Description
These Baked Apple Cider Donuts are soft, warmly spiced, and bursting with real apple flavor. Made without frying, they’re a cozy fall treat that’s easy to whip up at home with reduced apple cider and a cinnamon-sugar coating.
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/2 cups (360ml) apple cider
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon apple pie spice (or substitute with 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp allspice)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (120ml) milk, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (120g) unsweetened applesauce
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, melted
Cinnamon-Sugar Topping:
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Reduce the apple cider: Simmer the apple cider in a small saucepan over medium heat until reduced to about 1/2 cup, approximately 15–20 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and grease two donut pans.
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, apple pie spice, and salt together.
- In another bowl, whisk the egg, brown sugar, milk, applesauce, vanilla extract, and melted butter until combined.
- Add the wet ingredients and reduced apple cider to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Spoon or pipe the batter into the greased donut pans, filling each about 3/4 full.
- Bake for 10–11 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Let the donuts cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack.
- Prepare the topping: Mix granulated sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl. Dip each slightly cooled donut in melted butter, then coat in cinnamon sugar.
- Serve immediately or store covered at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Notes
- Don’t skip reducing the apple cider — it concentrates the flavor.
- If you don’t have donut pans, you can use a muffin pan, adjusting bake time slightly.
- Donuts taste best fresh but can be frozen without topping and coated after reheating.
- You can substitute apple pie spice with your own spice blend.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 donut
- Calories: 260
- Sugar: 21g
- Sodium: 170mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
