Author Notes
If you live in New England, come fall, you go apple picking. I'm pretty sure it's a law in most states.Like if you don't go a guy in a tricornered hat shows up at your house on horseback and takes you forcefully at musket point. Either that or a hefty "apple-picking non-compliance" fine will be levied against you, probably hand delivered to your house by a guy wearing knickers and ringing a bell. So apple picking we go. Because, and I admit this grudgingly, its actually pretty fun. That is if you can get past the hordes of screaming children, ridiculous shtick-y corn mazes, and annoyingly packed hayrides full of suckers (hayrides are indeed for suckers, unless they're free. that's all I'll say on that subject). Standing in a sun-soaked apple orchard, wearing a seasonally appropriate (!) sweater and picking fruit right from the tree is pretty much the best thing about fall. Throw donuts into the mix and the enjoyment level rockets off the charts. Sadly, for the more plant-based among us farmstand apple cider donuts are not an option. This has been an annual, almost soul-crushing disappointment for me. So this year, instead of giving the side-eye to every overjoyed person around me eagerly shoving apple cider donuts into their facehole, I took action. Apples were picked, donuts were baked,
and the "autumn in New England" circle was completed.
—Slow Club Cookery
Ingredients
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1 1/2 cups
whole wheat pastry flour
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2/3 cup
light brown sugar
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1/2 teaspoon
ground sea salt
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1 teaspoon
baking soda
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1 tablespoon
ground cinnamon
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1 tablespoon
finely ground flax seeds
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3 tablespoons
boiling water
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1 teaspoon
vanilla extract
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3/4 cup
applesauce
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3 tablespoons
apple cider
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1/3 cup
canola or other neutral oil
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1/4 cup
unrefined sugar
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1/2 teaspoon
finely ground cardamom
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1 teaspoon
additional ground cinnamon
Directions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Whisk together ground flax seeds and 3Tbsp of just boiled water.
Set aside until thickened, about 5 minutes.
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In a medium bowl sift together flour, brown sugar, sea salt,
baking soda and 1 tablespoon of cinnamon.
Add applesauce, oil, vanilla and apple cider, and flax seed mixture,
stirring until well combined.
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Spoon batter into lightly greased donut pan (fill each mold about 2/3 full)
and bake for 18-22 minutes, or until golden brown and cake tester inserted into the
center of each donut comes out clean.
Allow donuts to cool in pan for about 5 minutes before flipping out onto cooling rack.
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In a shallow bowl combine cinnamon, sugar, and cardamom for topping.
Gently press the bottom end (more rounded side) of the warm donuts into sugar mix.
Place sugar side up on rack to cool.
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