BAKED APPLE DOUGHNUT HOLES

3 cups unsifted all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups sugar, divided use
3 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter, divided use
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup milk
1 cup grated tart apples
1/2 cup chopped nuts
2 tsp ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease forty 1 1/2 inch muffin pan cups.

In, medium-size bowl, combine flour, 1 cup sugar, the baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. With pastry blender or 2 knives, cut 1 cup (2 sticks) butter into the flour mixture until it resembles fine crumbs. Stir in eggs and milk until soft dough forms. Fold in apples and nuts.

With floured hands, roll dough into 1-inch round balls to resemble doughnut holes. Drop balls into muffin-pan cups.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.

In small saucepan, melt remaining 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter over low heat.

In medium-size plastic food-storage bag, combine remaining 3/4 cup sugar, and the cinnamon. In batches of 3 or 4, drop doughnut holes into melted butter to cover, immediately remove doughnut holes with tongs or slotted spoon, and toss in bag to coat with sugar mixture. Repeat until all doughnut holes have been coated.

Makes 40 doughnut holes
Source: Country Cooking magazine, Summer 1994