I told Alexa to play Van Morrison's "When the Leaves Come Falling Down," as I preheated my oven to 350 degrees and lit a pumpkin spice candle. This would be the first time I'd used my brand new Wilton donut pans—they'd been sitting in my cabinet for a few years. It was mid-September and I was finally going to try my hand at making donuts.

Pretty soon, the house was smelling like a county fair—apple cider reducing on the stovetop, a big bowl of cinnamon sugar on the counter. In just under 20 minutes, I had a half dozen perfectly baked, soft donuts coming out of my oven, and I didn’t even have to visit a drive-through.

Later that day, I pulled out the fall decorations and set about dressing up the mantle with my “Thankful” banner, arranging warm red, yellow and orange fall foliage around the front door and stacking haybales, gourds and pumpkins on the front porch. In Southeast Georgia, it’s usually still 90 degrees when all this is taking place, but nevertheless, I do love this time of year and all the new energy it brings.

Helping me decorate is the newest addition to our home, a 3.5 pound, 12-week old kitten that we helped rescue from an abandoned litter at Fort Stewart. We’ve named him Tyke, and he’s been a rambunctious and fun little creature to add to the mix. Tyke loves to paw at and chase anything that dangles or drops to the floor, so he had an absolute ball as I was unpacking the seasonal decor.

With the donuts done and the house all decked out, I am excited to welcome what’s next. I can’t wait to attend Georgia Southern’s homecoming game and look forward to those long-awaited cooler temperatures. I’ve also recently launched Friendsgiving and holiday cocktail party menus for the season, so if you’re looking to host a special gathering, I would love to be of service as your private chef. You can check out those offerings on my website at RebekahLingenfelser.com.

This is truly the easiest donut recipe ever, because it all starts with a box of spiced cake mix. Plus, because they're baked rather than fried in hot oil, they are naturally lighter! Made with applesauce and reduced cider, these donuts are Some Kinda Good® because they’re fluffy, tender, and perfectly sweet.

So, get out those donut pans and turn up the tunes. It’s fall, y’all!

Rebekah Faulk Lingenfelser is a private chef, speaker, culinary TV personality, and author. Featured in Forbes, on ABC and Food Network, she is a Georgia Southern alumna and an honors graduate of the Savannah Culinary Institute. Visit RebekahLingenfelser.com, like Some Kinda Good on Facebook or follow @SKGFoodBlog on Instagram and YouTube.

Cinnamon Sugar Apple Cider Donuts

Serve these alongside a hot mug of coffee or warm cider, put on your favorite autumn playlist, and soak in the sweet promise of the season ahead!

Ingredients

• 1 box spice cake mix (15.25 oz)
• ½ cup cinnamon applesauce
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups apple cider (reduced on the stove to 1 cup)
• Optional for topping: Melted butter or apple cider, and cinnamon sugar for dipping

Directions

1. Reduce the Cider: In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the 2 cups of apple cider to a simmer. Let it reduce until about 1 cup remains, then remove from heat and let cool slightly.
2. Prep the Oven & Pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a donut pan.
3. Mix the Batter: In a bowl, mix the spice cake mix, applesauce, pure vanilla extract, and reduced apple cider until smooth.
4. Fill the Pan: Spoon or pipe batter into the prepared donut pan, filling each cavity about ⅔ full.
5. Bake: Bake for 15 minutes or until the donuts spring back when touched.
6. Baste: While still warm, brush donuts with melted butter or apple cider, then dip and hold for a few seconds in cinnamon sugar for that classic cider donut finish.