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    Home » Recipes » Donuts

    Baked Apple Cider Donuts

    Published: Oct 1, 2021 · Modified: Sep 11, 2023 by brooke · This post may contain affiliate links · 10 Comments

    96 shares
    Jump to Recipe

    These baked apple cider donuts are just like the ones they serve at the pumpkin patches, but without the frying. Filled with the flavors of fresh apple cider and warmed spices.

    BAKED APPLE CIDER DONUTS ON A COOLING RACK

    WHY BAKED APPLE CIDER DONUTS

    If you have ever been to a pumpkin patch in the fall where they are making fresh apple cider and apple cider donuts you know how addictive they are. It is probably one of the reasons that I love the fall so much. They smell amazing, taste so warm and full of all the spices, and are usually accompanied by some cool weather and warm cups of fresh apple cider.

    A few years ago we moved to Texas and I haven't been able to find any of these pumpkin patches or these fresh apple cider donuts, so I decided I needed to figure out a way to make them myself to help put me in the fall mood.

    a large pile of baked apple cider donuts on paper

    WHAT INGREDIENTS ARE NEEDED

    • Apple Cider
    • Butter
    • Sugar
    • Brown Sugar
    • Egg
    • Buttermilk
    • Vanilla
    • Flour
    • Baking powder
    • Baking soda
    • Salt
    • Cardamom
    • Cinnamon
    • Cloves
    • Nutmeg
    ingredients for baked apple cider donuts

    STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

    • Pour cider in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, reduce to simmer and allow to reduce to ½ cup, this should take aboue 15-20 minutes. Pour into measuring cup or bowl and add 3 tablespoon butter and it will melt in the hot cider. Allow to cool to room temperature.
    apple cider reducing on stove
    apple cider reduced with butter melting inside
    • Preheat oven to 350 F and spray donut pans with cooking spray.
    • In a large mixing bowl add apple cider and butter mixture, both sugars and egg. Whisk until combined. Add buttermilk and vanilla and mix again.
    • Whisk in all dry ingredients until just barely mixed through.
    liquid and sugar mixing
    adding dry ingredients
    batter all mixed and ready
    • Pour batter in piping bag or ziplock and pipe batter in the donut pan, filling each about half way full.
    • Bake for 10 minutes, or until cooked through and springy on the top when lightly touched.
    • Allow the donuts to cool down for 5 minutes at room temperature and then remove from pan.
    • While the donuts are cooling, mix together sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a wide bowl.
    • Brush melted butter all over each donut and roll in the bowl of sugar until fully coated. 
    batter in a bag and donut pan sprayed
    baked donuts and melted butter and sugar near
    rolling donut in sugar mixture

    IS IT NECESSARY TO BOIL THE APPLE CIDER AND REDUCE

    To be able to get a stronger apple cider flavor it is necessary to boil and reduce the apple cider. If you didn't want to do that I would suggest buying apple cider concentrate to keep the flavor strong.

    HOW BEST TO STORE THESE DONUTS

    These donuts are definitely best served warm and fresh, but they will in fact keep for a few days on the counter. Just make sure that they are stored in an air tight container and then rewarm for a few seconds in the microwave before serving.

    MAKING THE DONUTS AHEAD OF TIME

    These donut can also be stored in the freezer if you are wanting to make ahead of time. Just wait to brush with melted butter and roll in the sugar mixture until right before serving. Or you could also make the batter ahead of time and store in the fridge until ready to make and serve.

    4 baked apple cider donuts stacked on top of each other

    SOME OTHER FALL RECIPES TO TRY:

    Brown Butter Pumpkin Sugar Cookies

    Apple Fritter Bread

    Pumpkin Bread

    Chai Blondies with Cinnamon Chips

    a dozen baked apple cider donuts in a row with a bite missing from one

    For more yummy treats follow me on instagram @thesaltedsweets. And be sure to tag me and comment below if you make them and love them as much as I do.

    a dozen baked apple cider donuts in a row with a bite missing from one.

