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Overhead shot of a gold bowl with handles filled with doughnut holes and a ramekin of dark chocolate fudge sauce and a green apple above it

Apple Pie Ricotta Doughnuts with Dark Chocolate Fudge Sauce

These Apple Pie Ricotta Doughnuts with Dark Chocolate Fudge Sauce are the perfect, light, poppable treat, filled with apple pie spices, ricotta cheese, and freshly grated Granny Smith apples! They're coated in an apple pie spiced sugar, and then served with a dark chocolate fudge sauce for dipping. The best kind of holiday indulgence!

Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert, Snack
Keyword apple pie doughnuts
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 22 -25 doughnuts
Author Molly | Spices in My DNA

Ingredients

For the apple pie ricotta doughnuts

  • 1 cup whole milk ricotta*
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 granny smith apple, peeled, cored, and grated
  • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon cardamom
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1 1/2 quarts vegetable oil

For the apple pie sugar coating

  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

For the dark chocolate fudge sauce

Instructions

For the apple pie ricotta doughnuts

  1. Heat oil in a large pot or dutch oven fitted with a thermometer over medium to medium-high heat until it reaches 350℉. Line a baking sheet or wire rack with paper towels and set aside.

  2. Meanwhile, make the dough. In a medium bowl, whisk together the ricotta, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and grated apple until combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cardamom, and allspice. Add dry mixture to the wet and stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until combined.

  3. Wet your hands (it will prevent the dough from sticking), and roll the dough into 1-1 1/2 inch balls (smaller than a golf ball - they will puff up quite a bit!). You should get about 22-25 balls. Set them on a piece of wax or parchment paper while you wait for the oil to come to temperature.

  4. Once oil comes to temperature, gently lower 5 or 6 balls into the hot oil and fry for 4-5 minutes until they are golden and puffy. Be sure not to overcrowd the pot, as the temperature will drop and your doughnuts won't cook all the way through. Drain on prepared baking sheet or rack for a few seconds, then toss the doughnuts in the apple pie sugar until coated. Repeat with the remaining dough. Serve immediately with the dark chocolate fudge sauce!

For the apple pie sugar coating

  1. Combine the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cardamom, and allspice in a shallow bowl until combined.

For the dark chocolate fudge sauce

  1. In a medium saucepan, combine the heavy cream, corn syrup, brown sugar, salt, and half of the chocolate. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat slightly and simmer for 1-2 minutes or until chocolate has melted. Remove from heat and add remaining chocolate, butter, and vanilla. Stir to combine and until all chocolate has melted. Serve with the doughnuts!

Recipe Notes

*Be sure to use whole milk ricotta, not part skim. The skim contains too much moisture and won't yield the same result!