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Welcome to the first official day of fall! I could not think of a better recipe to be sharing today than these mulled apple cider french crullers.
These pastries are fall, all fried up in a cute little circle. They’re delicious, easy, and just what you need to be making this weekend.
Speaking of which, happiest Friday to you guys! As you know I am hosting the HBH Cookbook retreat this weekend so things are just a little crazier than usual around here. We are already having so much fun and have a jam-packed day today, so I’m going to be keeping this post pretty short and sweet…
Which is fine since I really just want to convince you guys to get up right now (I mean, even leave work if you have too…) and make these apple cider chai crullers.
I truly love them that much and if I wasn’t already making a bunch of recipes from the Half Baked Harvest Cookbook for brunch on Sunday, I would totally have these crullers on the menu.
A while back I saw a photo of the most delicious looking apple cider doughnuts in Bon Appetit and ever since then, I knew that I wanted to make some kind of apple cider doughnut this fall. For a while I thought it was going to be one covered in cinnamon sugar, but then I attempted it and you know, they just didn’t turn out that great.
Granted I was trying to bake the doughnuts, which I’m going to be honest, I am just not a fan of.
Anyway, after my failed attempt at the cinnamon sugar doughnut, I decided to go a whole new route. Instead of doughnuts, I wanted to make crullers, but with apple cider and chai spice.
Yes, yes, yes.
I mean, come on? How good does that sound?!?
What’s great about crullers, is that they require no yeast and no rising time. You make the dough, fry the dough, and then eat the dough. Meaning you can have a craving for these and have them made and ready for eating in less than an hour.
Again, yes, yes, yes.
The base of the dough is pretty simple. It’s a combo of apple cider, cinnamon, butter, flour and eggs. You’ll pipe the dough into circles and then fry them. Like I said, pretty simple and straight forward. The crullers themselves are light and airy with hints of sweet apples and cinnamon.
It’s the chai glaze that makes these crullers so good though. Instead of a traditional sugar glaze, I spiced mine up with homemade chai spice and a touch of vanilla. So kind of like a sweet latte, but on your cruller.
SO GOOD.
All you need now is a mug of hot coffee or warm cider, a cozy blanket, and an apple cider chai cruller in hand and you’ll have the perfect Saturday or Sunday morning….or maybe afternoon snack. Either works!
Mulled Apple Cider Chai French Crullers
Ingredients
- 1 cup apple cider
- 1 stick butter
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 - 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 eggs
Chai Glaze
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon all-spice
- 1/4 teaspoon cardamom
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- 1. Bring the apple cider, butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer 5-10 minutes or until reduced to about 1/2 cup. Remove from the heat. Let cool 5-10 minutes. Remove the cinnamon stick and stir in 1 cup flour, and the salt. Mix in one egg at a time into the batter until incorporated. I always use 3 eggs and find the dough to be perfect, but if your dough seems stiff add the additional 4th egg. If your dough is not stiff, add the additional 1/2 cup of flour as needed. Transfer the batter to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch star piping tip.2. Heat 2 inches or more of oil in a heavy-bottomed pot until it reads 350 on an instant thermometer.3. Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Pipe out about 12 rings onto the paper. Using scissors, cut out the parchment around the dough so that the circles are separated from each other. 4. When the oil is hot, place one cruller at a time into the oil, paper side up. Remove the paper with tongs. Fry on each side until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain onto paper towels. 5. To make the glaze. In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon, ginger, all-spice, cardamom, and cloves. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla and about 1/2 teaspoon of the chai spice mixture to a medium bowl. Add 1-2 tablespoons of water and whisk until the glaze comes together. 6. Drizzle the glaze over the crullers. If desired, sprinkle with the remaining chai spice. EAT!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Have a great Friday! See you tomorrow for more cider…but in cocktail form!
Hi Tieghan! Was wondering if you have a thermometer you recommend? I bought one once for making caramel and the display showed the temperature dropping after a while, which makes no sense. It didn’t work at all, but I’d love to be able to try this recipe with a better thermometer. Also, what kind of pot do you use? A cast iron? Thanks!
Hi Nicole! Sadly I dont have one I recommend. All of mine have not been one I would recommend purchasing. I would maybe try something from Crate and Barrel or Williams-Sonomma. Typically they have pretty good product. Hope this helps!
How well do these store?
Hi Kara! These are best eaten right after being fried, but will keep for about a day. Please let me know if you have any other questions. Hope you love this recipe! 🙂
I would like to try, however what does 1 stick butter mean? I’m here in Europe so gramms would be more helpful, could you advise?
thank you!! 🙂
Hi!
1 stick of butter is equal to 4oz or 113 grams. I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any other questions!
I tried making these this weekend, doubling the recipe. But the batter was way too runny after the 6 eggs. I had to add in an at least an extra cup and a half of flour. Not sure what went wrong. This made the donuts very heavy. Do you simmer the liquid til it reduces by a certain amount? Or perhaps let the batter sit for a while to thicken? Still tasted nice but just trying to figure out why mine didn’t quite turn out…
Hey Jessica! Sorry for the trouble, yes I simmer the cider until it’s about 1/2 cup. I have adjusted the recipe, thank you for bringing this to my attention. Let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love the recipe! Thank you!
These look so delicious, the perfect fall treat!
Thank you!
something is going on with your site, or your ads. While I was trying to read the post and recipe your site kept jumping back to the top of the post. Super annoying and made it very difficult to read (I tried it on 2 browsers)
Delicious looking fall treat.
Hey Loren! Sorry about that.. I’ll check to see what is going on! Thanks for letting me know!
These look amazing Tieghan! So wish I had one right now!
Thank you Mary Ann! I hope you love them!
I love the addition of the chai!
Thank you Kari!
DANG woman! These crullers look so (swear word) amazing I can’t even stand it! I’m drooling all over the place!
Haha thank you Christina!!
These look incredible! I’m invited to a harvest potluck in a few weeks and I think I have to make these!
I was just wondering what size tip do you use for these? I’ve never made donuts or used piping tips so this is a new adventure for me, and I don’t want to mess it up.
Sidenote: I was about to order your cookbook online, but as I walked by Crow Bookshop in Burlington, VT today, your book was in the display! I nabbed it immediately and I can’t wait another six hours until I’m home from work and can read it 🙂
Hey Kat! I use a 1/2-inch star piping tip, which is normally a #12 piping tip. Hope that helps and let me know if you have other questions. Have a great harvest potluck!!
Also, your side note just made my day!!! THANK YOU! Hope you love all the recipes you try! 🙂
send them over, I’m ready!
https://bloglairdutemps.blogspot.pt
Haha thank you Ruth! So happy you’re liking these ?
You should offer big glossy framed photos of these. ART!
Awh thank you!
Ahh! I still haven’t made your Apple Pandowdy yet and I’ve had your Maple Glazed Apple Fritters on my mind, too, now these crullers! I think I may have to do another round of apple picking. Fortunately the orchards are nearby. Enjoy the rest of the HBH weekend. One question for you…are you going to announce any book tour dates in the near future?
hey Jean! Thank you so much! I hope you love three recipes! 🙂
I will be in LA this coming week and NYC late October and Early Novemeber, but no major book tour sadly. I will be sure to update the blog with where I am on social and TV. I will be doing Hallmark Home and Family next week and will let you know air dates soon!! Thank you again!!
Oh my god this looks so good and decadent ! I love it !!!
Thank you Oriane!
PERFECT fall kickoff recipe! And I’m loving your cookbook – the photos, anecdotes, recipes… fabulous execution and layout.
Thank you Liz!