Homemade Apple Sauce Donuts

These donuts are SO scrumptious! WAY better than I thought they were going to be!

Here's the lowdown (lol): 

• 2 quarts oil for deep frying
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup applesauce
• 4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground mace
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar for dusting

Heat oil to 375 F. We don't have a deep fryer, so we had to use a dutch oven. It worked great!

In a large bowl, mix together white sugar, butter, eggs and applesauce.
In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, mace and cinnamon.

Stir flour mixture into egg mixture alternately with the buttermilk. Mix until a stiff dough is formed.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll into a 3/4" sheet.

Cut the donuts out with a donut cutter. We didn't have one, so I used a cup.

Carefully slide donuts into hot oil. Fry on each side until they are a golden brown on both sides. It took me about 3 minutes each side.

Drain donuts on paper towels and dust with confectioner's sugar (icing sugar). Serve hot.

They really are best eaten when they are hot and freshly made. But they are also very good cold. Just ask Alexander. He ate EIGHT of them while I was upstairs with Isabel one day. EIGHT of them. sheesh. 

Here is the nutritional stats for one donut: