Cinnamon Sugar Apple Brioche Donuts
Fall is here, which means it’s cozy baking season! There’s something about fall that makes us crave warm, spiced treats, and if you’re like us, a soft, fluffy donut is pretty much the perfect dessert to make. These cinnamon sugar apple brioche donuts combine all of the cozy flavors of fall— sweet apples, warm cinnamon, and a pillowy brioche dough that melts in your mouth.
The breakdown
01. Brioche Dough
Brioche is rich, buttery, and incredibly soft, which makes it perfect for donut dough. Unlike traditional donut dough, brioche gives the donuts a light, tender crumb that pairs beautifully with the sweet apple filling and cinnamon sugar coating.
02. Cinnamon Sugar Coating
Once the donuts are fried, they’re rolled in cinnamon sugar. To make the coating, combine 1 cup of granulated sugar with 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon. For the best results, roll the donuts while they’re still warm to make sure that the cinnamon sugar sticks to the outside.
03. Apple Filling
The last step is filling these donuts with warm, spiced apples. The apples are cooked in apple juice, then sweetened with sugar, cinnamon, and apple pie spice until they become soft and caramelized. You can find apple pie spice at most grocery stores or you can make your own by combining cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice.
Brioche Tips
Butter: Use a good quality, high fat butter for the richest flavor. The butter should be softened but not melted.
Kneading: Knead the dough until it’s smooth and elastic. This takes about 10-12 minutes. The dough should be soft but not too sticky. If it sticks to your hands, add a little more flour, but be careful not to add too much, as it can make the dough dense.
The windowpane test is a good way to determine if your dough is properly kneaded. Pinch off a small piece of dough and gently stretch it between your fingers. If it stretches to the point where you can see light through it without tearing, it has developed enough gluten and is ready. If it tears easily and doesn’t stretch thin, it needs more kneading.
Proofing: Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and allow it to rise in a warm place until doubled in size. After dividing the dough, let it rise again before baking. This second proofing results in a light, airy texture.
Be gentle: When working with brioche, handle the dough gently to avoid deflating it too much. Preserving the air bubbles that have developed during the proofing process ensures a light, fluffy dough.
Watch how we made it:
Cinnamon Sugar Apple Brioche Donuts
Ingredients
Apple Filling
- 5-6 honeycrisp apples, peeled and finely cubed
- 1/2 cup unsweetened apple juice
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp apple pie spice
- 1/2 tsp salt
Dough
- 1 cup whole milk, warm
- 2 tsp active dry yeast
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened and cubed
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- Vegetable oil for frying
Cinnamon Sugar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
Instructions
- In a saucepan over medium-low heat, add all of the apple filling ingredients and cook for about 45 minutes, stirring frequently until the apples are tender and the sauce is thickened. Transfer to a baking sheet to cool completely then place in the refrigerator while you prepare the donuts.
- To make the dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, add the milk, yeast, & sugar. Let sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy.
- Add the butter, eggs, vanilla. Stir until butter is fully incorporated, about 2-3 minutes.
- Gradually add the flour and salt on low speed. Knead until the dough comes together and forms a ball. Increase the speed and knead for 10 more minutes. The dough should be smooth and soft.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise for 45 minutes.
- Then, roll the dough out into a large 1 inch thick circle. Using a round cutter, cut out circles and place on a tray. Cover for another 15 minutes for the second proof.
- In a saucepan, heat up the oil to 325°F. Fry the donuts by dropping them in the oil 4 at a time, 2 minutes on each side.
- Let the donuts drain on a rack before rolling them in cinnamon sugar while still warm.
- Make a small cut in each donut and fill the donuts with the apple filling.