    Baked Apple Cider Donuts

    brooke
    These baked apple cider donuts are just like the ones they serve at the pumpkin patches, but without the frying. Filled with the flavors of fresh apple cider and warmed spices.
    5 from 6 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 30 minutes mins
    Cook Time 10 minutes mins
    Course Breakfast
    Cuisine American
    Servings 14
    Calories 249 kcal

    Equipment

    • donut pan

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 1¼ cups apple cider, reduced to ½ cup
    • 3 tablespoon butter
    • ½ cup granulated sugar
    • ½ cup brown sugar
    • 1 large egg room temp
    • ⅓ cup buttermilk milk is fine too
    • 2 teaspoon vanilla
    • 1¾ cup all-purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon cardamom
    • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
    • ¼ tsp cloves
    • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg

    Donut Topping

    • 5 tablespoon melted butter
    • 1 cup granulated sugar
    • 2 teaspoon cinnamon
    • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg

    Instructions
     

    • Pour cider in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, reduce to simmer and allow to reduce to ½ cup, this should take aboue 15-20 minutes. Pour into measuring cup or bowl and add 3 tablespoon butter and it will melt in the hot cider. Allow to cool to room temperature.
    • Preheat oven to 350 F and spray donut pans with cooking spray.
    • In a large mixing bowl add apple cider and butter mixture, both sugars and egg. Whisk until combined. Add buttermilk and vanilla and mix again.
    • Whisk in all dry ingredients until just barely mixed through.
    • Pour batter in piping bag or ziplock and pipe batter in the donut pan, filling each about half way full.
    • Bake for 10 minutes, or until cooked through and springy on the top when lightly touched.
    • Allow the donuts to cool down for 5 minutes at room temperature and then remove from pan.
    • While the donuts are cooling, mix together sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a wide bowl.
    • Brush melted butter all over each donut and roll in the bowl of sugar until fully coated. 

    Notes

    I have made these with GF flour before and they were just as good.
    These donuts are best served warm or on the first day made. These can be stored in an airtight container for a few extra days. If wanting to make ahead, store baked donuts in the freezer. Once ready to serve defrost and brush with butter and sugar mixture before serving.
    If all the batter doesn't fit in the donut pan the first round, just respray your pan and bake until finished.
    If you don't have a donut pan these can be made into mini or regular sized muffins.
    The buttermilk and eggs should be room temperature. I try to let them sit out for about about an hour if I can before I begin my donut making!
    I have given both cups and grams as measurements. Grams will be more precise, especially when measuring flour. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, no problem! Just lightly spoon flour into your measuring cup to insure its not packed in there. Light and fluffy is the key.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 249kcalCarbohydrates: 44gProtein: 2gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 222mgPotassium: 67mgFiber: 1gSugar: 31gVitamin A: 230IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 43mgIron: 1mg
    Keyword apple, apple cider, cinnamon, donuts
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Carly

      October 13, 2021 at 3:11 pm

      Yum. How long would you bake for mini donuts?

      Reply
      • brooke

        October 16, 2021 at 3:39 pm

        I haven't done mini before so I'm not sure. I would set the timer for maybe 6-7 minutes and then watch them after that.

        Reply
    2. Kim

      October 24, 2021 at 6:40 pm

      5 stars
      Made these into muffins. Baked for about 14 mins. They were delicious and had a nice apple cider flavor to them. They were a huge hit with the family!

      Reply
      • brooke

        October 26, 2021 at 12:06 pm

        I'm so glad you loved them! Thanks for trying them and leaving a review!

        Reply
    3. Jill D.

      October 30, 2021 at 9:26 am

      Can’t wait to try these!! I love apple cider donuts but haven’t had them since living in Connecticut. Do you have a favorite donut pan? Metal versus silicon?

      Reply
      • brooke

        October 30, 2021 at 4:52 pm

        I just have a wilton one that I had ordered on amazon and its been great. I've never tried the silicon, but I'm sure it would be good too!

        Reply
    4. susan

      October 30, 2021 at 4:37 pm

      How did you make them gluten free for your father?

      Reply
      • brooke

        October 30, 2021 at 4:52 pm

        I just subbed cup4cup GF flour in and everything else the same!

        Reply
    5. Sharonius

      November 08, 2021 at 12:57 pm

      5 stars
      I've made these twice already. So delicious. And easy.

      Reply
    6. Mary

      September 25, 2022 at 10:52 am

      5 stars
      Absolutely delicious. The recipe is perfect and very easy. I'm a Midwest girl living in Texas for 9 years. I hunt applesauce donuts down each trip I make up north. Thank you so much for this recipe. Not to mention how wonderful my kitchen smells.

      Reply

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