Wow…where have I been the last 12 days?  Life just got kind of crazy so to make up for it, I am bringing you something extra delicious.   Every fall, my husband and I take our girls to our local farmer’s market and get them a warm apple cider donut.  The hubs used to love those things so he has to exercise some serious will power to resist the urge to indulge.   So, when I saw a friend post a recipe for homemade baked apple cider donut holes on her blog, I pretty much had to make them.  I took a risk and adapted the recipe so that it was gluten free.  The result was dangerous…dangerously good.  All the donut holes were gone in less than 24 hours and I may or may not have been responsible for downing half of them.

   Because these donut holes are baked instead of fried, the texture is slightly different than the traditional cider donuts you might find at your local apple orchard.  They are tender and moist, almost like a muffin.  The taste is hard to beat.  Distinctly apple flavored with the spiciness of cinnamon and that traditional sugar, cinnamon coating you expect from a cider donut.     I think they are best served warm, but it didn’t stop me from polishing off the last few for breakfast the next morning.

   Start by mixing your dry ingredients and wet ingredients in separate bowls.  I had a little helper with me for this part.  Isn’t she the cutest?

  Add your wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.

  Pour the batter into a well greased mini-muffin tin.  Fill each tin to only about 3/4 of the way full so that your donuts don’t rise up and flatten out on top.  Please note that I did not heed my own advice.

   Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes.  While they are still warm lightly brush the tops with butter and then roll the muffins in a mixture of cinnamon and sugar.  

   Make sure that you have other people around to enjoy these bad boys with you or you might end up eating all of them yourself.

Gluten Free Baked Apple Cider Donut Holes (adapted from the Feastie Blog– makes about 36 donut holes)

Ingredients:

• 2 gluten free flour blend (I used the Pamela’s Baking Mix)
• 1  tsp baking powder (increase to 1 1/2 tsp if using all purpose flour or another type of gluten free flour)
• 1  tsp baking soda (increase to 1 1/2 tsp if using all purpose flour or another type of gluten free flour) 
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 large egg
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup apple butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/3 cup apple cider
• 1/3 cup plain yogurt 
• 2 Tbsp canola oil
• canola cooking spray
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 Tbsp cinnamon