This is King Arthur Baking Company's take on the traditional, simple apple cider doughnut recipe. It takes 20 minutes for prep and another 10 to 12 minutes for baking. It makes six doughnuts.

Doughnuts

• 2 Tbsp (28 g) butter, softened

• 2 Tbsp (25 g) vegetable oil

• ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar

• ½ tsp salt

• 1 tsp nutmeg

• 1/8 tsp allspice

• 3 Tbsp (64 g) boiled cider or 3 Tbsp (54 g) thawed frozen apple juice concentrate

• ½ tsp vanilla extract

• 1 large egg

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1/8 tsp baking powder

• 1 ¼ cup (148 g) all-purpose flour

• ½ cup (113 g) milk

Doughnut Glaze

• 3 Tbsp (64 g) boiled cider or 3 Tbsp (54 g) thawed frozen apple juice concentrate*

• 1 ½ cups (298 g) granulated sugar

• 2 Tbsp (43 g) light corn syrup, dark corn syrup, or honey

• ¼ cup (57 g) water

*If you use apple juice concentrate, add 1 tsp lemon juice; the concentrate isn’t nearly as flavorful as boiled cider.

1. To make the doughnuts: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a standard doughnut pan.

2. Beat together the butter, oil, sugar, salt, and spices. Beat in the boiled cider and vanilla, then the egg. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl.

3. Whisk together the baking powder, baking soda, and flour. Stir the flour mixture into the wet ingredients alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with flour.

4. Spoon the batter into the pan, smoothing the tops.

5. Bake the doughnuts for 10 to 12 minutes, until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into one comes out clean.

6. Remove the doughnuts from the oven, wait 5 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool.

7.  To make the glaze: Place all the glaze ingredients into a saucepan.

8. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until the sugar is dissolved.

9. Bring the mixture to a boil, cover the pan, and boil for 3 minutes.

10.  Remove the cover and boil for a few more minutes, until the syrup reaches soft-ball stage, 240°F on a digital thermometer. Remove from the heat and cool slightly.

11.  Carefully dip the doughnuts in the warm syrup; reheat the syrup if it's thickened too much. If you dunk them completely, place them on a piece of greased parchment or waxed paper to set. If you dip just the tops, place them on a rack. There's enough syrup to dip each doughnut twice; the second dip yields a glossy finish. Note: any extra syrup will hold for up to a week, covered, in the refrigerator.

12.  Top the doughnuts with chopped nuts while the glaze is still sticky, if desired.

13.  Store any leftover doughnuts, loosely wrapped, at room temperature for a couple of days; freeze for longer storage.

Tips from Our Bakers

• Use 1 1/4 teaspoons Apple Pie Spice in place of the cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice, if desired.

• To substitute an opaque glaze for the shiny glaze given, mix together 1 1/2 cups (170 g) confectioners' sugar, sifted; a pinch of salt; 3 tablespoons (57 g) boiled cider, and 1 to 2 teaspoons milk, enough to make a thick, dippable glaze.