Glazed Apple Cider Donuts

These donuts are wonderful!
Seriously.
I can't even put words together to describe their amazingness.

This is not a quick recipe. You'll need to block out at least 2 hours to do 'em right, and trust me, you want to do 'em right.

Make these this weekend. Enjoy a couple, then get them the heck out of your kitchen, because you will want to eat ALL of them. Not that this comes from experience or anything...

Apple Cider Donuts
Slightly adapted from The Washington Post via Ambrosia Baking
Yield: ~2 dozen donuts + donut holes
Ingredients:
Apple cider- 1 c + 2 tbsp, separated
All-purpose flour- 3 1/2, plus extra for the work surface
Baking powder- 2 tsp
Baking soda- 1 tsp
Ground cinnamon- 1/2 tsp
Salt- 1/2 tsp
Ground nutmeg- 1/8 tsp
Unsalted butter- 4 tbsp, room temp
Granulated sugar- 1 c
Large eggs- 2, room temp
Buttermilk- 1/2 c
Powdered sugar- 1 c
Vegetable oil, for frying
Directions:
1. Pour 1 c apple cider into a small saucepan, and cook over medium or medium-low heat until it is reduced to about 1/4 c, ~20-30 minutes. Take off the heat and stick in the fridge to cool.
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg, and whisk together. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl (or the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment), beat butter and sugar together until smooth. Add eggs one by one, beating well after each addition.
4. Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly add the reduced apple cider and buttermilk, mixing only until just combined.
5. Add the flour mixture to the batter, and continue to mix just until combined- be careful not to overbeat!
6. Line a baking sheet with wax paper, and sprinkle with flour. Scoop the dough onto the sheet, and sprinkle with more flour; flatten with your hands until it is about 1/2 inch thick. Stick the sheet in the freezer until it has hardened slightly, ~20-30 minutes.
7. Pull dough out of the freezer, and cut the donuts using a donut cutter. Place on another baking sheet lined with wax paper, and stick in the fridge for another 20 minutes.
8. Add vegetable oil to a deep-sided pan- the oil should reach about 3 inches high. Heat the oil to 350 degrees F (use a candy thermometer). Have a plate or two ready lined with paper towels.
9. While the oil is heating, make the apple cider glaze. Whisk together the powdered sugar and 2 tbsp apple cider until smooth. A little extra apple cider might be necessary; you don't want this glaze to be too thick.
10. When the oil is heated, carefully add two or three donuts to the pot (depending on the size of the pot). The fry time will vary, I had them in the pot for 1 1/2 minutes on average. Don't let them get darker than golden brown. Remove from oil and put on paper towel-lined plate to drain. Dip warm donuts in the glaze, and serve immediately.

ENJOY!