Apple Cider Doughnut Holes {deep-fried}

My kiddo's favorite way to start a Sunday morning is with a bag of doughnut holes from our local doughnut shop. The thought has crossed my mind several time to try and make these precious doughnut holes at home - but I was scared. Scared of creating a total disaster. However, it turns out that deep-fried homemade doughnuts can be made with ease! {I had no idea!} And I was wrong about doughnut holes coming from the cut-out center of a doughnut, they can be made from a batter that is scooped into oil. We had some sparkling apple cider on-hand, as well as some leftover Easy-As-Pie Apple Pie Filling - so I decided to make these Apple Cider Doughnut Holes. These doughnut holes have turned me into a firm believer of homemade doughnuts - which may be bad for my health...

Apple Cider Doughnut Holes
{PRINTABLE RECIPE}
yields approximately 30 doughnut holes
Ingredients
Icing
1 (16-ounce) package powdered sugar
⅓ cup sparkling apple cider
¼ cup butter, softened
¼ cup Easy-As-Pie Apple Pie Filling {i’m sure others could work, but this is the one I used for this recipe}

Doughnut Holes
½ cup milk
½ cup sparkling apple cider
1 egg, beaten
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
4 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ cup Easy-As-Pie Apple Pie Filling
¼ cup butter, melted

oil for frying {i used vegetable oil in a deep fryer}
adapted from Just a Taste

Directions
1. Mix together ingredients for icing. Mix well until all ingredients are well incorporated. Set aside.
2. Whisk together milk, sparkling cider and egg. In separate bowl whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients and mix together until dry ingredients are moistened. Add apple pie filling and butter, continue to mix until all ingredients are combined. Place in refrigerator while oil is heating.
3. Heat oil to 350
4. Using a cookie scoop {or tablespoon}, drop batter into oil making sure to not overcrowd pan/deep fryer. Each doughnut hole should take 3-4 minutes to cook through. Remove from oil and place on cookie rack to cool. {i set my cookie rack on a baking pan to catch the dripping oil} Repeat until doughnut hole batter is gone.
5. In small saucepan over low-med heat, heat icing mixture until it can quickly run through a slotted spoon - but not to boiling. Using a toothpick, pierce a doughnut hole and pour icing over the doughnut hole, using the saucepan to catch any of the run-off. Place doughnut hole back on cookie rack and continue to next doughnut hole until complete. After all doughnut holes have been iced, pour any remaining icing over doughnut holes to ensure all apple chunks have been added to doughnut holes.
6. Let icing set and enjoy!!