Discard Apple Cider Donuts

The Taste of a Crisp Fall Morning

There are few things that capture fall quite like apple cider donuts. The smell of cinnamon and warm apples, the crisp edges straight from the fryer, and that generous coating of cinnamon sugar make them feel like a trip to an orchard without leaving your kitchen.

These Discard Apple Cider Donuts take that classic fall treat and give it a sourdough twist. Reduced apple cider, apple butter, warm spices, and sourdough starter come together in a soft, flavorful dough that fries into golden little donuts. They are cozy, nostalgic, and exactly the sort of thing I want to make when the leaves start changing.

Apple Cider Does the Heavy Lifting

Reducing the apple cider is what gives these donuts their concentrated apple flavor. Instead of simply adding cider to the dough, simmering it allows some of the liquid to cook away while leaving behind a deeper, more concentrated taste.

Apple butter builds on that flavor, bringing even more richness and a natural sweetness to the donuts. Together, they give these a much more pronounced apple flavor than you would get from a basic spiced donut.

A Little Sourdough in the Mix

I love finding ways to use sourdough discard that have nothing to do with another loaf of bread. These donuts are a perfect example. The starter adds a subtle depth to the dough while giving you another delicious way to keep discard from going to waste.

You do not need to wait for the starter to become active, either. Active starter or discard can both be used, making this an especially handy recipe to keep around during seasons when you are baking with sourdough regularly.

The Spice Blend Makes Them Feel Like Fall

Cinnamon is the obvious star here, but the combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom gives these donuts a little more personality. The cardamom adds a soft floral note, while nutmeg brings that familiar warmth you expect from a classic fall bake.

Then comes the cinnamon sugar. Coating the donuts while they are still warm lets the sugar cling to every golden edge, creating that sweet, slightly crunchy finish that makes apple cider donuts so hard to resist.

Make a Batch for the People You Love

These donuts are made for sharing. Set them out for a fall breakfast, bring them to a gathering, or make a batch after apple picking when you have cider sitting in the fridge.

They also make a lovely seasonal alternative to more traditional sourdough discard bakes. If you are looking for a way to use your starter that feels a little indulgent, a little nostalgic, and very much like fall, these are worth making.

Discard Apple Cider Donuts

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Rest Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 1 hour hour 45 minutes minutes

Servings: 10 donuts

These sourdough discard apple cider donuts are soft, warmly spiced, and coated in cinnamon sugar. A cozy fall treat made with apple cider, apple butter, and sourdough starter.

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Ingredients

• 390 g Apple Cider
• 480 g All-Purpose Flour
• 1 tsp Salt
• 2 tsp Baking Powder
• ½ tsp Baking Soda
• 2 tsp Cinnamon
• ½ tsp Nutmeg
• ¼ tsp Cardamom
• 1 Egg
• 100 g Brown Sugar
• 100 g Cane Sugar
• 3 tbsp Melted Butter
• 125 g Apple Butter
• 120 g Sourdough Starter (active or discard)
• 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
• Refined Coconut Oil (for frying)
• Cinnamon Sugar (for dusting)

Instructions

1. Add your apple cider to a sauce pan, and bring itto a simmer. Leave it on medium/low heat for 20 mins.Stir occasionally.
2. While the cider simmers, add the flour, salt, bakingpowder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and carda-mom to a large bowl. Whisk to evenly combine.
3. Once the cider is reduced, add it to a medium sizedbowl, along with the starter and apple butter. Whiskto combine.
4. Then, add the egg, sugars, melted butter, and vanillato the cider mixture. Whisk thoroughly.
5. Add the wet ingredients into the dry. Using a silic-one spatula, fold the ingredients together until all ofthe flour is absorbed. Be careful not to over-mix!
6. Sprinkle a parchment lined baking sheet with flour.Pour the dough on the floured surface, and press intoan even rectangle, roughly 1" thick. Cover with plasticwrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.
7. After the hour rest, heat your oil to 350°F. The oil should be roughly 3" thick in the pan.
8. Using a donut cutter, cut out your shapes.Re-flatten the dough as needed to use it all up!
9. Fry the donuts for 2ish mins oneach side (until golden brown).
10. While still warm, coat the donuts in cinnam-on sugar, and ENJOY!

Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: American

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