As you already know, I’m a huge fan of ice cream sandwiches, so today I’m mixing it up a bit to make it more fun and festive for fall. I’ve teamed up with Hudsonville Ice Cream to create apple cider donut ice cream sandwiches! When it comes to fall, the first thing I think of is apple cider donuts. They’re a seasonal staple and pair perfectly with Hudsonville’s NEW Limited Edition Cinnamon Sugar Cookie Ice Cream.

If you haven’t heard of Hudsonville Ice Cream before, then you’re really missing out. It’s our favorite ice cream brand and we always have a few quarts in our freezer at all times. I also especially love how they are from the Midwest. They were founded in West Michigan and have been perfecting the art of ice cream since 1926. It’s really the best ice cream around! Not sure where to find it? Use their Scoop Locator to find a store near you.

This fall, Hudsonville created a NEW Limited Edition flavor: Cinnamon Sugar Cookie. It’s a combination of brown sugar ice cream with a rich caramel ribbon and cinnamon sugar shortbread cookies. It’s the perfect combination of sweet and the flavors pair perfectly with all your favorite fall time treats.

Before assembling the donut ice cream sandwiches, we need to make the donuts. When it comes to making donuts, you can either fry them or bake them. I went with the baking route because I find it to be easier and less messy. I bought this set of donut pans to help get the shape I needed. Here’s the recipe below:

Baked Apple Cider Donuts

1 ¾ cup of all-purpose flour
1 ¼ teaspoon of baking powder
¾ teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg
10 tablespoons of unsalted butter, room temperature
¾ cup of packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup of granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup of apple cider
1/2 cup of granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
6 tablespoons of unsalted butter, melted

Start by reducing the apple cider for a concentrated flavor. In a small saucepan over medium heat, simmer the apple cider, stirring occasionally, until you’re left with about 1/2 cup. Start checking at 10 minutes until you have about a 1/2 cup. Mine took between 12 and 15 minutes. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Lightly grease two 6-cavity donut pans and set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside.
In another bowl, mix together butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar on medium speed with a stand or hand mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Keep the mixer on medium speed and add the eggs one at a time mixing well after each addition. Then beat in the vanilla extract.
With the mixer on low, slowly add the flour mixture and mix just until incorporated (try to avoid over mixing). With the mixer still running, very slowly add the apple cider in and mix just until combined.
Use a spoon to transfer the batter into prepared donut pans, filling them about 2/3 of the way full. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 12 to 15 minutes. Make sure to rotate the pans halfway through baking.
While the donuts bake, make the cinnamon sugar coating by whisking together 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in a small bowl. In a separate small bowl, melt 6 tablespoons of butter in the microwave.
Remove donuts from oven when baked and allow them to cool for 5 minutes in the pan. Gently remove them them from the pans and while they are still warm brush with the melted butter and generously coat them in the cinnamon sugar. Serve immediately or cool to room temperature.

Once you’ve made your donuts and let them cool (perhaps overnight), it’s time to assemble the ice cream sandwiches. It’s pretty simple to create and I suggest letting your ice cream stand out at room temperature for at least 10-15 minutes before scooping. Make sure to follow my recipe below and enjoy!

Apple Cider Donut Ice Cream Sandwiches

12 Apple Cider Donuts (see above for recipe)
1 48 oz carton of Hudsonville's Cinnamon Sugar Cookie Ice Cream, softened

Take ice cream out and let stand for 10-15 minutes.
Place 1 large scoop of ice cream between 2 donuts.
Serve immediately OR place in plastic wrap neatly and store in your freezer until serving.
**Remember you do not want the donuts to freeze so do not store in the freezer for too long.