a rounded tablespoon of batter, about 3/4 full. If using one mini and one regular muffin tin, divided the remaining batter, after filling mini muffin tin, between about four spots. Bake for 6-10 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Regular sized muffins will take a bit longer than the mini muffins.
8. While doughnuts are baking melt butter in a small dish.
9. In another small dish combine the sugar and cinnamon.
10. Once the doughnuts are done, brush them with the melted butter and roll them in the cinnamon sugar. Place on a cooling rack to cool.

Enjoy!!!

Notes:
The applesauce may be substituted with apple butter. Just add the apple butter in where the recipe calls for applesauce and skip the steps of cooking the applesauce and adding spies to it.

Serves: 19, 2 doughnuts per serving
Calories: 143
Total Fat: 3.2g
   Saturated: 0.6g
   Polyunsaturated: 0.5g
   Monounsaturated: 1.2g
   Trans: 0g
Cholesterol: 13.1mg
Sodium: 312.5mg
Potassium: 67.8mg
Total Carbs: 28.6g
   Dietary Fiber: 0.9g
   Sugars: 15.1g
Protein: 2.2g
Vitamin A: 1.1%
Vitamin C: 1%
Calcium: 2.8%
Iron: 6.4%
*The nutritional information will vary slightly depending on the brands you use.
*Adapted from feastie.