Soft, crisp, dense and chewy with all the warm flavours of Autumn running throughout, these Baked Apple Cider Churro Doughnuts combine the textures of a churro and doughnut to create little bites of absolute heaven!
Can we just take a moment to acknowledge what is going on here. A churro and doughnut in one? Baked and apple cider flavoured too? These churro doughnuts are SPECIAL and I have no doubts that they will quickly become your new favourite Autumn treats! I'm so excited for you to try them for yourselves! Enjoy them fresh out of the oven and coated in melted butter and spiced cinnamon sugar. They'll leave your house smelling like Christmas too!
Make your own apple cider or go for store-bought
It's completely up to you whether you want to make your own apple cider or purchase it from the store. I opted for homemade because it meant I could control how much sugar was in it. It's super easy to make and the leftovers can be warmed up and sipped on for ultimate Autumn vibes!
Homemade apple cider
To make homemade apple cider, add 6 apples (sliced), 5 sticks of cinnamon, 4 whole star anise pods, a pinch of sugar and 1.3l of water to a large, heavy-based saucepan and let it simmer over a low heat for about 40-45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it has reduced to half the amount. Strain and leave to cool completely before adding it to the batter.
Please note that this is my version of apple cider. You can add however much of the above ingredients as you like - it's all based on personal preference and the intensity of flavours you desire.
Store-bought apple cider
If using store-bought apple cider, heat up 200ml on the stove until it reduces to half the amount (100ml). This should take about 20 minutes. Reducing it will intensify its flavour so don't skip this step!
Making and adapting the churro doughnuts
When making the churro doughnuts, the batter should be fairly thin in consistency so don't be alarmed! They will rise and form that perfect churro/doughnut texture in the oven.
Of course, to get their doughnut shape a doughnut tray is required. I highly recommend this one by Wilton: https://amzn.to/34tL0l9.
A shallow cupcake tray can also be used as a replacement, they'll just require a few extra minutes in the oven so keep checking on them and use a toothpick to detect whether they're cooked through.
Buttermilk
This recipe does call for buttermilk but I made my own dairy-free version by adding 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar to 60ml oat milk and letting it sit for 10 minutes. If you don't require a dairy-free version, you can just use normal buttermilk.
Flour
I've made these churro doughnuts using gluten-free plain flour but you can substitute this for ordinary plain flour if you don't require gluten-free.
Baked Apple Cider Churro Doughnuts
Yields: 9 doughnuts
Prep time: 50 minutes if using homemade apple cider; 30 minutes if using store-bought
Total time: ~1 hr 5 minutes
INGREDIENTS
For the churro doughnuts:
200ml apple cider
135g gluten-free plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cardamom
Pinch of salt
1 egg
50g coconut sugar or caster sugar
60ml 'buttermilk' (oat milk with 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar mixed into it)
35g unsalted butter, melted
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
For the coating:
60g caster sugar or coconut sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp cardamom
4og unsalted butter, melted
METHOD
To make the churro doughnuts
1. If using store-bought apple cider, add 200ml to a saucepan and simmer over a low heat, stirring occasionally, until it reduces to about half the amount (100ml). Ensure you're continually checking every few minutes until you are left with 100ml (around 20 minutes). Set aside and allow to cool completely.
2. Preheat oven to 200°C and lightly grease your doughnut tray(s) with butter. Set aside.
3. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, cardamom and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg and sugar. Add the 'buttermilk', melted butter and vanilla extract and mix. Add in the dry ingredients, followed by the reduced apple cider, and mix until you have a smooth, thin-ish batter.
5. Spoon the batter into greased doughnut tray, filling almost to the top.
6. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until lightly browned. To test, insert a toothpick and if it comes out clean, they're done. They should also bounce back when touched. Allow to cool for 2 minutes then transfer to a wire rack.
Coating the churro doughnuts
1. Combine the sugar and spices together in a medium bowl. Once cooled slightly, dunk both sides of each churro doughnut in the melted butter, then in the spiced sugar mixture.
These churro doughnuts are best served immediately. You can store leftovers in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
I hope you love this recipe!
Love,
Sasha
NOTES
Churro doughnuts can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months. To defrost, thaw in refrigerator and warm up in the oven.
To make your own apple cider, please see the first section of the article.
