[baked] apple cider donuts

I've been seeing a lot of Fall bucket lists going around the interwebs these days, and sometimes they make me chuckle. I live on a pumpkin patch where I pick apples for my job, we make apple cider on a weekly basis, there are hayrides every day of the week, and picking corn is kind of like a boring version of a corn maze.  Sooo....I've definitely crossed off most things on these bucket lists without even trying!  It reminds me not to take things for granted, and every day I feel so blessed to live and work in such a cool place.

However, one of the things on my Fall baking bucket list was to make apple cider donuts!  I had never actually heard of such a thing until I came across a post on tumblr about them.  I was instantly intrigued, and thought they sounded like the epitome of a Fall dessert.  Warm, cozy, fluffy donuts with apple cider and cinnamon?  Perfection!  

My expectations were cautiously high for these donuts, and I wasn't disappointed!  I also quite successfully convinced myself that because they were baked donuts (and not deep-fried), they must be healthy for you.  Am I right?

Apple Cider Baked Donuts
adapted from: eat, live, run
yields: 11-12 donuts

Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon
2 eggs

2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup apple cider
1/4 cup buttermilk  [or 1/4 cup of milk with 1/2 tsp of vinegar....let stand for 5-10 minutes before using]

Topping:
2 tbsp butter, melted

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup white sugar
1 tbsp cinnamon (or to taste)

Directions:

1)  In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.

2)  In a smaller bowl, mix together the softened butter with the eggs until fluffy (doing this ensures that your butter doesn't re-solidify once the cold buttermilk and cider are added).  Add buttermilk and apple cider, and mix well.

3)  Pour wet ingredients into the dry, and stir until just blended.  Try not to overmix!

4)  Spread the batter into a greased donut pan.  I used a large spoon to drop the batter in, or placing your batter into a pastry bag to pipe into the pan makes the process nice and easy.  Fill each mold about 3/4 full.

5)  Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. You may want to break open a test donut just to make sure the inside isn't gummy!

6)  For the topping: melt the butter in a bowl that will fit a donut inside it.  Then, dip each donut quickly into the butter, and then into the cinnamon sugar mixture.

*These are best on the first day, as they tend to get a bit soggy once you place them in a container.

Do you have your own version of a Fall bucket list?  I'd love to hear what's on them! 

p.s. ♥ kelsey

{ all you need is love }

Happy Valentines Day dear readers!

I am absolutely thrilled to present you with a Valentines Day tea party inspiration shoot that I organized and did the photography for here in Edmonton. Here's a little taste of what I've been up to.... For more love, please go visit my photography blog @ claracphotography.blogspot.ca and leave me some love too! 

Wishing you all an absolutely lovely day~ 

p.s.  ♥ clara

tasty tuesday: mom's chocolate chip cookies

Jordyn and I definitely got our love for cooking and baking from our mom, and we are so blessed to have been encouraged to help in the kitchen from a young age.  We were (and still are) always free to experiment in the kitchen, no matter how many mistakes or giant messes we make...and we are so thankful!

Now, this recipe is an absolute classic in our house....and there are almost always a few kicking around, whether it be in the cupboard, or in the freezer.  Chocolate chip cookies are my dad's all-time favorite, which is the reason for their abundance!

This recipe is the brain child of our mom, who combined and modified 2 different recipes until she had her own creation that she was happy with!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

2 cups Butter (or margarine) - at room temperature!

1 1/2 cups Sugar

1 1/2 cups Brown Sugar

3 Eggs

2 tsp Vanilla
2 tsp Baking Soda

4 1/2 cups Flour

2 heaping cups of Chocolate Chips

Directions:

1) In a large bowl, mix together the butter and both sugars.

2)  Add in your eggs and vanilla, and mix until nice and fluffy.

3)  Gradually add in the flour and baking soda.

4)  Stir in the chocolate chips.

5)  Scoop the dough onto a cookie sheet (using a silpat on your cookie sheet is best!).

6)  Bake at 375 degrees for 10-11 minutes.

Jordyn and I love using a scoop when putting the dough onto our pan.  It makes the job nice and easy, and helps keep the size your cookies uniform!

Another tip is to always pull your cookies out a little bit before you think they're done.  Cookies tend to bake a little after you pull them out of the oven, and will set as they cool.  

In my opinion, there are two ways to enjoy these cookies.  Either warm out of the oven, or cold out of the freezer.  I don't know why, but I'm a sucker for frozen cookies!

Now, go ahead and make these cookies!  They taste like home, and are perfect when paired with a glass of milk.

p.s. ♥ kelsey