Posted by Guest Blogger on 8th Feb 2018

Our Favorite Christmas time Apple recipes

Christmas Time is here!

Believe it or not, Christmas is right around the corner! The decorations are going up, the malls are busy, presents are being wrapped, and of course tis the season to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas...The celebration of the Christ Child. As we give thanks and celebrate our lord through fellowship and communion, we seem to do so over food. So we decided to share with you some our favorite holiday recipes, using of course our favorite fruit...the apple!

Christmas Apple Salad

After all the sugarplums and heavy Christmas treats, this crunchy red-and-green apple salad is a nice change of pace but still quite festive-looking!

What you need:

1 cup BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream
1/2 tsp. salt
1 can (14 oz.) pineapple tidbits, drained, liquid reserved
4 Granny Smith apples, cored, cut into cubes
4 red apples, cored, cut into cubes
1 cup coarsely chopped PLANTERS Pecans
1 cup JET-PUFFED Miniature Marshmallow

Directions:

Mix sour cream, salt and reserved pineapple juice in large bowl with wire whisk until well blended. Add pineapple tidbits, apples and pecans. Toss until apples are coated with sour cream mixture. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Toss gently with marshmallows before serving.

Christmas Apple Cake

Freshly chopped apples make for a Christmas cake that's moist and naturally sweet.

What you need:

3/4 cup Kauffman's Apple Cider
1 cup currants
1 cup butter, softened
1 ½ cups sugar
4 eggs
¾ cups finely chopped apples
½ cup brandy
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon allspice
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups chopped pecans

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease and flour a Bundt pan. Bring apple cider to a boil over high heat in a small pot; add currants, cover, and remove from heat. Soak 15 minutes. In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating with each addition. Add apples, brandy, cinnamon, salt, allspice, and nutmeg; beat. Add currants and soaking cider; beat. Add flour and soda and beat on a low speed until just mixed. Stir in pecans. Transfer to prepared pan and bake 45 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes in pan; invert onto serving platter and cool completely before serving

Apple Cider Donuts

If you have been to our retail store and have been lucky enough to have one of our fresh hot Apple Cider Donuts, then you know how delicious and addicting these are. This recipe isn't exactly ours, well because we don't want to give away our secret recipe, but these are a close second.

What you need:

1 c. granulated sugar
1 tbsp. ground cinnamon
3 c. Kauffman's Apple Cider
2 large eggs
6 tbsp. butter, melted and cooled
3 1/2 c. all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled, plus more for work surface
2/3 c. packed light brown sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. Kosher salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. apple pie spice
1 48-oz. bottle canola oil

Directions:

Combine granulated sugar and cinnamon in a paper bag; shake to mix. Boil cider in a large skillet over high heat until reduced to 1 cup, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool completely. Whisk together eggs, butter, and reduced cider in a bowl. Beat flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and pie spice with an electric mixer until combined, 30 seconds. Beat in cider mixture just until moistened. Cover and chill at least 1 hour. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat to 365 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Divide dough in half. Working with one half at a time, on a floured work surface, roll dough to 1/2" thick and cut into circles with a floured 3" doughnut cutter. Repeat with remaining dough, re-rolling scraps once. Fry doughnuts and holes, in batches, until golden brown, 45 seconds to 1 minute per side. Drain on prepared baking sheet 30 seconds. Gently toss warm doughnuts in cinnamon sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature.