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Overflowing with the flavors of fall, these homemade Apple Cider Donuts are baked, not fried, and then rolled in a cinnamon-sugar mixture for extra crunch.
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
Ingredient notes
- Apple cider: You’ll begin with 3 cups, then cook it down into ½ cup. This concentrated flavor-booster is the secret ingredient to max out the fall flavor in these baked donuts.
- Apple pie spice: If you don’t have a jar of this mixed, it’s easy to make your own apple pie spice. Combine 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1 teaspoon nutmeg, and ¼ teaspoon cardamom, ⅛ teaspoon allspice, and a pinch of cloves.
- Butter: Melt this to act as the “glue” to adhere the apple pie spice, cinnamon, and sugar to the exterior of the Apple Cider Donuts. (Psst..you’ll want some napkins handy when you enjoy these homemade donuts!)
Step-by-step instructions
- In a small saucepan on medium low heat, simmer the apple cider until you are left with about ½ cup of cider, about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside to cool, about 10 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a donut pan with nonstick spray, set aside. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, apple pie spice, and salt.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together apple cider, melted butter, egg, brown sugar, granulated sugar, milk, and vanilla extract. Pour cider mixture into the flour mixture. Whisk until smooth.
- Spoon batter into donut pan, filling each one about ½ way, about ¼ cup. Bake the donuts until lightly brown on top, about 12 minutes. If donuts bounce back to the touch, then they are done.
- Remove donuts from pan and cool on a wire rack.
- For the topping, in a medium bowl combine the granulated sugar, cinnamon, and apple pie spice. Place the melted butter in a separate medium bowl.
- To coat the donuts, working one donut at a time, dip the donuts into the melted butter then gently roll the donut around in the sugar mixture.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This recipe makes 16 baked donuts.
- Storage: Place in an airtight storage container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- Make ahead: While these donuts are best slightly warm from the oven, feel free to make them a few days ahead. Enjoy within 4 days.
- Donut pan: We love this donut pan for baked donuts (Culinary Hill may earn money if you buy through this link).
- Drizzle: If the cinnamon-sugar topping isn’t your thing, try a simple powdered sugar glaze instead.
- Drink pairing: Little feels more “fall” to me than sipping a Brandy Apple Cider Slush alongside an Apple Cider Donut. My Mulled Cider, Slow Cooker Cranberry Apple Cider, or Mulled Wine would also be delicious, or simply enjoy with your morning coffee or tea.
Apple Pie Spice
Make a batch of Apple Pie Spice with just cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg, then add it to all your fall baking projects and maybe even your morning latte.
View Recipe
More apple dessert ideas
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Apple Crisp
Pie and Tart Recipes
The Best Apple Pie Recipe
Fruit Dessert Recipes
Apple Strudel
Fruit Dessert Recipes
Apple Walnut Cobbler
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Apple Cider Donuts
Overflowing with the flavors of fall, these homemade Apple Cider Donuts are baked, not fried, and then rolled in a cinnamon-sugar mixture for extra crunch.
Ingredients
For the donuts:
- 3 cups apple cider (see note 1)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon apple pie spice (see note 2)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoon butter melted
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the topping:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon apple pie spice
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup butter melted (see note 3)
Instructions
- In a small saucepan over medium low heat, simmer the apple cider until you are left with about ½ cup of cider, about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside to cool, about 10 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a donut pan with nonstick spray, set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, apple pie spice, and salt.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together apple cider, melted butter, egg, brown sugar, granulated sugar, milk, and vanilla extract. Pour cider mixture into the flour mixture. Whisk until smooth.
- Spoon batter into donut pan, filling each one about ½ way, about ¼ cup. Bake the donuts until lightly brown on top, about 12 minutes. If donuts bounce back to the touch, then they are done. Remove donuts from pan and cool on a wire rack.
- For the topping, in a medium bowl combine the granulated sugar, cinnamon, and apple pie spice. Place the melted butter in a separate medium bowl.
- To coat the donuts, working one donut at a time, dip the donuts into the melted butter then gently roll the donut around in the sugar mixture. Serve immediately or can be stored in refrigerator for 5 days in an airtight container.
Notes
- Apple cider: You’ll begin with 3 cups, then cook it down into ½ cup. This concentrated flavor-booster is the secret ingredient to max out the fall flavor in these baked donuts.
- Apple pie spice: If you don’t have a jar of this mixed, it’s easy to make your own apple pie spice. Combine 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1 teaspoon nutmeg, and ¼ teaspoon cardamom, ⅛ teaspoon allspice, and a pinch of cloves.
- Butter: Melt this to act as the “glue” to adhere the apple pie spice, cinnamon, and sugar to the exterior of the Apple Cider Donuts. (Psst..you’ll want some napkins handy when you enjoy these homemade donuts!)
- Yield: This recipe makes 16 baked donuts.
- Storage: Place an an airtight storage container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- Make ahead: While these donuts are best slightly warm from the oven, feel free to make them a few days ahead. Enjoy within 4 days.
- Donut pan: We love this donut pan for baked donuts (Culinary Hill may earn money if you buy through this link).
- Drizzle: If the cinnamon-sugar topping isn’t your thing, try a simple powdered sugar glaze instead.
- Drink pairing: Little feels more “fall” to me than sipping a Brandy Apple Cider Slush alongside an Apple Cider Donut. My Mulled Cider, Slow Cooker Cranberry Apple Cider, or Mulled Wine would also be delicious, or simply enjoy with your morning coffee or tea.
Nutrition
Calories: 251kcalCarbohydrates: 43gProtein: 2gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 200mgPotassium: 90mgFiber: 1gSugar: 30gVitamin A: 252IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 39mgIron: 1mg
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Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.
These donuts were outstanding! I recently reviewed these on my YouTube channel, The Real Deal Recipe Reviews, where I always try to make recipes as written and give honest reviews. I was pleasantly surprised at how tender these were, considering they’re baked and not fried. The flavor was perfect! I’ll definitely make these again!
Thank you so much for reviewing these! I’m so happy you loved them, Daryl! – Meggan
Meggan Hill excellent choice to make Donuts 🍩 Apple 🍎 Cider the flavor of the Apple cider will be intense would it be possible for you to look into more German sourdough starter baked goods recipes beacuse you are really on the right track but not only German sourdough starter but Dutch sourdough starter baked goods recipe fall is at our Door steps more Europe recipes please Meggan Hill Thank you kindly 🙏 from 🇨🇦 #YSW ❤️ Domenico Monteleone ❤️ bye Gorgeous 👋
Hey there Deomenico, can you please send me an example recipe of the German and Dutch sourdough starters? I have looked in Google and I’m not finding anything, but maybe you know the true names in their languages and can help me find something. Thank you! -Meggan
Looks yummy! Since batter exceeds 6ct yield of pan, can it be stored in fridge & baked afresh next morning? Do these donuts freeze well? Thx!!
Hi Theodora, yes. The batter can be made ahead of time. – Meggan
How long can I keep batter in fridge? Can batter be frozen? Thx; look forward to making these!