Easy Apple Butter Baked Doughnut Holes Recipe: Your Go-To for Delicious Brunch & Snacks
Are you ready to elevate your baking game with a simple yet incredibly satisfying treat? Learn how to make delectable Apple Butter Baked Doughnut Holes that are not only easy to whip up in minutes but are also bursting with the warm, spiced flavor of apple butter. These bite-sized delights are perfect for last-minute brunch recipes, an afternoon pick-me-up, or any time you crave a comforting, sweet snack. Forget the messy frying; these baked beauties offer all the flavor with less fuss, making them an ideal addition to your recipe repertoire.
A Festive Inspiration: From Mardi Gras to Everyday Joy
Sometimes, the best recipes are born from a moment of seasonal inspiration. For me, that often comes around Mardi Gras. While I might not always get around to making an elaborate King Cake – a yearly tradition I often postpone – the festive spirit always puts me in the mood for classic Mardi Gras treats like doughnuts and beignets. This year was no different, and my desire for a quick, celebratory bite led me straight to these amazing Apple Butter Baked Doughnut Holes.
Instead of tackling a complex King Cake or traditional fried doughnuts, I opted for something simpler, quicker, and utterly delicious: baked doughnut holes. The idea was to create small, snack-sized treats that could be easily enjoyed. But why stop there? To make them truly special, I decided to fill them with a generous dollop of apple butter, much like a jelly-filled doughnut, then toss them in a delightful cinnamon sugar coating. The result? Little explosions of apple and spice in every bite!
What truly sets this recipe apart is its versatility. While perfect for a celebratory occasion, these baked doughnut holes are equally at home on a relaxed Sunday morning brunch table (imagine serving these for Mother’s Day!), or simply as a delightful accompaniment to your morning coffee. If you’re a fan of apples, warm cinnamon spice, and all things comforting, then these Apple Butter Baked Doughnut Holes are absolutely calling your name.
Unlocking the Secret: What Exactly is Apple Butter?
For those unfamiliar, apple butter is a truly special ingredient that often surprises people who haven’t encountered it before. Growing up in Pennsylvania, where the Pennsylvania Dutch and Amish traditions deeply influence local cuisine, apple butter was a pantry staple. However, I’ve learned that it’s not universally known, which is a shame, because it’s absolutely delicious!
Think of apple butter as a highly concentrated, intensely flavored version of applesauce. It’s made by slowly cooking down apples for an extended period, often with spices like cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg, until the natural sugars in the fruit caramelize. This slow cooking process gives apple butter its distinctive dark brown color, incredibly rich flavor, and luxuriously thick, smooth texture. It’s less sweet than jam and offers a deeper, more complex apple flavor profile that’s both tangy and sweet.
While fantastic spread on toast, biscuits, or pancakes, apple butter is also a versatile ingredient in baking and cooking. It adds incredible moisture and flavor to muffins, cakes, cookies, and even savory dishes. You can easily find jars of apple butter at most grocery stores, or if you’re feeling adventurous, you can make your own small batch apple butter right at home. Once you discover the magic of apple butter, you’ll want to explore all the possibilities. For more inspiration, check out my comprehensive guide on what to do with apple butter.
Crafting Your Doughnut Holes: Tips for Success
Achieving perfect baked doughnut holes is simpler than you might think, especially with a few helpful tips. Since I don’t own a specialized cake pop pan, I’ve found that a mini muffin pan works wonderfully. Don’t let their mini muffin appearance fool you – these are distinctly doughnut-like in taste, offering a soft, cake-like texture that’s utterly delightful.
The Art of Filling Your Doughnut Holes
The real secret weapon in this recipe is the luscious apple butter filling. To achieve this, you’ll want to use a piping bag fitted with a special tip designed for filling pastries. These are often called Bismarck tips or a round 230 tip. These long, slender tips allow you to effortlessly insert the apple butter into the center of each doughnut hole, ensuring every bite is filled with a burst of flavor. I personally use the round 230 tip, which came as part of a handy cupcake piping kit I’ve owned for years. If you don’t have these specialized tips on hand, a small squeeze bottle with a narrow opening can work as a good alternative.
