DIY apple donuts

In our garden, we call it The Green Garden, we have two sturdy apple trees. They’re five years old now and give us a nice harvest each year. This year, the apples ripened a bit earlier than usual. Already by the end of August. On a warm summer evening, I decided to pick a few apples together with my daughter Amora, who is just six months old. She sat on my hip, curiously looking at the leaves and apples. It was her very first apple picking moment, and hopefully the start of a lovely yearly tradition.

The next morning, I wanted to make something fun and tasty with our freshly picked apples. Over the past few months, I had seen a bunch of videos on social media of people making apple donuts using puff pastry. One version stood out to me. Instead of cutting out circles, they sliced the puff pastry into thin strips and wrapped it around the apple rings. It looked simple, creative, and fun to try.

So on a Saturday morning, I got up early and headed to the kitchen. I wanted to surprise everyone in our familyhome – the kids and my husband Rockey. For Amora I made a slightly different donut.The smell of warm apples, cinnamon, and crispy pastry filled the house. And the result? A hit! Everyone loved them. It was such a simple recipe, but it brought a great atmosphere to the day.

Here’s the recipe I used. You can make enough for 20 people, so it’s perfect for a big family, a party, or just sharing with friends.

Recipe: Apple Donuts with Puff Pastry (serves 20)

Ingredients:

• 10 firm apples (like Elstar or Jonagold)

• 5 rolls of fresh puff pastry (or 10 frozen sheets, thawed)

• 200 g (about 1 cup) granulated sugar

• 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon

• 2 eggs (beaten, for brushing)

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

• Flour for dusting

• Optional: powdered sugar or caramel sauce for topping

  
  

You’ll need:

• Apple corer or small knife

• Sharp knife or pizza cutter

• Baking tray and parchment paper

• Pastry brush

• Oven

Instructions:

1. Prep the apples Peel the apples, core them, and slice them into rings about 1–1.5 cm thick. Drizzle with lemon juice to prevent browning.

2. Make the cinnamon sugar Mix the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside.

3. Slice the puff pastry Roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface and cut it into thin strips (about 0.5–1 cm wide).

4. Wrap the apples Take an apple ring and wrap the pastry strips around it, weaving some of the strips through the center hole so it forms a donut shape with a fun twist. Cover most of the apple but leave the center visible.

5. Brush and sprinkle Place the wrapped apples on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Brush them with the beaten egg and generously sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

6. Bake Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C (390°F) for about 18–22 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and crispy.

7. Serve Let cool for a few minutes and serve warm. You can dust them with powdered sugar or drizzle with caramel sauce if you like.

These apple donuts are perfect for a cozy autumn morning, a weekend brunch, or anytime you’ve got a bunch of apples lying around. They’re fun to make , especially the part where you wrap the dough around the apple rings – and even more fun to eat.

Next year, when our trees are full of apples again, I’m sure Amora and I will be out there picking together. And you can bet we’ll be making these donuts again.

Greetings,

Melisa