Baked Apple Donuts

 by Gretchen Jameson

These are unlike any doughnut you've ever eaten! They taste like a combination between an apple fritter and a funnel cake, yum!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt or 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup shortening
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 1/2 cups finely chopped, unpeeled apples
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon groun cinnamon

Directions

1. Grease twenty-four 2 1/2-inch muffin cups well, set aside. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, salt and baking soda, set aside.

2. Beat shortening for 30 seconds. Gradually add the 1 1/2 cups sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time, beating on medium speed until well combined and scraping sides of bowl. Beat 2 minutes more. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating after each addition (do not overbeat!). Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk to shortening mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Fold in apples.

3. Spoon battered into prepared muffin cups, filling two-thirds full. Bake in a 350 degree oven 18 to 20 minutes or until dark golden brown and a wooden toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Donuts will dip in middle. Cool in pan on wire rack 15 minutes.

4. In a small bowl, combine the 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon. Carefully remove donuts from muffin cups (donuts will be tender). While still warm, roll donuts in sugar mixture.

Serve warm. Makes 24 donuts.

Nutrition Information: 176 calories, 9 g fat, 19 mg chol, 184 mg sodium, 23 g carb, 0 g fiber, 1 g protein