Baking to Perfection
- Don’t Overmix: When combining the wet and dry ingredients, mix until just incorporated. Overmixing can lead to tough doughnut holes.
- Halfway Full: Only fill your mini muffin cups about halfway. This allows the batter to rise beautifully without overflowing, creating that perfect doughnut hole shape.
- Cooling is Key: While it’s tempting to dive in, allow the doughnut holes to cool slightly before tossing them in cinnamon sugar and completely before filling. This prevents the sugar from melting and helps the filling stay put.
With these simple guidelines, you’re well on your way to creating a batch of Apple Butter Baked Doughnut Holes that will impress everyone!
Apple Butter Baked Doughnut Holes
3 dozen
30 minutes
10 minutes
40 minutes
Want to learn how to make doughnut holes? These Apple Butter Baked Doughnut Holes filled with apple butter are easy to whip up in minutes, perfect for last-minute brunch recipes and everyday snacks.
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground clove
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 1/4 cup Musselman’s Apple Butter, divided
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup buttermilk, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F (175C). Lightly grease two mini muffin pans with cooking spray. This ensures your doughnut holes release easily.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground clove, and salt. Set aside your dry ingredients.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, beat together the melted unsalted butter, 3/4 cup of apple butter, and packed brown sugar until the mixture is smooth and well combined, typically taking about 1-2 minutes. Next, beat in the egg, room temperature buttermilk, and vanilla extract until everything is fully incorporated, which should take about 1 minute. Gradually add the whisked flour mixture to the wet ingredients, beating just until incorporated. Be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to dense doughnut holes.
- Fill each mini muffin cup with approximately 2 teaspoons of batter. A small #60 cookie scoop is ideal for this, helping to ensure consistent sizing. Remember, the cups should only be about halfway full to allow for proper rising. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a doughnut hole comes out clean. Let them sit in the pan for 1-2 minutes before carefully removing the warm doughnut holes to a wire cooling rack.
- While the doughnut holes are still warm but cool enough to handle, prepare your cinnamon sugar coating. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon with the granulated sugar. Gently toss each warm doughnut hole into this cinnamon sugar mixture, ensuring an even coating. Allow them to cool completely on the rack before proceeding to the next step.
- Once fully cooled, it’s time for the delightful apple butter filling. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a round 230 tip (or a Bismarck tip) with the remaining 1/2 cup of apple butter. Insert the tip into the side or bottom of one doughnut hole and gently squeeze the pastry bag, filling it with enough apple butter until you see the top of the doughnut hole slightly expand upwards. Repeat this process for all the remaining doughnut holes. These Apple Butter Baked Doughnut Holes are best served the same day to enjoy their freshest texture and flavor, but they can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
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Explore More Apple Butter Delights
If these Apple Butter Baked Doughnut Holes have sparked your love for this incredible ingredient, you’re in luck! Apple butter is wonderfully versatile and can be incorporated into a wide variety of sweet and savory dishes. From breakfast treats to decadent desserts and even unexpected savory applications, there’s so much to explore. Here are some of my other favorite apple butter recipes that I’m sure you’ll adore:
Apple Butter French Toast Roll Ups
Snickerdoodle Bars with Apple Butter Frosting
No Bake Apple Butter Cheesecake
Apple Butter Cheesecake Ice Cream
Caramel Apple Cheesecake Dip
Apple Butter BBQ Sauce Potato Salad
Whether you’re hosting a brunch, planning a holiday feast, or simply looking for a delightful treat to brighten your day, these Apple Butter Baked Doughnut Holes are sure to become a cherished recipe in your kitchen. Their ease of preparation, combined with the comforting flavors of apple and cinnamon, makes them an irresistible choice. Happy baking!