Apple House Cinnamon Donuts

Yesterday was a very exciting day for Jack as he got to eat his very first donut ever. All commercial donuts are prepared with egg and due to his allergy he cannot have them. We try to avoid giving things like munchkins from Dunkin Donuts to Ethan when Jack is around because we feel badly, but Ethan is in love with those things. Jack was bored and eager to do something yesterday and asked if we could cook something. He looked though the Food Allergy Mama Baking Book and saw the picture of the donuts and wanted to make them. I had all the ingredients and apparently the energy so we decided to give it a go, and they came out awesome!!! I actually had ordered a donut cutter a while back from Amazon thinking we would make these last Fall but never got around to it. They are fairly inexpensive, and this is the one I have, but if you don't have one, you can use a 3 inch round biscuit cutter and the top of a bottle to cut out the center. Jack declared these donuts "the best donuts I ever had!" We called Papa to come and try them too. They were fun to make, and not as hard as I expected. And we do not need to debate the spelling over doughnuts versus donuts. I live in Dunkin Donut world, and donut is accepted as correct in New England.

Apple House Cinnamon Donuts

4 ½- 4 ¾ cup unbleached all purpose flour
3 ½ tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. nutmeg
¾ cup unsweetened applesauce
2 tsp. vanilla
¾ c. granulated sugar
3 Tbsp margarine, melted
1 cup milk
Vegetable oil for frying

In a large heavy pot heat 2-3 inches of vegetable oil until candy thermometer reaches 375 degrees.

In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment combine applesauce, vanilla and sugar. Add margarine and mix well. In a separate medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon with a wire whisk. Add flour mixture and soy milk alternatively with margarine mixture. Add more flour if needed to make a smooth and not too sticky dough.

Transfer dough to a lightly floured board. Knead for about a minute and roll out to a ½ inch thick circle. Dip doughnut cutter into flour and cut into dough. Remove trimmings and reroll, repeating process.
Jack's job was to cut out the donut shapes.

It was hard work! Save those donut centers, they fry up nicely and are the perfect bite size donut. Keep re-rolling the dough to cut out as many as you can.

Drop 3-4 donuts at a time (don't over crowd the pan) using metal tongs. Fry for about 2 minutes until they rise to the surface, and flip over with tongs and fry for another two minutes until golden and cooked through. Drain on paper towels or a brown bag,.

In a small brown lunch bag, mix 1/2 cup of sugar with 2 teaspoons of cinnamon. While your donuts are still warm place in bag (one at a time) and shake to fully coat with the mixture.

Then they are ready to eat, and these were devoured.

Jack really enjoyed eating donuts. I think he ate at least 5 yesterday!

Ethan thought they were pretty good too!

And Papa liked them as well.

Jack and Ethan were my little helpers. Jack actually helped, while Ethan made a mess.

But they are pretty cute so I don't mind.

Here they are. Definately give them a try. Jack is already asking if we can make them again since they are GONE already. Daddy came home from work was excited to see homemade donuts.

Recipe adapted from Kelly Rudnicki, Food Allergy Mama.