National Dessert Day, and Sweet Mercy is ready for it.

In October, Sophie Callahan’s case on the square fills up with apple cider donuts and pumpkin cream cheese muffins. The Thanksgiving pie orders start coming in this month, too.

Sophie says summer to fall is her favorite turn of the year. “Everything gets warmer somehow, even though it’s getting colder outside.”

Sweet Mercy might be fictional, but these donuts don’t have to be. Here’s how to make a batch at home.

BAKED APPLE CIDER DONUTS
Makes about 12

1 cup apple cider
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
½ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
6 Tbsp butter, melted
¼ cup buttermilk or sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
Powdered sugar for dusting

1. Simmer the cider in a small pan until it cooks down to ½ cup, about 10 minutes. Let it cool. This is where the apple flavor comes from, so don’t skip it.
2. Heat the oven to 350°F and grease two donut pans.
3. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg together in one bowl.
4. In a second bowl, whisk the sugars, eggs, butter, buttermilk, vanilla and the cooled cider.
5. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ones just until combined.
6. Pipe or spoon the batter into the pans, filling each about ⅔ full.
7. Bake 10–12 minutes, until the tops spring back. Cool 5 minutes, then turn them out.
8. Dust heavily with powdered sugar once they’re cool.

What would you order first at Sweet Mercy?