Applesauce Doughnuts

  • 18
  • 78 mins

Ingredients

  • 3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup applesauce
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons shortening
  • 3 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs
  • Vegetable oil
  • Cinnamon-sugar mixture, if desired

Preparation

Step 1

1 Beat 1 1/3 cups of the flour and the remaining ingredients except oil and cinnamon-sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on low speed, scraping bowl constantly, until blended. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in remaining 2 cups flour. Cover and refrigerate about 1 hour or until dough stiffens.

2 Heat oil (2 to 3 inches) in deep fryer or 3-quart saucepan to 375ºF. Divide dough in half. Place half of the dough on well-floured cloth-covered surface; gently roll in flour to coat. Gently roll dough 3/8 inch thick. Cut with floured doughnut cutter. Repeat with remaining dough.

3 Slide doughnuts into hot oil, using wide spatula. Turn doughnuts as they rise to surface. Fry 1 to 1 1/2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Carefully remove from oil (do not prick surfaces); drain on paper towels. Sprinkle hot doughnuts with cinnamon-sugar.

The key to perfect doughnuts is maintaining the oil temperature at 375ºF. Use a deep-frying thermometer for best results. Like your doughnuts completely coated? Add the cinnamon-sugar to a plastic or paper bag, and shake one or two doughnuts at a time in the mixture until coated.

Serves 18

1 Doughnut Calories210 ( Calories from Fat80 ), Total Fat9 g (Saturated Fat2 g, ), Cholesterol25 mg Sodium320 mg Total Carbohydrate32 g (Dietary Fiber1 g ), Protein3 g